
Class L 

Book 



COFWIGHT DEPOSIT. 



History of Chelmsford 




HENRY SPAULDING PERHAM 



J 

HISTORY 



OF 



CHELMSFORD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



BY 



THE REV. WILSON WATERS, M. A., B. D. 



Printed fok the Town 

Br THE 

COURIER-CITIZEN COMPANY 

Lowell, MASSACHUsETxa 

1917. 



C4^SW3 






COPYKIQHT, 1917 

By WILSON WATERS ^ 



JUL 12 1917 



:Dci Ai7j?ooi ^ 






INTRODUCTION 

THE work of preparing a history of Chelmsford was under- 
taken by Mr. Henry S. Perham in 1904, at the request of 
the Town. Mr. Perham, a native of Chelmsford, whose ancestor 
was one of the early settlers, had written a sketch of Chelmsford 
for Hurd's History of Middlesex Coimty, published in 1891; 
and at the Quarter-Millennial celebration in 1905, he delivered 
the historical address which was printed in the Report of the 
Proceedings. At the time of his death, in 1906, he had written 
so much of the contemplated history as appears in the first 
chapter of this volume under the title, "The Beginning." This, 
with whatever other material (consisting of a few notes, some 
correspondence, and occasional addresses in manuscript), was 
found among his papers, came into my hands, when, in 1907, 
I was asked by the Town to take up the work interrupted by 
the lamented death of Mr. Perham. 

I reluctantly accepted the task, realizing the labor involved 
and the time it would take from other pressing duties. I have 
endeavored to bring the work to completion in a manner as 
nearly consonant with that of my predecessor and as worthy of 
the subject as the imposed conditions and my own limitations 
would allow. I have traversed the whole field, verifying the 
quotations made by Mr. Perham, although this was hardly 
necessary in the case of such an accurate historian, and have 
searched diligently for the facts now presented to the reader. 
I am aware that further years of work might yield some things 
of interest yet unearthed, and perhaps give better finish to the 
result of my labors. 

The reader may discover a somewhat arbitrary grouping 
of chapters and subjects: perhaps a more homogeneous and 
logical arrangement might have been made, had the conditional 
limitations allowed. 

As the work progressed, it became evident that, to make a 
volume of reasonable size, and to shape it in the docimientary 
and topical, rather than the narrative style, it would be necessary 
to repress all inclination to the fine periods which make a book 



vi HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

more acceptable to the ordinary reader. The doctiments repro- 
duced are of more value in a work of this nature than a mere 
reference to them, or than anything which an author may say 
concerning them, and are often more interesting and illimiinating. 

This History is compiled, not so much to entertain, as to 
inform the reader concerning the past life of the Town, and to 
furnish him with a reference book of lasting value. 

Dr. Samuel A. Green, President of the Massachusetts 
Historical Society, a friend and helper of Mr. Perham in his 
historical work, said to me several years ago, "Do not spend too 
much time gathering material." A certain amount of material 
is essential to a good history, and, having gathered sufficient, 
as I think, for this purpose, I now present the result to the patient 
reader. 

Extracts have been given from Bridge's diary, now in the 
possession of the Fiske family, of which Mr. Perham made a 
faithful copy. It is a valuable doctmient, and should be printed. 

Wherever Mr. Perham's material has been used, it has been 
my purpose to give him due credit for the same. 

After Chapter I, extracts from the Town records have been 
given without reference to Book and page, the reader being able 
to find them in loco by the date. 

About forty manuscript volumes of Chelmsford records have 
been read through, and much has been gleaned from the 240 
folio volumes of manuscripts in the State Archives. The first 
book of Proprietors' records was burned about 1715. Parts of 
the first and second volvmies of Town records are missing. The 
transcript made in 1742 gives only such records as the committee 
deemed important. Under a vote of the Town, in 1892, Henry S. 
Perham and George A. Parkhurst were made a committee to 
copy the first two books of records. The work was done by the 
former. Several of the early books have been preserved by the 
Emery process. 

The church records during the time of Mr. Clarke and Mr. 
Stoddard (1675-1740) are missing. 

Doctmients and quotations from records are reproduced as 
nearly like the original as can be done in type — not so easily 
read, but more pleasing to the historian and antiquarian. 

The old custom of writing ye for the arose from the resemblance 
of y to the Anglo-Saxon letter thorn, which was really more like 



INTRODUCTION vii 

our small italic p, and which had the value of ih. The letter 
thorn was used in English until, in the fifteenth century, it was 
transformed to y. The article, though written ye, should be 
pronounced the. 

Some persons will, perhaps, be disappointed that the history 
contains no complete family genealogies. 

Several genealogies of the early families were prepared, 
but, as it was found that to include all of these would require a 
separate volume, they were necessarily omitted.* 

Himian society, whether political or religious, makes progress 
by friction. Thoreau likened the two great political parties to 
the gizzard of a grain-eating fowl, between the two parts of which 
the people are ground. Benjamin P. Hunt, on a fly-leaf of his 
copy of Emerson's "First Church in Boston," copied these extracts 
from a letter of John Adams, written in 1817: 

"There is an overweening fondness for representing this 
country as a place of liberty, equality, fraternity, union, harmony 
and benevolence. But let not your sons or mine deceive them- 
selves. This country, like all others, has been a theatre of parties 
and feuds for near two hundred years. 

"Look into all our memorials, histories they cannot be called, 
Winslow's, Winthrop, Morton the first, Morton the second, 
Hubbard, Mather, Prince, and even Hutchinson himself, and 
then judge how sweetly harmonious our ancestors have been. 

"There is one morsel which I beg leave to recommend to 
the deliberate perusal of your children and mine. It is my friend 
Emerson's 'History of the First Church.' See there elements 
that have been fomenting, foaming and frothing ever since." 
(Works, Vol. 10.) 

See also Slafter's "Memoir of the Rev. John Checkley," 
and many other volumes. 

The truth of history is sacred. The chronicler and historian 
must record things as he finds them. In our day war is decried, 

*It hfta been necessary to omit even mention of many things which have had part in the life 
of the Town's people, such as the North Chelmsford Cricket Club, the Hornbeam Hill 
Golf Club at the Centre, the tennis, whist, and dancing clubs, the Lodge of Odd Fellows 
formerly existing at the Centre, and the Civic League. 

The prosperous life of the Town depends upon the worth of its citizens, the solid, 
faithful people, men and women, whose names, many of them, are not printed in town 
histories, because they happen not to be called to public duties. 

Among Chelmsford people who have gained success abroad may be mentioned John 
GaJen Howard (son of Dr. Levi Howard), who studied at the MassachuBetts Institute of 
Technology and I'Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and is now Professor of Architecture at 
the University of California, and the designer of its buildings. 



viii HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

and justly. We are sick of its horrible details. The history 
of our first two hundred years is ivll of battle, and if all its awfulness 
could be depicted, it would strongly dissuade from its continuance. 
Mr. Perham held deeply the modem feeling against war, and 
rightly. He felt that it was at least unwise to perpetuate the 
memory of war-like deeds and victories over our fellows obtained 
by great slaughter. We shall all welcome the coming of the day 
"when justice and reason and not rapine and murder shall hold 
sway over the destinies of the world." Yet none of us can fail 
to accord the meed of praise to the brave defenders of our liberties. 

I have no idea what Mr. Perham's plan was in regard to 
making a record of Chelmsford's part in the Indian Wars and 
the Revolution. He had very little material for such a record, 
and that, evidently, he had when the Htird sketch was written 
a quarter of a century ago. And in what he had written for this 
History, he passes over the period of King Philip's War with slight 
mention . 

My purpose has been to give only so much of the history of 
our wars as may help the reader to understand the part per- 
formed in them by the men of this Town. 

In Chapter V, the records of Chelmsford men in the Revolu- 
tion are given. The records of the Continental Line towards 
the close of the war are in Washington, and I have not had access 
to them. Some of the later records, as foimd in the Massachusetts 
Archives, are, however, included in this chapter. 

Religious conflict has been less bloody, but at times bitter 
among good men and women, and the facts are here told. What 
men most value, they struggle hardest to maintain, and justify 
their contentions by claiming to uphold the right. They have 
been willing to inflict martyrdom and to be martyrs for what 
they believed to be true and right. Thus the truth has been 
emphasized, set free, and made a part of human history. 

Allen writes of the thirty-nine first emigrants, a "company 
of holy pilgrims," who entered this wilderness and subdued the 
fallow ground; and it is well that we should know something 
of the character and worth of our ancestors and predecessors, 
the sturdy, upright lives of the men and women who have made 
Chelmsford what it is today. 

There is a proverb to the effect that a people which cares 
nothing for its past, has no present and deserves no future. It 
would seem as though everyone should be interested to know the 



INTRODUCTION ix 

history of his own town or of any town in which he may sojourn . 
He should wish to know what manner of people they were who 
first settled it, and whence they came, they who, "by their sturdy 
efforts subdued the earth and made it fruitful, felled and planted, 
delved and spun; who laid the foundations of our political, 
social and religious institutions; who they were that began under 
great privations and dangers what we now enjoy in abundance 
and without molestation." 

The knowledge of these things will help one better to love 
and to appreciate the topographical feattues of forests and hills, 
the brooks and meadows, the long-travelled roads that lead by 
the old homesteads, while one's imagination clothes them with 
incident and legend, and peoples them with the spirits of past 
years. One will more truly realize and enjoy the comforts and 
conveniences of the present day, as one compares them with the 
meagre advantages of the olden time. 

And still, while meditating upon the past, there is a tendency 
in htmian thought to find satisfaction in an age, if not golden, 
yet tinged with the enchantment of distance. There is a pleasure 
in returning to origins, in tracing the causes in the evolutionary 
process. And it is thus that our history becomes interesting 
as it takes us back, even to the ancient days in England, when 
names had a personal significance: When Abbotts were abbots, 
and Barrons, barons; when Kemps were knights; when the 
Chamberlains cared for the wardrobe of the lord; and Park, 
Parker, Parkhurst, the Warrens and the Fosters (Foresters) 
had charge of the hunting and pleasure grounds; and the Baileys 
were bailiffs. When the Fletchers fledged or feathered arrows, 
and the Bowers made the weapons to propel them; when 
Henchman was the faithful "right-hand man" of his chief, and 
Stoddard bore the Standard. When the lay Clarke (clerk) 
made the responses in Church, and the Hayward looked after 
the hedges and kept the cattle away. When Webb wove cloth, 
and Fiske (Fysche or Fisher) represented a craft which supplied 
many with an important portion of their food. When the Wright 
worked in wood and the softer materials, and the Smith in metals; 
of which latter name there is a remarkable dearth in our records. 
When Leach practised physic, and the Proctors kept order, or 
managed the affairs of others. When Kidder carried his kit; 
when Marshall and Farrer shod horses; when Perham and 



X HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

By(h)am lived at the hamlet, and the sturdy Spaulding [epaule- 
ding] gave shoulder blows; and everybody knew the meaning of 
his name. 

If History be Philosophy teaching by examples, mayhap 
this volume, falling into the hand of some newly naturalized 
citizen of Chelmsford, may persuade him to a reverence for the 
pious labors of the Fathers who made the Town and rendered 
it possible for him to enjoy the pleasures and privileges of the 
present time, and also move him towards an effort as energetic 
and effective for future betterment. 

The labor involved in the preparation of this History has 
been gladly bestowed con amore; and I trust its results will be 
accepted by my fellow-townsmen as a tribute to their worth 
and a token of my appreciation of the kindness I have tmiversally 
received at their hands. The quarter of a century passed in 
their midst has left with me memories of many pleasant hours 
spent in social intercourse, or in united effort for the furtherance 
of the best interests of the Town. I can say with TuUy : ' ' Haec 
scrip si non otii ahundantia, sed amor is erga te." (This have I 
written, not out of an abundance of leisure, but because of my. 
affection towards you.) 

It remains to express my appreciation of the courtesy shown 
me, while working in the State Archives, by Mr. J. J. Tracy and 
Miss Alice R. Famum, and others there and in the various offices 
at the State House, as well as in the Court Houses and rooms of the 
Historical Societies. 

Also I desire to thank those who have aided me in the final 
preparation of the History, by the reading of proof and in other 
ways; especially would I mention Alfred P. Sawyer, Esq., the 
Hon. Samuel P. Hadley and Mr. J. Adams Bartlett. 

Miss Bessie Alta Byam has been an efficient help in copying, 
and reading proof, and also in making the Index. 

Miss Ella A. Rose has aided by copying notes and documents. 

The printers have been obliging and considerate, and have 
done much to facilitate my work. 

By vote of the Town, the Trustees of the Adams Library 
were made the publishing committee. This committee put the 
whole matter into my hands, so that, except in this single particu- 
lar, all criticism of this volume must fall upon me. 



October, 1916. 



r'iHu^^^ 




CONTENTS. 



Chapter Page 

I. The Beginning 1 

II. Early Grants — The Indians 72 

King Philip's War 84 

III. Province Wars 127 

King William's War 127 

Queen Anne's War 138 

Dummer's or Lovewell's War 150 

Service in the West Indies 156 

King George's War 157 

French and Indian War 162 

IV. The War of the Revolution 190 

The Concord Fight 216 

The Battle of Bunker Hill 225 

V. Records of Chelmsford Men in the Revolution . 301 
VI. Shays' Rebellion. Wars of 1812, 1848, 1898 .... 356 

VII. The Civil War, 1861-5 368 

Records of Chelmsford Men 378 

VIII. The Life of Long Ago 392 

Roads, Stages, Social Life, the Doctor, &c. . . . 434 

IX. Territorial Limits 468 

Bridges, Canals, Steamboats, Railroads .... 494 

X Papers by Mr. H. S. Perham 511 

The Wamesit Purchase 511 

The Early Settlers in that Part of Chelmsford now Lowell 524 

The Folks at the Neck 540 

The Early Schools of Chelmsford 550 

XI. Slaves, Witches, Warning Out, Small Pox .... 570 

School for the Deaf, Libraries, Monument Association, &.c. 582 

XII. Town Meeting, Taxes, Population, Valuation, Money, &c. . 600 

XIII. Topography 629 

Meteorological and Seismical Observations .... 639 

XIV. Geology and Botany 643 

XV. Manufacturing 656 

XVI. Religious Organizations 675 

XVII. Burying Grounds 716 

List of Interments in Forefathers' Burying Ground 721 

XVIII. Civil List 754 

XIX. Early Ministers, Physicians and Lawyers 769 

XX. Annals 810 

Notes and Corrections 825 

List of Teachers in Chelmsford Schools, 1916 842 

Index of Names 846 

Index of Topics 888 



MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The maps have been much reduced in size in order to bring 
them within the limits of the letter-press. Where there is a 
graphic scale, the measurements will be found correct. Otherwise, 
the reader is cautioned that a simple statement like "20 rods to 
the inch" will be misleading. 

A good reading glass will greatly assist in examining the maps. 

Naturally, there has been some difficulty in the selection 
of subjects for the illustrations, many having to be omitted which 
are historically interesting. The rule has been to include only 
those buildings which are of greatest architectural and historical 
interest within the present limits of the Town. 

Mr. E. R. Clark assisted in the preparation of the pictures, 
which were printed in Chelmsford by Mr. G. T. Parkhurst. 

Frontispiece. Portrait of Henry Spaulding Perham. 

1. Reduced copy of a map of 1677. 

2. Plan of Chelmsford, in 1653. In the State Archives. (See page 4.) 

3. Reduced copy of a Plan by Henry B. Wood. 

4. Reduced copy of a Map of Chelmsford in 1794. Official map ordered 
by the State, and now in the State Archives. 

5. Reduced copy of a Plan of the Farms at East Chelmsford in 1821. 
Original in the office of the Locks and Canals Company, Lowell. The 
large island, part of which is shown at the top of the plan, is Long island. 

6. Reduced copy of a Plan of Chelmsford in 1831. Official map ordered 
by the State, and now in the State Archives. 

7. Plans of Chelmsford Centre and the South and West villages in 1875. 
In 1884, George H. Wilson built the large block in Central Square, 
Chelmsford Centre, and kept a hotel there for a number of years. 

8. Plan of the North village in 1875. 

9. This Map is based on that of the United States Geological Survey of 
1886, edition of 1893. It shows almost all of the roads and some of the 
houses. Many of the Lowell streets are not shown. The figures show 
the old School Districts. (See page 560.) The exposed ledges, glacial 
marks and eskers are indicated as shown on a map made by G. H . 
Knowlton, formerly Superintendent of the Chelmsford schools. 

10. Plan of the Chelmsford Centre Water District. North street is now 
known as Centre street. (See page 598.) 

11. Plan of the North Chelmsford Fire District. (See page 597.) 

12. The effigy of Mr. Bridge is from his gravestone, and probably shows 
more accurately his wig, gown and bands than it does his features. 
Portraits of Hezekiah Packard, Wilkes Allen and John Parkhurst. 
(See Chapter XIX and page 706.) 



MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ■ xiii 

13. Gravestones of Colonel Jonas Clarke and his wife. 
Gravestones of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge and Madam Bridge. 
Forefathers' burying ground, Chelmsford Centre. 

14. Gravestone of the Rev. Thomas Clarke (see page 71). 

The Stoddard tomb, and the old schoolhouse, which originally had a 
porch in front of it. Forefathers' burying ground. 

15. The Sam Davis house, Chelmsford Centre. (See pages 299 and 396.) 

16. The Crosby house, Chelmsford Centre. (See page 394.) 

17. The Fiske house, Chelmsford Centre. (See page 395.) 

18. These three views were sketched from memory by Judge S. P. Hadley. 
(See page 500.) 

19. Map of Middlesex Village, by courtesy of the Lowell Historical Society. 
(See pages 442 and 478fr.) 

20. View showing part of Chelmsford Centre from the reservoir on Robin's 
hill. Lowell in the distance. 

21. Plan of Forefathers' burying ground (old part), Chelmsford Centre. 
(For references to figures, see pages 719 and 842.) 

22. Reproduction of part of page 7, Book A, Town Records. 

23. Reproduction of part of a page from the Town Records. 

These represent some of the more legible portions of the ancient records. 

24. A glimpse of Heart pond. Baptist Church, South Chelmsford. 

25. The Hayward garrison house, South Chelmsford, built in 1690. (See 
pages 46, 92 and 400.) A partition on the right of the interior view 
has been left out of the picture in order to show the construction beyond. 

26. St. Mary's Church, Chelmsford, England. (See page 833.) View of 
the river Chelmer, Chelmsford, England, from a photograph taken by 
Walter Perham, in 1902. 

27. Unitarian Church, Chelmsford Centre. 

All Saints' Episcopal Church, Chelmsford Centre. 

28. Congregational Church, North Chelmsford, also the building burned 
in 1893. 

29. Eagle Mills, West Chelmsford. Methodist Church, West Chelmsford. 

30. St. John's Roman Catholic Church, North Chelmsford. 
Interior of St. Alban's Episcopal Mission, North Chelmsford. 

31. Reduced copy of a Letter signed by Colonel Parker and Captain NValker 
(see page 233), from a photograph owned by the late Charles Nichols. 

32. Baptist Church, Chelmsford Centre. 
Congregational Church, Chelmsford Centre. 

33. S. E. View of the Adams Library, Chelmsford Centre. Architect, 
John A. Fox. (See page 585.) 

34. Three historic Watches: 

The Swiss watch at the left has on the back case a beautiful piece 
of enamel in colors, and is said to have been carried by Colonel Stark 
of New Hampshire. It belongs to the Dadmun family. 

The small silver watch next shown is that carried by Joseph Spauld- 
ing, who fired the first shot at the battle of Bunker Hill. (See pages 
226, 331, and 332.) 

The third watch, of silver (with its steel chain), which, by the Hall 
mark, is known to have been made in 1750, was found by Jonathan 



xiv HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Manning, when seven years old, in 1756, on the road from Chelmsford 
to Billerica. It may have been dropped by some EngHsh officer traveling 
to or from Boston. This watch is now owned by Arthur M. Warren, 
to whom it descended. 

35. Old view of Robin's hill, showing lone pine tree. (See page 629.) This 
sketch was made about 1876 by A. G. McAllister, formerly Principal 
of the High school. It shows the houses of Sewall and Solomon Park- 
hurst, then the only buildings on High street. Sewall Parkhurst teamed 
the lime from Robin's hill, which was used in building the first mill in 
Lowell. 

The Town Hall, Chelmsford Centre, looking up Centre street; Common 

on the left. 

Schoolhouses and Town Hall, North Chelmsford. 

36. The old Fletcher house, Chelmsford Centre. (See pages 393, 394.) 
The Spaulding-Hazen place, Chelmsford Centre. (See page 399.) 

37. The Stoddard house. Revolutionary Monument and Classical school, 
Chelmsford Centre. The Adams house, North Chelmsford. 

38. East Chelmsford in 1825, from a painting by Benjamin Mather. From 
left to right the principal buildings are the Machine Shop, the Merrimack 
Mills, St. Anne's Church, and Kirk Boott's house at the extreme right. 
(See pages 485, 489 and 711.) 

39. View of part of North Chelmsford from the water tower, 1907; showing 
part of Moore's Mills. 

40. Plan of Chelmsford Centre in 1856, from Walling's County Map. 
The great elm at the Putnam farm, Chelmsford Centre. (See page 698.) 

41. House built by the Rev. Hezekiah Packard, Chelmsford Centre. (See 
page 396.) 

South view of the buildings at the Town Farm, Chelmsford Centre. The 
house is square, the west front being similar to that here shown. In 
this house, and in the Lovering house nearby (page 397), are sliding 
shutters similar to those mentioned on page 394. 

42. View of the Silesia Mills at North Chelmsford. The low building at 
the right is the counting room of the Machine and Supply Company. 
(See page 668.) That on the left is the counting room of the Chelmsford 
Foundry Company. (See page 666.) 

The Berry house, South Chelmsford. (See page 398.) 

43. The High School building, Chelmsford Centre, erected in 1916 on the 
site of the Farwell-Adams house, Billerica street; Edwin R. Clark, 
architect; cost, $65,000. Building Committee: James P. Dunigan, 
Herbert E. Ellis, Frederick A. Snow. Advisory Committee: C. George 
Armstrong, Gabriel Audoin, Ulysses Lupien, William H. Shedd, 
Wilbur E. Lapham. 

44. Model of the meeting house burned in 1842. (See page 689.) 

Some century-old costumes preserved at the Fiske house. The military 
uniform is that of John Minot Fiske, Colonel of the Chelmsford Militia. 
4."). The Bowers, Ford and Parker houses, now in Lowell. The Warren 
homestead, Chelmsford Centre, built prior to 1697. 

View inside the chimney, showing the backs of ovens, at Karl M. 
Perham's house. 




s 2 



o ^ 




Seal of the Town of 
Chelmsford 



The first chapter of this History was -written by Mr. Henry S. 
Perham; for the remainder of the volume the Rev. Wilson Waters 
is to he held responsible. 

The expression, "the writer,'' frequently used, will he referred, 
accordingly, to the proper person. 

The attention of the reader is directed to "Notes and Corrections," 
at the end of the volume. 



CHAPTER I. 
THE BEGINNING. 

IN the settlement of New England the first towns which were 
planted along the coast had by 1640, when immigration ceased 
upon the accession of Cromwell in England, begun to extend 
inland, first to Watertown in 1630, to Concord in 1635, from 
Charlestown and Cambridge to Wobum in 1642 and from Lynn 
to Reading in 1644. Up to 1640, when the population of New 
England had reached 26,000, it was made up almost wholly by 
emigration from England, but from that time forward the growth 
of the colonies was almost entirely by the natural increase in 
population. 

After a town had been planted and the land taken up, the 
hardy and adventurous young men who lacked the means to buy 
land were ready to band themselves with others in like circum- 
stances and resolutely push on and make new homes in the 
wilderness. The General Court was ready to grant lands for such 
purpose to men of good character when their numbers promised 
to be sufficient for mutual protection and for the maintenance of 
religious worship. 

Soon after 1650 a few venturesome families took up their 
abode in Chelmsford, Groton and Billerica where, in a short time, 
they were joined by a sufficient number to become organized 
as towns. 

But the extension of the colony into new towns received a 
severe check in King Philip's War, and the ravages by the French 
and Indians which soon after followed, so that fifty years after its 
incorporation Chelmsford was still mentioned as a frontier town. 

The first recorded movement looking to the settlement of 
Chelmsford was made in 1652 by some citizens of Wobum and 
Concord who petitioned the Court for the privilege of examining 
a tract of land on the "other side of Concord River." 

Wobtu-n and Concord were the towns then nearest this tract. 
There was at this time no English settlement north of this tract, 
and none as far north on the west. 



2 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The examination of this land was followed by a petition for 
a grant of six miles square. The original manuscript of this 
petition, which is here given in full, was foimd several years ago 
among the papers left by Lemuel Shattuck, the historian of 
Concord, to the Mass. Historic Geneological Society. 

"To the honourd John Endicot Esqr. Gouvnr: with the reste : 
of the honord Magistrats and deputies at the General! Courte 
now at Boston Assembled: humbly Sheweth: That whereas we 
your humble petitioners: who made bould the last Court 
Assembled to present a petition: to the Vew of this honoured 
Courte which was eccepted and Granted to Vs : for which we giue 
the Courte hmbl thankes and beinge jncoraged by this Courte 
to Vew the Land that Lyeth yet Vndisposed of and Vnimprooued : 
on the other side Concord Riuer acordingly we haue by a Comity 
taken care and paynes to doe, with seuerall others: that by the 
prouidenc of god : are now joyned petitioners : with us : who Vpon 
our Vewinge the lands as abousaid doe find a tracke of land: 
which bordereth Vpon the Riuer Merimake: nere to paatooket, 
which we doe find: a Very Comfortable place to acomidate A 
company of gods people Vpon: that may with gods blessinge 
and Asistance Liue Comfortably Vpon : and doe good in or places 
for church and Comon wealth, which many of Vs your petitioners 
are throw our nesisitys for wante of acomidationes some neuer 
haueing any and some others: but Very Litle a Comidation soe 
yt we canot subsiste excepte we doo take some care to Looke 
out in away or god for our Comfortable Subsistance, and now we 
yr humble petitioners doe intreate this honoured Courte for our 
Comfortable Suply: would please to grante to Vs soe much land: 
as may be Comfortable for a plantatione: 
which we conceiue may there be Layed out to the quantity of 
six myles Square of Vpland and medow: which parcell of land: 
we doe intreate may be gin at merimacke Riuer at a necke of 
land nere to Concord riuer: and soe run Vp by Concord: riuer. 
South and west into the Contrie, to make Vp that sircomferenc 
or quantity of land as is aboue expresed: and for as much as 
many of yr petitioners are in greate nesesity haueinge no .setled 
place to abide in and we all in Generall beinge desirous to proseed 
as one man together to cary on that worke the lord shall call Vs 
t6 and this honered Courte shall in ther cristian wisdom Directe 
Vs in Tharefore we humbly entreate this honord" Courte to 
Gratifie yr humble petitioners with a speedy and expresed anser 
so shall you euer bind Vs to Seme you wherein you shall comand 

Your humble Seruantes, 
Benjamin Butterfeilde Richard Griffin 

John Parker James Blood 

Isac Lemed : John Smedley 

James Parker Roger Draper 

George flfarley William ffletcher 



THE BEGINNING 3 

Thomas Chamberlin Thomas Adams 

Joseph Parker WiUiam Hartvvell 

John Stemes Robert Proctor 

Jacob Parker WilHam Butricke 

Henery Foster Babtis Smedley 

WilHam Chamberlin Richard Hildreth 

John Nutinge: Thomas Briggam 

Edmonde Chamberlin Daniell Bloggett 

John Baldinge John Hall 

WilHam Hall 

The magists Desier theire bretheren the Deputs to Consider 
of this peticoj;! @ retonrne theire thoughts first about it 19 may (53) . 

Edward Rawson Sec 
[Endorsed] 

Concord peticon 
entred wth ye magistrts & vvth 
pmisd ye inajists conceave 
it may be admitted & reed 
wth out pajment 

1653 

It will be seen by the description here given of the tract 
petitioned for that it included the fishing grounds of the Pawtucket 
Indians where the City of Lowell now stands and where Rev. 
John Eliot of Roxbury, the Apostle to the Indians, was laboring 
to convert them to Christianity. He therefore, at the same time, 
in their behalf entered a petition for a grant of land for the Indians 
that they might not be disturbed in their ancient possessions. 

The Court granted both petitions. Their answer, which 
follows, is as it is given in the published Records of Massachusetts. 

"May 18, 1653. 
"In ans' to the peticon of seuerall of the inhabitants of 
Concord and Woobourne for the erecting of a new plantacon on 
Merremacke River, neere to Pawtuckett, the court doth graunt 
the peticoners of Concord and Woobourne the track of land 
menconed in theire peticon, excepting some part of it joyning 
to Merremacke Riuer: Provided, that the sajd peticoners shall 
sufficjently breake vp full so much land for the Indjans in such 
place as they shall appointe wth in such plantacon as shall there 
be appointed them, as they haue of planting ground about a hill 
caUed Robbins Hill, and that the Indjans shall have vse of theere 
planting ground, aforesajd, free of all damages, vntill the peticoners 
shall have broken vp the land for the Indians as aforesajd. 



4 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"21y: For the plantacon peticoned for by Mr. Eljott, the 
court judgeth it meete to be graunted them, with the exceptions 
and provissions aforementioned, and for the stating of both, that 
Capt Willard and Capt Johnson be appointed to lay out the sajd 
plantacons or touneshipps, the Enghsh at the charge of the 
peticoners, the Indjans at the charge of the countrje, wthin one 
month after the end of this sessions, that neither of the plantacons 
be retarded. 

"Sly. That if the peticoners of Concord and Woobourne 
shall not, wthin two yeares, setle a competent noumber of familjes 
there, by building and planting vppon the sajd tract of land 
twenty familjes or vpwards, so as they may be in capacitje of 
injoying all the ordjnances of God there, then the graunt to be 
vojd." 

[Records of the Mass. Bay Colony, Vol. IV, pt. I. p. 136.] 

Of this Committee, who were instructed by the Court to lay 
out these grants, Capt. Edward Johnson was one of the founders 
and leading men of Wobum, and the author of a valuable and 
quaint volume entitled "The Wonderworking Providence of 
Zion's Savior in New England," now extremely rare. (Reprinted 
in 1910.) 

Simon Willard was one of the leading men of Concord and the 
ancestor of two of the Presidents of Harvard College. The 
surveyor was Capt. John Sherman of Watertown, the ancestor 
of those distinguished brothers. General Wm. T. and United States 
Senator John Sherman of Ohio. So it would appear that the 
work of laying out the township was intrusted to able hands. 
The following plan of Chelmsford was engraved from a tracing 
from the original in the Massachusetts Archives (Ancient Plans, 
Vol. 112, p. 81). 

The description of the bounds of the town made by this 
committee is unfortunately lost. A description and "plott" is 
referred to by the committee of the General Court which laid out 
the enlargement in 1656. Allen* gives the following description 
of the original bounds of the town. "It was bounded on the 
north by a straight line, beginning at the glass manufactory and 
running to the house of Benj. Osgood, Esq., of Westford. On 
the southwest by Tadmuck Swamp, and on the southeast by a 
straight line, beginning at Pawtuckett Stake, so calld, by the side 
of Concord river at a point where Billerica, Chelmsford and 
Pawtuckett, or Wamesit meet, and running southwest 43 deg. 
to the aforesaid Tadmuck swamp. On the northeast by Paw- 
tuckett or Wamesit for which see No. 5 Index." 

•History of Chelmsford, page 10. 



THE BEGINNING 5 

The glass factory, erected in 1802, stood on what is now 
Baldwin street in Lowell nearly opposite West Pine street, and 
Benj. Osgood lived in Westford at what is now the residence of 
E. E. Hay^vood near Chamberlin's corner. A Hne drawn between 
those two points which Allen gives as the north line of the town 
would bring it on the south of Drum hill. It is unfortunate that 
he did not state the evidence upon which he concluded that the 
north line of the town was only about two miles north of the center 
of the town. On other points his description is evidently faulty. 
He gives Tadmuck swamp as the western line, which is near 
the present line between Chebnsford and Westford. The town 
did, however, originally extend five miles further west to the 
Groton line. He was doubtless deceived by the word Tadmuck 
written along the westernly line on the plan, supposing it to mean 
Tadmuck swamp. But the word Tadmuck was formerly applied 
to a wider extent of territory. We find in old land descriptions: 
Farther Tadmuck, Little Tadmuck, Great Tadmuck, and Hither 
Tadmuck, and Westford hill was Tadmuck hill. 

The space on the plan marked India Land was the Indian 
grant where the City of Lowell now stands, and Joe Sagamore's 
planting field is indicated by the small dotted space at the north- 
east. The larger dotted space, perhaps added later, was doubtless 
intended to indicate the extension which was made in 1656. 
It seems by this plan that the town did not, as first laid out, 
extend to the Merrimack river at any point. 

The loose manner of laying out land in those eariy days, the 
lines being indicated by marked trees and the bounds by stake 
and stones, led to endless controversies both between individuals 
and towns. Boundary controversies arose between Chelmsford, 
Billerica and Concord and in order to settle them the Selectmen 
of Chelmsford and Concord joined in a petition to the General 
Court, Feb. 7, 1693-4. 

The petition asked that a tract of land lymg between 
Chelmsford and Concord and claimed by Billerica be given to 
the two former named towns. Billerica also petitioned the Court 
in 1698, setting forth their claims to the tract in question and gained 
in May 1700. (Town Records, copy p. 49; first book p. 36.) 

Cornet Nathll Hill, and Samll: Fletcher Junr: were appointed 
by the selectmen to Joyn with Billerica. . 1700 to Gen Court 

..... (as to lines bet. Billerica, Bloods, Chebnsford, Concord) 

This committee consisted of Major Jonathan Tyng, Major 
James Converse and Capt. Benjamin Garfield, and they reported, 



6 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

May 28, 1701. It is only necessary to give so much of their 
report as relates to the Chelmsford lines. "That is to say, 
that as well by their own view of the lines, Court Grants, 
and Deeds produced to them, as on hearing of what was off erred 
by the agents of the severall Towns, they find the land of 
Billerika bounded by the hne of Chelmsford northward, 
beginning at Pautucket stake, so called by Concord River, where 
Chelmsford & Billerika & the Indians do meet, then Chelmsford 
line runneth south fourty three degrees west to a pillar of stones ; 
then it runeth south, seventy nine degrees west, three hundred 
thirty & two poles; which reacheth unto Major Willard's farme 
to a great heap of stones lying in Chelmsford line" * * * 

Chelmsford chose a committee. Captain Bowers and Thomas 
Parker, Dec. 10, 1697, "to act on the towns behalfe in all things 
nesery as to the finding out the first grant of the town and to do 
what soauer is nedfull to secuer the town as it is bounded." They 
obtained the deposition of one of the committee who had acted 
on behalf of the petitioners for the original grant when it was laid 
out 45 years before. 

"Groton, noumber: 24: 1698 capten Jeams parker being of 
full age testyfy and say that the honered Jenarall courte grated 
a sarten track of land for a plantation nowe caled chelmsford and 
impowered majear symon wilard and capten edward Johnson as 
a committe, which committe came with full power to lay out sd 
plantation and did se sd plantation layd out to ther content 

capten John Shearmon being the artes, did lay out sd planta- 
tion begining at a riuer comonly caled conkard riuer bounded with 
a stake upon the land caled wamaset land and so runing on a lyne 
by marked tres to a heape of stones and to nashoba plantation 
runing upon nashoba line to a great pine-tre and so runing on 
a strayt line ouer a pond caled stonny brook pond to a pine-tre 
marked with C and G and so ouer sd brook to a heape of stones 
and so runing on the south syd of a great hill on the north syd of 
sd brook and ouer sd brook to a great pine-tre and so to sd stake 
by conkard riuer thus sd committe and sd arttes layd out sd 
plantation and rescued full sattesfacttion for ther sarues therein: 
and did ingage to make a tru return to the honared court of ther 
laying out sd plantation: and furder sd parker douthe testyfy 
and say that himself Thomis adams Wilyam flecher and Isack 
larnit ware the committe chosen by the petetinors of sd land 
to se sd plantation layd out: this taken upon outh befoer me 
this 24 of noumber: 1698 

"Thomis Hinchman, Justes. 

"This aboue is a true coppey of the origanall recorded by me, 
solloman Keyes, toune clerk the 5 day of desember 1698" 



THE BEGINNING 7 

This testimony of James Parker is the only description which 
we have of the original bounds of the town from anyone who had 
any part in laying it out, and this description cannot be regarded 
as particularly lucid. Taking it, however, in connection with 
the report of the committee of the General Court in May, 1701, 
as near as the lines can be determined at this late day, they began 
at Wamesit stake at the Concord river, where Chelmsford, Billerica 
and Wamesit met. From that point southerly about four miles 
on Billerica line and continuing a little westerly into what is 
Carlisle to the Blood Farm which lay between Concord and 
Chelmsford ; and westerly to Nashoba, which was the grant to the 
Nashoba Indians and embraced practically what is now the town 
of Littleton, "and runing upon Nashoba line to a great pine-tre 
and so runing on a strayt line ouer a pond caled stonny brook 
pond to a pine-tre marked C and G." The letters, of course, 
stood for Chelmsford and Groton; and Stony Brook pond 
is now called Forge pond. It will be seen, therefore, that the 
line would be something like the present line between Littleton 
and Westford to Groton. Following the description from there 
"over sd brook to a heap of stones" which would be the northwest 
corner bound, "and so running on the south side of a great hill" 
probably Snake Meadow hill, "on the north side of said brook," 
"and over said brook to a great pine tree," which would be the 
northeast corner bound, located by AUen, as previously stated 
at the Glass Works, which stood on what is now Baldwin street, 
nearly opposite Pine street in Lowell. 

SETTLEMENT. 

A few families came in and settled upon this tract before the 
grant was made in 1653. They were here, doubtless, in 1652, as 
the first birth is recorded early in 1653, \az. : "Joseph Parker, the 
son of Joseph @ Marget his wife [ ] 30 daye of March: 1653." 
Allen states it as a tradition that Joseph Parker was the first person 
bom in town, which seems to be verified by the records. There 
was one other birth apparently earlier, that of a girl, "Sarah 
Parker the dafter of Jacob Parker @ Sarah his wife [was bom] 
Janeware: 14: 1653," but the reforni in the calendar, by Pope 
Gregory, had not then been adopted in New England. By the 
old style then in vogue the year began March 25th, therefore 
January, 1653, old style, would be January, 1654, new style. 



8 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The usual form of writing such a date occurring between January 
1st and March 25th would be 1653-4. In the margin at the top 
of the first page of births stand the figures 1645, and of the first 
entry the date is missing. The record only informs us that 
"Isake Lamed the sun of Isake Larned was born [ ]."* 
It does not necessarily follow, however, that this was an earlier 
birth than those given, the earliest entries of births not being 
recorded in the order of dates, but, probably, as they were reported 
by the families after a town clerk was chosen. One other birth 
was recorded the same year, "Sarah Lamed the dafter of Isake 
Lamed @ Mare his wife was borne octo: 28: 53:" 

The first marriage recorded was that of Danl. Blodget. 
"Daniell Bloged & Marie his wife ware Maried by Mr. Browne 
[Water]towne September 15: 1653:" The wife was Mary Butter- 
field who was bom in England and the daughter of Benjamin 
Butterfield. 

There used to be a tradition that the wife of Abraham Parker 
was the first woman to "Bake and Brew" in Chelmsford. The 
authority for this tradition is a letter written by Jonathan Perham, 
Town Clerk, August 8, 1821, to Hon. Abel Parker which says: 
"Bridget who now is the wd. Pierce, * * * states that her great 
grandmother is said to be the first woman that Brewed and Baked 
in Chelmsford, which I suppose to be the wife of Abraham Parker. 
Mrs. Pierce states that Moses Parker son of Abraham was grand- 
father to her" . Jonathan Perham was a prominent citizen of the 
town, was Town Clerk, Selectman, Moderator and Representative. 
He was descended from the first settlers of the town. He was bom 
and lived in the house now occupied by the writer [H. S. P.] on 
Westford road. 

Of the twenty-nine petitioners for the grant of the town, 
fifteen, over one-half, never took up their abode here, none of their 
names appearing subsequently in connection with the town. They 
were John Hosmer, Henry Foster, Richard Griffin, John Smedley, 
Roger Draper, Wm. Hartwell, Wm. Buttrick, Baptis Smedley, 
Thomas Briggam, John Hall, Wm. Hall and Wm. Chamberlin. 
Several of the others who came here did not remain to become 
permanent residents of the town. James Parker went to Groton 
soon after 1661, where he became the important man of that 
town. Joseph Parker, brother of James, went to Groton about 
the same time, and afterwards to Dunstable. Jacob Parker, 

♦"Chelmsford Vital Records" gives the date Sept. IG. 1655; Oct. 5 in the Court Record. [W.l 




•* ^ 



THE BEGINNING 9 

another of the five Parker brothers, was the first town clerk, but 
went to Maiden after 1667. John Nutting was granted a house 
lot and lands and was here in 1659, but went to Groton in 1661, 
where he was killed by Indians in their assault upon that town in 
1676. James Blood also went to Groton after a little time. The 
nine remaining petitioners all made homes here and remained 
during life. They were Benj. Butterfield, Isaac Learned, Thomas 
Chamberlain, Edmund Chamberlain, William Fletcher, Thomas 
Adams, Robert Proctor, Richard Hildreth and Daniel Blodgett. 
Others whose names are not among the petitioners were here from 
the first: Abraham Parker, another of the brothers, already 
mentioned as, perhaps, the first settler. Robt. Fletcher and 
Simon Thompson were also here and, perhaps, others. 



GATHERING OF CHURCH. 



As soon as these few families had become established in their 
new home, the first public matter to engage their attention was to 
provide for the religious needs of the community. They must 
have a church and minister. 

Early in the fall of 1654 they sent a committee to Wenham, 
where a small church had been gathered ten years before, and 
invited their minister, Rev. John Fiske, and his church with him 
to come and unite their fortunes with Chelmsford. Mr. Fiske, 
and some of his people came over and viewed the place and were 
satisfied with the proposals made to them by the people of Chelms- 
ford. Early the following spring there came a hitch in the pro- 
ceedings and negotiations seemed likel}'- to terminate but they 
soon came to a better understanding and it was decided between 
them that the important question should be submitted to a 
council to consist of the Governor, John Endicott, Rev. Richard 
Mather of Dorchester, Rev. Thomas Cobbet of Lynn, Rev. John 
Sherman of Watertown, Rev. John AUin, the minister of the 
church of Dedham (the friend of Mr. Fiske. they having been 
fellow passengers on the ship from England in 1637) and Capt. 
Edward Johnson of Wobum, who had assisted in laying out the 
first grant of the town. 

The weighty question before this able council apparently 
was whether Mr. Fiske and his people should remain in Wenham 



10 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

or remove to Chelmsford and unite with the people there to form 
a stronger church. The case was decided for Chelmsford, and upon 
the 13th of November, 1655, we find Mr. Fiske and his people 
at Chelmsford where that day was organized the church of Chelms- 
ford. This organization is still continued. It is now Unitarian 
and known as the First Congregational Society. 

These negotiations just mentioned and the organization of the 
church are of sufficient interest to warrant giving them in full as 
recorded by Mr. Fiske, himself. 

fiske's account. 



Vpon 4 of 7th, 1654 was dated a Lr. vnder the hands of Robt. 
Fletcher, Tho: Adams, Wm. Fletcher, Wm. Buttereck in the na 
of the rest, engaged in the N. plantation at Chelmsford, whrin 
the pastor with the rest of this church at Wenham were Invited 

This Lr. being eftsoones conveyed to vs by the hands of 
Isa: Lemet & Tho: Adams, was coicated to the church, & a 
Liberty by the Major pte graunted so far to attend the pvidence : 
as to pmit the pastor to Goe ouer & see the place 

accordingly a day was set of meeting at Chelmsford, & 
thrupon the messengers returned 

Vpon the sd. day set divrs of the Brethren accompanyed the 
pastor ouer vnto Chelms. where the comittee & divers others 
were prsnt a view was taken of the place. The Brethren prsent 
satisfyed themselves aboute there accommodations. & pposalls 
were then made to the pastor for his accommodation & yeerly 
mayntenance, as to be tendred vnto him by consent of the whole 
numb of Inhabitants & in their na by the Committee 

These pposals were pmised, with their furthr request to be 
taken into consideratio, & in so short seaso after the Returne 
an Answer & resolution to be sent by Br. Spalding, as at his coming 
ouer. 

After this Returne of the pastor & Brethren upon the 10th 
of 8 mo. 54 the resolution & engagmt of divrs of the Brethren 
was in the face of the whole church, at a church meeting concluded 
upo whras 5. absolutely engaged. 2 conditionally & in word 
only, refusing at prsent to subscribe their hands, yet after sent 
their Engagemts psonally by Bro: Spalding, so as the greater 
number of the Church now stood engagd, in case the pastor 
engaged also 

Vpon 6t. of 9mo. the pastor Sent his Engagmts. by Bro. 
Spalding & his Resolutio. as Respecting the engagt of so many 
Brethren as sd. 

Thus the matter Lay dormant as 'twere all winter till the 
1st mo. 55. 



THE BEGINNING 11 

at what time Bro: Read coming ouer enformed us in such 
wise here at Wenha. as thrvpon both the P. & the sd engaged 
Brethren demurred upo the pceedings & some tht had sold heere 
at Wenha, redeemed their accomodations agayne into their 
possession 

& a Lr. was sutably sent by Br. Read to acquainte the 
Cheknesf. Comittee how things stood, & advised to stead them- 
selves elswhere. 

Betwene this time & the 6t. of 4t. mo 55. things hung vncer- 
tayne & vncleered, notwithstanding some Lrs. passed & some 
agitatio at Wenha betwene Isa: Lernet agent fr Chelmsfd & 
Wenha Brethren. But as upo 6t of 4th aforesd was dated a Lr. 
& sent by the hands of Isa: Lernet Sim: Thompso & Tho: Adams, 
with full power to them to treate & finally to determine ths 
busines depending betwene both pties. 

Vpon there coming ouer to Wenham. The Matter was 
determined betwene them & the sd pastor touching the Building 
of the house Terms of Accommodation & of yeerly mayntenance., 
as under there hands affixed to the Lrs was sent before dated in 
first month tenth day. 

likewise it was concluded betwene them & the Brethren at 
Wenham to refer the matter to Counsell; & the pties agreed 
upon were. Mr Endicot Govrnor Mr Mather, Mr Allen of Dedham 
Mr Corbett. Mr Sherman Capt Johnson of Woobuerne who 
determined the case for Chelmsford. 

This case thus determined: on either side prpation was 
made for the Removal of the Church. 

Accordingly about the 13th of 9 mo. 55, there were met 
at Chelmsfd. the pasto with the engaged Brethren of Wenham 
church viz. Ezdras Read, Edw. Kemp. Austin Killam. Sa: Fostor. 
Geo: Byam & Rich. Goldsmith, seuen in all To whom such of 
the Brethren of Wooburne & Concord ch : who had before ppounded 
themselues to joyne with the ch: late at Wenham, Now in 
Removeing to Chelmsford. & prsented themselues, with there 
Lrs. of Dismission: upon satisfaction & Testimony Giuen were 
by an vnanimous vote Received into fellowship They being the 
greater numb, in way of mutual complyance, a Relatio passd on 
either side, as each one voluntarily would: 

Membs sigd 

Viz. Isaack Lernett (he dyed 8. of 10.57. 1 
Simon Thompson (he dyed about 3 qrs of 

a y. after at Ooburne 2 

Wm. Vnderwood 3 

Abram Parker 4 

Benja: Butterfeild 5 

Tho: Chamberlin 6 
Next received 

Dan Blogged who brought lrs. of dismission 

from the Ch : at Cambridge 7 



12 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

So after this the scales of the supp administred & 
there were admitted by vote these Members of other 
churches, to coion with us in these scales. 

Mr Griffin 

Wm. fictcher & his wife 

Tho : Adams, & his wife 

Br. Vndrwoods wife 

(Edw. Spalding) 

Bro : Butterfeilds wife 

Bro : Chambcrlins wife 

Edm : Chambcrlins wife 

Abram Parkers wife 

Jos. Parkers wife 

Isa : Lemcts wife 

Sim : Thompsons wife 
since Rec'ed into fellowship was Jacob Parker 8 

It [em]. Tho: Adams. & Edw. Spalding, on 27 of 2d 56 ^ 

FIRST TOWN MEETING. 

The following is the record of the first Town Meeting: 

The: 22d: the: 9th: month: 1654 

At a Meeting then at William Fletchers Hous there was 
Chosen to officiate in Ordering the Public affairs of the Place 
by the Consent of the Major part of the Town for this present 
year ensuing are as followeth. 

Esdras Read: Edward Spaulding: William Fletcher: Isaac 
Lerned: Simon Thompson: William Underwood: Thomas Adams. 

We give to Mr Fisk Thirty acres of Meadow and Thirty 
Acres of Plowable Land for the acomidation of him for his most 
Conveniancy: And we do Agree and Order that he shall have 
a Hous built for him Thirty eight foot in Length & Twenty foot 
in breadth with three fire Rooms the Chimneys built with Brick 
or stone: And we promise to pay to Mr. Fisk Fifty Pounds for 
the first year: And we promise to pay his Maintinence as the 
Lord shall enable us for the future. 

The house where this meeting was held is said to have been 
the first frame house in town. It stood a few rods northeast of 
what is now known as the Crosby house. The land upon which 
it stood continued to be occupied by the descendants of William 
Fletcher vmtil about the year 1900. Some part of the original 
holdings still remain in the possession of the family. The road, one 
of the oldest in town, originally ran from the meeting house by 
Westford road, Worthen street, and Crosby place, and continued 
to Golden Cove road near the house of Jas. F. Steams. The 
part beyond the Crosby place has been long discontinued. 



THE BEGINNING 13 

SECOND TOWN MEETING. 

The second Town Meeting fixed the date of the annual meeting 
and the officers to be chosen and also fixed a penalty for such as 
might be inclined to neglect their poHtical duties. 

At a Publick meeting of the Town month fist Day 24th 1655. 
William Fletcher is Chosen Constable: Isaac Lerned is Chosen 
Sergeant of the band: Simon Tomson is Chosen Clerk of the Band : 

It is ordered that the first second Day of the first month 
Shall be observed by all the householders of the town from year 
to year for the Chusing of all annual officers belonging to the 
Town as the select-men or Committee: Deputy for the Court: 
Constable: The three men to end all small causes under Forty 
shillings Surveyors for the high-way overseers of the fences and 
swine and to meet at the meeting-hous by nine a Clock in the 
morning and for the first hours nonappearance twelve pence and 
for a Whole Days Absence two shillngs. 

INCORPORATION. 

The little settlement now felt themselves sufficiently well 
established to be incorporated and at the May session of the 
General Court of 1655 and in the week ending May 29th, the 
following act of incorporation was passed. 

Vppon informacon from Major Willard, by a letter from 
Esdras Read, Edward Spalden, Wm. Fletcher, etc., inhabitants 
of a new plantacon, that the noumber of inhabitants, according 
to the time pfixt in the Courts graunt, were there settled at theire 
request, the Court doth graunt the name thereof to be called 
Chelmsford. 

The two adjoining towns, Groton and Billerica, were in- 
corporated at the same time. 

The town of Chelmsford was now organized with its church 
and town government, and it must now depend for its success 
and progress upon the industry, wisdom and fortitude of its 
inhabitants. The twenty or more families that now constituted 
the town were made up of the very best material with which to 
build a stable and well-ordered community. The heads of 
the families were for the greater part bom in England and left 
their homes there previous to 1640, because of religious per- 
secution, to take up their abode in the wilderness of America. 
As is always the case with people, who are willing to suffer hardship 
and privation for conscience's sake, they were men of strong char- 
acter and deep religious convictions. They were liberal in their 
support of their church as will be seen as this story progresses. 



14 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

It would seem that the entire energies of these few pioneers 
in the wilderness must have been required to obtain simply food 
and shelter for themselves and families, and it is difficult to under- 
stand how they were able in so short a time to build their meeting- 
house, and such a commodious parsonage for their minister and 
incur other heavy expenses. 

NAMED FOR CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND. 

The town was named for Chelmsford, England, a substantial 
and interesting old town, twenty-nine miles from London, in the 
County of Essex, and containing a population of 13,000. It was 
named from the river Chelmer which flows through it. 

President John Adams, while visiting Chelmsford, England, 
in 1786 wrote in his diary: 

Chelmsford was probably named in compliment to Mr. 
Hooker, who was once minister of that town in Essex, but after- 
wards in Holland, and after that at "Newtown" (Cambridge) 
and after that at Hartford, in New England.* 

The Mr. Hooker referred to was Rev. Thomas Hooker, the 
founder of Connecticut and the author of "the first written con- 
stitution known to history that created a government, and it 
marked the beginning of American democracy, of which Thomas 
Hooker deserves more than any other man to be called the father. "f 
While it wotdd be pleasant to feel that the fathers of Chelmsford 
were prompted in giving it a name, by their admiration for this 
enlightened statesman and preacher, it is to be remembered that 
Hooker left Cambridge for Connecticut nearly twenty years 
before Chelmsford was settled, and there is no evidence that he 
ever had any connection with the town. 

It was undoubtedly named, in accordance with the custom 
of the time, for the town in England which had been the former 
home of some of the prominent settlers. An examination of a 
transcript of St. Mary's parish register, Chelmsford, England, 
in the possession of Mayor P. Chancellor, made by Walter Perham 
in 1902, shows that there were in the old mother town, between 
1538 and the time of the settlement of this town, families or 
individuals bearing the names Adams, Butterfield, Spaldyng, 
Chamber! yne, Fletcher, Parker, Warren and Purkis, perhaps our 
Parkhurst — names that have been prominent in the affairs of 
the Town, and its offshoots, from its earliest days to the present. 

♦Life and Works of John Adams, Vol. 3, p. 404. 
t.fohn Fiske. 



THE BEGINNING 15 

Chelmsford is the only town of that name in the United 
States. There is, however, a Chelmsford in Ontario, Canada, 
and another in Northumberland County, New Brunswick. 

The Wenham company was a great accession to the little 
settlement, particularly their minister, Rev. John Fiske. 

The influence of the clergy was so great, in those times, that 
the welfare of the community depended very much upon the 
good sense, energy, and character of their spiritual advisors. 
This town was especially fortunate in that respect. The first four 
pastorates, those of Fiske, Clarke, Stoddard and Bridge, embraced 
a period of 137 years. No stronger evidence could be given of 
the good sense of these men and their strong hold upon the affections 
of their people than to say that during all this period, when 
religious controversies were so common, many churches being 
split in twain over what seem to us trivial doctrinal questions, no 
church council was ever called to settle any differences, in this 
town, between pastor and people. Differences, to be sure, they 
had, but they were all settled amicably between themselves, and 
each of the four first ministers remained and served the church 
and community until death severed the connection. 

The Rev. John Fiske came to this country from England in 
1637 bringing a letter of introduction from Robt. Ryece to Gov. 
John Winthrop, which read as follows: 

To the woorshipfull his moste respected good ffrinde Mr 
John Wrinthrope esqr. at his house at Boston in New England give 
these. 

Sir, — This bearer, Mr. Fyske, being one every waye so pious 
& religeous, needes not my comendations of hym, but the malignitie 
of the tymes, removinge hym with sondry others of his profession 
into your partes, hathe required this shorte wry tinge of mee, in 
his behalfe, that what employment you can procure hym I may 
be thankefull vnto you for it. Hee is a graduate, & havinge 
preached mooche, seinge the danger of the tymes, he changed 
his profession of divinitie into phisicke. wherein he hath now 
laste warde employed hym selfe. He is a good schollar & an 
honeste man. I pray pardon my abrupte & sooddeyne writinge. 
I can stay no longer, but after the true remembrance of my best 
respecte vnto you. I take my leave this 19 of Apryll. 1637, and 
do remayne 

Yours euery wayes mooche bownde 

Robte. Ryece.* 

This letter was endorsed on the back by Gov. Winthrop: 
"Mr. Ryece per Mr. Fiske." 

♦Coll. Mass. Historical Society. First Series, Vol. VI. 



16 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mr. Fiske was not only beloved by the people among whom 
he labored but he was held in high esteem by his contemporaries 
as appears from a biographical account of him by Cotton Mather 
from which the following is taken. [Magnalia, Vol. 1, p. 430.] 

"Among the first preachers and writers, which rendered the 
primitive times of New England happy, there was one who might 
likewise be called a beloved physician; one of whom there might 
also be given the eulogy, which the ancients think was given 
to Luke, a brother whose praise was in the gospel throughout 
all churches. 

This was Mr. John Fisk. 

Mr. John Fisk was born in the parish of St. James * * * 
in the county of Suffolk, about the year 1601, of pious and worthy 
parents, yea, of grand-parents, and great grand -parents, eminent 
for zeal in the true religion. There were six brothers in the 
infamous reign of Queen Mary, whereof three were Papists, and 
three were Protestants, I may say, Puritans; and of the latter 
(whereof none were owned by the former) two were sorely perse- 
cuted. For one of these brethren, the pursevant, having a kind- 
ness, gave him a private and previous notice of his coming with 
an order to seize him: whereupon the good man, first called his 
family to prayer, hastned away to hide himself in a ditch, with 
his godly wife, which had a sucking child at her breast. The 
pursevant being near at hand, a thorn in the hedge gave such 
a mark to the child's face, as never went out; whereat the child 
beginning to roar, the mother presently clapt it to the breast, 
whereby it was quieted at once, and there was no discovery then, 
or after, made of these confessors. Another of these brethren, 
from whom our Fisk was descended, was then (to avoid burning) 
hid many months in a wood-pile; and afterwards, for half a year 
in a cellar, where he diligently employed himself in profitable 
manufactures, by candle light, after such a manner as to remain 
likewise undiscovered; but his many hardships brought that 
excessive bleeding upon him, that shortened his days, and added 
unto the cry of the souls under the altar. 

Our John was the eldest of four children, all of whom after- 
wards came to New-England with him, and left a posterity, with 
whom God established his holy covenant. His parents having 
devoted him unto the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, they sent 
him first unto a grammar school, two miles from the place of 
their abode, whither his diligent soul was instead of wings, every 
day to carry him. 

His education at the school, having fitted him for the 
university, he went unto Cambridge, where he was admitted, 
into (as I think) Immanuel College, in which he resided, until 
he became a graduate. Some time after this, being both by art 
and by heart, well prepared for it, he applied himself unto the 
work to which he had been devoted; namely, the preaching of 



THE BEGINNING 17 

the gospel; but the silencers grew so hard upon him for his non- 
conformity, that upon the advice of his friends, he set himself 
to study physick, and upon a thorough examination, he obtained 
a licence for public practice. When he was about eight and 
twenty years of age, he married a vertuous young gentlewoman 
[Anne Gipps]; several hundreds of pounds of whose patrimony 
were denied her upon the displeasure of her father, at her coming 
to New-England. 

But upon the death of his father, who had committed unto 
him the care of his mother and two sisters, and his youngest 
brother, he thought it his duty to remove into New England, 
where he saw an opportunity of returning unto the quiet exercise 
of his ministry. He, and that excellent man Mr. John Allin, 
came aboard in disguise, to avoid the fury of their persecutors; 
but after they were past the Lands-End, they entertained the 
passengers with two sermons every day, besides other agreeable 
devotions, which filled the voyage with so much of religion, that 
one of the passengers being examined about his going to divert 
himself with a hook and line, on the Lords-day, he protested, 
that he did not know when the Lord's day was; he thought every 
day was a sabbath day; for, he said, they did nothing but pray 
and preach all the week long. 

Mr. Fisk arrived at New England in the year 1637. * * * 
His aged mother died quickly after he came aboard, and his only 
infant quickly after he came ashore. * * * He came well 
stocked with servants, and all sorts of tools for husbandr}^ and 
carpentry, and with provisions to support his family in a wilderness 
for tliree years together; out of which, he charitably lent a 
considerable quantity to the country, which he then found in 
the distresses of a war with the Pequot- Indians. He now 
sojourned about three years at Salem where he was both a preacher 
to the church and a tutor unto divers young scholars (whereof 
the well-known Sir George Downing was one) as he was aftenvards 
unto his own children, when the want of grammar-schools at hand 
made it necessary. From thence he removed unto a place 
adjoining thereunto, which is now called Wenham; where on 
Oct. 8, 1644, a church was gathered, of which he continued the 
pastor, in that place, for more than twice seven years; contented 
with a very mean salary, and consuming his own fair estate for 
the welfare of the new plantation. 

About the year 1656, he removed with the major part of his 
church to another new town, called Chelmsford; and there he 
spent the remainder of his days. 

Twenty years did he shine in the golden candlestick of 
Chelmsford: a plain but an able painful, and useful preacher 
of the gospel; rarely if ever, by sickness hindered from the exercise 
of his ministry. * * * Thus our Mr. Fisk, now superseded 
his care and skill of dispensing medicines for the body, by doing 
it for the soul. 



18 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

But although he did in his ministry, go through an exposition 
of almost all the scriptures in both Testaments, and unto his 
Lord's day sermons, added a monthly lecture on the week day, 
besides his discoiu'ses at the private meetings of the faithful, 
and his exact and faithful cares to keep up church discipline yet 
none of his labours were more considerable than his catechetical. 
* * * Our Fisk therefore did by most laborious catechising, 
endeavor to know the state of his flock, and make it good: and 
hence, although he did himself compose and publish a most useful 
catechism which he entitled, The Olive Plant Watered; yet he 
chose the assembly's catechism for his public expositions where- 
with he twice went over it, in discourses before his afternoon 
sermons on the sabbath." 

INIr. Fiske had six children. The first was bom in England 

and, as Mather mentioned, died soon after reaching this country. 

The births of the others, as recorded by himself in his note book 

or church record, were as follows : 

The Children of John & Anna Fiske Born in N. E. 

1638 John. borne the 29th. of 6t 1 

bapt. the 2d. of 7. J Salem Mr Petrs [Peters] _ 
Escaped a grte danger at wenha, in passing with 
the streame vndr the mill wheele, when the mill 
was a goeing. An. 1647. 6t. of 3d, at what time he 
receid. (as twere) a new life, not a bone broke &c. 

1640 Sarah, borne 24. of 5t. \ 

bapt. 26t. of 5. J Salem. Mr pet 

1642. Moses, borne 12 of 2d. at Wenha 

bapt. 0- of 4t. at Salem* by mr Norice 

1644 Anna, borne 15t. of 11th 

1645 baptised 2. of 1st. (the 1st. child bapt at | Wenham 

1646. Eli-ezer. borne 8t. of 12th. \ 

bapt. 15. of 12. / Wenham. 
he Deceased 16. of 10. 49.) 

1671. the sd. Anne Fiske wife to the sd. Jno. ffiske haueing liued 
with him about 37. yeers. deceased 14. of 12th. mo. at 
Chelmsford. 

1672. Elizabeth Hinksman [widow of Edmund] marryed to the 
sd. Jno. fhske 1. of 6. mo. at Chelmsford. * * * 

Mr. Fiske kept a record from the year 1637 to 1675, about 
eighteen months before his death. It relates alm.ost wholly to 
church matters. Mr. Allen, in writing his history of Chelmsford, 
evidently did not have access to this valuable record, as he does not 
mention it or make use of the infomiation it contained. It 
evidently strayed away from Chelmsford early, perhaps through 
Mr. Fiske's youngest son. Rev. Moses Fiske of Braintree, who 

♦The date of this baptism is not clear. The record was made, probably, at a later time, aad 
perhaps Mr. Fiske had forgotten the exact date. [Note by S. A. Green.] 



THE BEGINNING 19 

was executor of his father's will, and inherited the property after 
the death of his elder brother, John, without issue. Moses Fiske 
had a son, Samuel, living in Salem, and it was there that the 
late David Pulsifer of Boston unearthed this old record book. 
He made a copy for the late Rev. Dr. Dexter of the Congre- 
gationalist, which is in the Yale University Library. After the 
sale of Mr. Pulsifer's effects this record book came into the posses- 
sion of Dr. Samuel A. Green of the Massachusetts Historical 
Society. Dr. Green has copied such part of this record as is 
deemed to be of historical interest, and published it in 1898, under 
the title, "Extracts from the note book of The Rev. John Fiske, 
1637-1675, with an Introduction by Samuel A. Green." 

The quotations, with one or two exceptions that I have used 
are from the published extracts. There are but few who would 
be able to read the original: as Dr. Green says in his Introduction, 
"The handwriting is very hard to read, and contains many abbre- 
viations and nondescript characters which it is impossible to 
represent in type." 

The town made generous gifts of land to Mr. Fiske and his 
son, John, who reached his majority soon after coming to Chelms- 
ford, granting much more than that promised in 1654. 

The town also set apart a tract of land called the ministry 
land, for the benefit of the church and minister. This was the 
land now known as the Bussell place upon which Rev. Hezekiah 
Packard built, during his ministry, the fine old colonial house 
now standing. 

The following is the record of this grant as it appears in the 
second book of records, page 25 and page 34 of the copy made in 
1892. 

The 31 of May 1679 by the Townes Gifte and order was laid 
out to the Ministry and for that only vse for euer in Chelmsford 
to say thirtey Acers of vpland and swampe bee it more or les 
and is bownded East by the high way to the training Feild south 
vp on a great Rock North by the land of mr Conelias Walldow 
With a straite line to a stake with a heape of stones aboute it 
which is a westerly Corner of John bates his land and so of a 
Straite line to a pine neare stoney brooke path — North west 
bownded vpon the towne Common vpland to a black oake and 
From thence [ ] straite line to a Red oake Neare the land 

that was giuen by the towne to mr Fiske and his sonne John 
Fiske and From thence to a great Rock southerly all waies prouided 
ther bee a sofitient Carte way left beetwine the land of the Aboue 
sayd Fiske and the fore mentioned land; which way is to bee 



20 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Foure polles in bredth in wittnes heare vnto wee the Commity 
Aponted to Actte hear in haue seett to our hands the day and 
yeare aboue sayd 

William vnderwood 
John Fiske 

Commity 

This aboue is a trew Record and 
Approued by the selectt men as 

wittnes my hand Samell Adams 

23 June 1679 Gierke 

The cart way mentioned in this description was what was 
known as "The Lane" until, by vote of the town it was named 
Bridge street in memory of Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, pastor of the 
church (1741-1792). 

In the description of Mr. Fiske's land, opposite the ministry, 
the "Pound" is mentioned. This was a small enclosure sur- 
rounded by a high stone wall. The Vv^all was removed and the 
land taken into the highway some ten years ago* when Bridge 
street was widened and improved. Mr. Fiske's land extended 
down to the cemetery. 

Formerly there were several families of colored people living 
on the lane. Peter Fields and his little one story cottage, where 
Mr. Daniel Haley's house stands, are still remembered by the 
older people. 

MEETING HOUSE. 

The town records contain no vote relative to the building of 
the first Meeting House, so that no description of the building 
has come down to us or any statement of the time when it was 
built. Mr Allenf says "The third public meeting was dated 
month 11, day 16. 1655 and, agreeable to a former vote, holden 
at the meeting house." 

"How and by whom the first meeting house was built" he 
says "are facts yet to be ascertained. There appears to be a 
tradition J that Samuel and Thomas Adams were at the principal 
expense of erecting this house. But the town records contain no 
infonnation relative to it. It stood at the south west corner of 

♦About 1895. It .atood just west of the N. W. Corner of the Cemetery. 
■fAllen's Hist., p. 12. 

JThia is intimated in a letter from the Jate President Adams of Quincy to Wm. Adams, 
Esq., requesting to know who built the first meeting house and mills. 



THE BEGINNING 21 

the present house. It was built in the year preceding the erection 
of Mr. Adams' saw-mill 1656 and in all probability was made of 
logs, hewed and locked together." 

I do not agree with Allen's conclusions upon cither of the 
three points just mentioned. 

The vote of March 1, 1655, that futm^e town meetings should 
be held at the meeting house plainly indicates an intention to 
have a meeting house, but there is reason to believe that their 
hopes were not realized that year. 

In the record of the third town meeting, to which Allen refers, 
the place of meeting is not mentioned. 

The best evidence obtainable would indicate that the meeting 
house was not built for several years, probably in 1659 or 60. The 
first mention of the meeting house in Mr. Fiske's record is, inci- 
dentally, in specifying the duties of church officers when Thos. 
Henchman and Henry Farwell were chosen deacons, at a church 
meeting "16 of 9 [16]60. * * * So Br. Hinksman was to keep 
the box, booke & acconts of constitution. Br Kemp to p vide the 
bread & the wine, & Bro. Farwl. to take the charge of the linen 
& pewter &c. 

this day Br. Abr. parkr was chosen in Br. Nuttings place, 
to take care of the clensing the meeting house that it be kept in 
a desent posture & of the hower [hoiu:] glasse, Cushion &c. For 
a yeere. [In margin] He refusing attend Br. Bia [Geo. Byam] 
was chosen & acceptd" This would indicate that they now had 
a meeting house and proposed to have it decently cared for. 

The only light which the town records shed upon this question 
is in the action taken to provide for the payment for the building. 
From the large sums, over £264, froin 1659 to 1663, raised for that 
purpose, not including the sum of £46-8 raised to pay Saml. 
Adams in 1659 — the tradition that one or two individuals were 
at the main expense of erecting the building would seem to be 
exploded. And, as there was a saw mill in town in aid of which 
a large tract of land had been granted, the people would not be 
likely to construct their meeting house of logs. The building 
was sufficiently substantial and commodious to answer the needs 
of the town for fifty years. 

The town record showing the amounts that the town was 
assessing upon the inhabitants for various purposes during the 
years in which the meeting house was being paid for is sufficiently 
instructive to be given in full. 



22 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



yeare 

:1 :6 [16]59 



It[em] 



A List of the disbursements Leuied by rate in this 
Toune of Chelmsford from the first of the first month 
'P and the names of the persons to home they 
ware Comited : 
A rate for the paiment for A drum to 

Henry Farwell 

the Country rate for yt yeare was wth an 

addition of halfe 

A rate to pay mr Samuell Addams . 

to A County rate 



3-5-0 

14-6-00^ 

46-8-0 

2-7-4 



ye yeare 
:60: 



to Joseph Parker Constable' 

A rate for the Toune house to meet in . 
A Country rate Colledg & Law books 
A rate for a toune stock of amunition . 
A County rate and for A presentment 

Roberd Proctor Constable 



m ye yeare 

:61 : A Countery rate wth an addition & to ye 

Colledg 

A Toune rate for glass and other dues 

from ye toune 15-1-8 



66-4-4^ 

22-2-6 

14-1-0 

13-6-0 

2-8-6 

51-18-00 
17-17-8 



James Hilldereth Constable 



32-19-4 



8:62: 



A Countery rate wth an addition and 

Colledg . 19-19-3 

A rate for the meeting house for ye Toune 100-8-00 



8 63: 



Thomas Chamberline Constable 

A rate for the meeting house . 

to the Countery & Colledg 

A Toune rate for ye meeting house Carting 

& other dues 27-1-11 



120-7-3 

100-00-00 
19-9-051 



John Burge Constable" 



146-1 l-4i 



After the removal of Rev. Mr. Fiske and his brethren from 
Wenham to Chelmsford those members remaining in Wenham 
retained their connection with the church, now the church of 
Chelmsford, and still looked to Mr. Fiske for spiritual guidance. 
This appears from a letter written by Mr. Fiske to the Wenham 

♦Second Book, Town Records, original, p. 190, Copy of 1882, p. 118. 



THE BEGINNING 23 

brethren, as copied from the Fiske record by the late David 
Pulsifer of Boston. Only so much of the letter is here given as 
shows the relation of the Wenham members to this church and 
the objects of the letter. 

FROM FISKE RECORD. 

"The Copy of ye Churchs Answer to ye Lrs. from or brethren 

of Wenham Dated 31 of 1. 59. 

To our beloved Brethren of ye Church at Chelmsford resident in 

Wenham. r^-, ■ ±. 

Grace mercy & Peace be multiply ed by Jesus Christ. 

Brethren Beloved in our Lord 

We receiued of late Letters from you by our Bro: Byam 
whereby you expresse yor desire of our present approbation 
counsell & prayers in Order to ye Erecting of a Church, amongst 
& of your selues, & to ye Calling an Officer to administer vnto 
YOU ye things of Christ: manifesting yor hopes of Enjoying Mr 
Ne™an in that worke & function: & afterward (when you 
shalbe fully resolved of this) that accordingly we would condescend 
to veeld you Letters of dismission to ye worke of God 

****** _/^nd though we cannot but greately 
approue of yor prudence in not determining that matter, or 
desiring Letters of dismission from vs to that worke, before you 
haue recejved a full Answer from Mr Newman m ye case wch 
if we vnderstand be once giuen, according to your desire expressed, 
so as he shall both joyne wth you in gathering a Church, & 
vndertake office amongst you * * * you shall not need 
question a readiness & surenes on our parts to graunt you Letters 
of dismission, yea & our hearts & prayers shall goe along wth 
them for his gracious presence & blessing to be voutchsaffed m 
Jesus Christ. So desiring ye God of all Grace to make you 
perfect, stablish strengthen settle you in his owne holy Tmthes 
& waies, we take our leave at present, & rest. 
Chebnsford Yor Louemg Br. 

24 of 2d ^^ ys bonds of ye Gospel 

^g Jo: ffiske 

in ye name & with ye consent 
of ye Church 

Rev. Antipas Newman was ordained at Wenham, Dec. 8, 1663, 
a new meeting house having been built that year. 

Mr. Fiske prepared a Catechism for the instruction of the 
young people of his flock, which was printed at the expense of 
the church in 1657. Copies of this little work are now exceedingly 
rare, probably not more than one or two remain in existence. One 
spedmen was contained in the library of the late George Livermore 



24 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of Cambridge, which was bought by the Lenox Library, of New 
York, for $106, at the auction sale of the Livermore collection. 
It was entitled "The Watering of the Olive Plant in Christs Garden 
or A Short Catechism for the first Entrance of our Chelmesford 
Children." 

The address "To the Church & Congregation at Chelmsford, 
Grace & Peace, through Jesus Christ," is as follows*: — 

"Beloved, What is here presented to Public view is yours: 
for looking to the poor-Penman, as Relating to you : to the external 
moving Cause, as arising firstly & freely from you, to the End 
& use as centering in you, to the reason of the Publishing thereof, 
as resting with you, and the care and costs, as to that end expended 
by you: It must not otherwise be determined but YOURS. 
Which being so, you have saved me the labour, of prefacing on 
behalf e, either of this so necessary & fruitfull an exercise of 
Catechising, or of this present draught: or of publishing it. The 
present encumbrances of our new-begining you know to have 
declined me till of late, from the former, and mine own inabilities 
much more from the latter, as being rather desirous to have made 
use of some others labours that way, or at least- wise to have 
acted mine own feeble apprehensions in a more private manner 
amongst our selves. But God hath moved your minds, first to 
see, and seeing to cause, as it must be as it is. I shall add only 
a word or two touching use; 1. The Scripture quotations in 
the margent, are so severed by those distinct marks as it is not 
hard to discern to which answer they pertayn. 2. They are 
orderly set down (for the generall) as they relate to the severall 
sentences or parts in the answers. 3. Where more than one, 
are mentioned to the same purpose, it is not without special 
cause, and may serve for help of memory, when we may have 
occasion to branch out such a subject, into its particulars. 4. 
Profitably you may reduce Promises to their proper heads in the 
Lords Prayer, and Dutyes or faylings to their proper places in 
the Decalogue. As for the annexing of these with the Doctrine 
of the Sacraments, by way of Appendix. It is because the same 
will more suit with such capacities as are allready entered, then 
such as are but in their entcrance. I say no more but this. If 
now you & yours, (as is hoped) shall gain any Spiritual fruit by 
these poor weak Tra veils of mine. I have my desire: and no 
small encouragement, in the midst of many wilderness-discourage- 
ments. 

To His Blessing therefore I commit both you & yours, who 
is the God of all Blessing: and Rest 

Yours in the Lord 

John Fiske 
Chelmesford this 

25 of \. mo: 1657." 

♦Early New England Catechisms by Wilberforce Eames. 



THE BEGINNING 25 

Mr. Allen says (p. 124), "This little work is moderate in its 
doctrines, catholic in its spirit." The conclusion, however, would 
not be warranted from this that it taught any milder Calvanistic 
doctrines than the generality of New England churches at that 
time. 

The Puritan theocracy was still in force during Mr. Fiske's 
pastorate. Our Puritan ancestors who had escaped from religious 
persecution in England, proposed to avoid religious dissensions 
in their new home by founding a commonwealth to be composed 
of a united body of believers. The Cambridge Platform had 
been adopted in 1648, defining the creed and powers of the clergy. 
This was laid before the congregations and adopted by them. 
And the General Court had already in 1646 enacted a law 
for the banishment of heretics, prefaced by the declaration: 
"Although no Humane [human] power be Lord over the 
Faith and Consciences of men, yet because such as bring in 
damnable Heresies, tending to the subversion of the Christian 
Faith, and destruction of the Souls of men ought duely to be 
restrained from such notorious impieties" 
["Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts Colony," 1672, p. 58.] 

The Fiske Record gives some facts relative to the publication 
of the Catechism and the methods adopted by the church for 
catechising the children, viz. : 

"& togethr heerewithal in the 4 place of the refusall (as we 
vnderstood). to disburse their pportion to the Catech. printing, 
wch the Ch: stands engaged to see satisfyed. * * * [From 
a letter written to Esdras Read, under date of January 31, 1657-8, 
and copied into the Note-book.] 

23 of 10 58 Voted by the Church that the 33 shs 9 d wch 
the Church stood engaged to see pd. to Br. James Parker for the 
Catechises should be for prsnt lent to him out of the Church 
stock. & if light app hrafte [appear hereafter] to the Church 
where it lies behind, to be taken in to the deacos hand on the 
accont of the catechizes in lew of this loan if not light, then this 
pte of the Church stock to be here levyed in his hands as assignd 
to the discharge of this debt of the Church. * * * 

6 of 12 64 A Church meeting Catechising. Agreed by the 
Church, that the sa course of catechizg of all undere 16. yeers 
old. be attended at the house of the pasto. viz. for mayds the 
day afte the Lecture, & for youths the 2d. day of the weeke 
following the lecture. 

It [em] That for all yong men aboue 16. yeers old, vnmarryd. 
That it be moved, who will voluntarily app to giue in their Names 
to Answr in publick. & for such as shall decline: if Children of 
the Church, that the Church shall see that they attend to be 



26 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

catechisd by the pasto in his House upon the 2d. day of the week 
monthly afte the lecture at the usual time, of meeting (viz. aboute 
3 of the clock in aftrnoone & if they shall negl. to come on one 
day, to bring as much the next time, as may pportion the Time. 
This votd. 

That we begin the worke in publ. aboute the begining of 
2d. month 

The Catechases to be dd out by Bro. Kemp at 6d. p peece. 
♦ * * 

30 of 4. 69 The Church mett * * * 

After this. It was pposed the way of Catechising fro house 
to house. 

& the yong or vnmarried psos to meet at so one house of 4 or 
5, the maryed to be visitd in their owne houses" 

Of the six members of the church, who came with Mr. Fiske 
from Wenham, two of them, Richard Goldsmith and Austin 
Killam, soon returned to Wenham, where the former was killed 
by lightning in 1655 and the latter died in 1667. Esdras Read 
also withdrew from the church and went to Boston where he 
lived during the remainder of his life. 

There were others, however, who came with, or very soon 
after, Mr. Fiske, but who presumably were not members of the 
church as their names do not appear in the Fiske record. One 
of these was John Shepley, who sold in 1655 to William Fiske 
(brother of the minister) a dwelling house in Wenham and land, 
"butting with a bound tree by the mill & so running up to the 
meeting-house*." And in 1656 the names of "Sister Shipley's" 
children were recorded on the church book at Chelmsford. 

Dea. Cornelius Waldo, who, Allen says, came with the Fiske 
company, did not come for ten years. He was from Ipswich, 
where there is evidence of his living till 1665. 

In June, 1656, there were nine additional members received 
into the church. The record of the meeting is as follows: 

Vpon 11. of 4. 56. a publick gnal [general] fast 

In the close of the day was the Church Covt. renewed repeated 
& voted by the Brethren. 

It [em] there were received into or covt. pfessing their willing- 
ness to owne that or covt. as had ben exprssed 
11 William Fletcher ] dismissed 

1 Bro: Adams his wife J- fro the church Mary Adams 

2 Bro. Vndrwoods wife j of Concord Sara Vndrwood 

3 Anna Buttcrfield the wife of Bro: Butterfeild 

4 Mary Chamberlin the wife of Bro: Tho: Chamblin 

5 Mary Lernett the wife of Bro : Isaack Lernet 

♦Essex Re«. Deeds. So. Diet., Vol. 1, Leaf 27. 



THE BEGINNING 27 

6 Mary Thompso the wife of Bro : Symo Thoson 

7 Rose parker the wife of Bro: Abra Parker 

8 Margaret Parker, the wife of Joseph parker 

9 Mary ChamberHn, the wife of Edmond chamblin dismissed 

to us fro the Church of Ooburne. 

Edmond ChambHn the so [son] of the 1. sd. Mary Chambhn 

baptised 29 of 4 56. This d. [ay] the Lo [rd's]: supp [er] & 

here coicated [communicated] with vs. Rob. Proctor of 

Concord 

Rafe Hill & his wife \ . , t.jt u ^ 
Geo: Early ) of ooburn [Woburn] 

Wm. Baker of the Church of charlestowne 

The church was for some time exercised over the question 
as to the relation which the children of the church members 
should sustain to the church. At a meeting "1 of 11. 56 [Jan. 1. 
1657]" a set of propositions were adopted determining such 
relations, the third clause of which was : 

3 That the Children of Church members, vnder the age 
of 14 or 15. y. when there pnts [parents] tooke the Covt. are 
included in there pnts Covt. & to be reputed members, & conse- 
quently to be baptised, not haueing ben before Baptised. 

This question having been disposed of the "Brethren prsented 
their childr, names & Ages," and then follow the names and ages 
of 75 children belonging to 17 families. 

The action of the church in the case of Mr. Fiske's son, 
Moses, who had been prepared for college by his father at the 
age of sixteen years, shows the zealous care which the church 
exercised over its members. 

"12 of 7 58. This day Moses Fiske, being suddenly to depte 
to the Colledge was called forth before the Church : & owned thr 
his followeth Covt. in the face of the Church, psonally in covt. 
engaging himself to the Church. & the Church to him, as in the 
forme as foUowes" 

The covenant follows and also the copy of a long letter 
addressed to the Church of Cambridge commending the young 
man to their brotherly care and watchfulness. 

The control exercised by the church over its members often 
affected their temporal interests. Personal interests must give 
way to those of the church, when they conflicted. This is shown 
in the case of James Parker, James Fiske, and John Nutting, who 
desired to withdraw from the church and remove to Groton. 
Before they could obtain their dismission from the church they 
were required to appear and present satisfactory reasons for their 
withdrawal. The meeting to consider the matter was held 



28 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"9 of 9 [16] 61 On this day, the 3 bre: Ja: parker, Ja: Fiske, 
Jon Nutting ppounded to the Church. That they haueing some 
thoughts and inchnations to a Remoue, desired to ppound it to 
the Church, that (as they may see God to make way for them) 
they may haue the Churches loueing leaue so to doe, & their 
prayers for them, for a blessing of God upo there vndertakeings. 

Some discussion followed over the matter, brother Adams 
saying, "they saw a call of God leading them to this place & if 
they apprehended a call of God away, twas ney [necessary] they 
should giue an accont to the church of their call hence" 



DISMISSED TO GROTON. 

Being called upon by the pastor "to approue their grounds." 
Brother Parker "stepping up to speak, * * * sd. that he 
for his pte [part] owned that God had a hand in bringing him 
hither: & he hoped he should see the sa [same] ouruling hand of 
his, in his Remoue & as to their grounds, tis not their desire to 
expresse them in ptic, [particular] vnlese it shall be pticularly 
desired & urged Onely in gnal [general] that it is bee. of sevral 
things prese upo their spits [pressing upon their spirits] as in 
refference to Church Administration, & so [some] uncomfortable 
differences, as they all know are wonted to arise abt the sa 
[sacrament]; & added, yt if he could enjoy all ordin: or Adminis- 
tration, as according to Rule, as he apprhended, he for his pte 
would not remoue 

Br. Fiske ppsed his assent. & added, yt as his ends of coming 
were wel knowne to God, & in so measure to the church, so it 
would be no smale thing that should moue him to a Remoue" 

More discussion followed in which the rules of church govern- 
ment were argued, and action was deferred to a future meeting, 
at which brother Nutting called attention to his situation as 
follows : 

"Br. Nutting pposed one ground further in r of his one ptic. 
viz. the inconveniences of his prsent situation & that he could 
not help himself, for in remoueing to his remote accommodations, 
haueing sevral smale childr, he should much deprue himself or 
wife of the ordin: [ordinances] by that means, & sought rather the 
settling himself comfortably for the outward man nigh to the 
meeting house." 

At this time no church had been organized at Groton, but 
in 1665 the families of James Parker, Joseph Parker, James 
Fiske, and John Nutting were dismissed to the church at Groton. 

James Parker became the leading man of that town, where 
he lived to a good old age. Joseph, his brother, was a large 



THE BEGINNING 29 

landowner and "the ancestor of the most numerous branches 
of the Parker famihes in Groton and its vicinity." John Nutting 
was killed by the Indians when Groton was attacked and destroyed, 
March 13, 1676, and James Parker and family were obliged to 
seek an asylum among his old neighbors in Chelmsford, where 
he remained for several years. 

EXTENSION. 

Only the year following the incorporation of the town we 
find the people petitioning for an extension of their grant. They 
had found some parts of the land granted them stony and other 
parts barren, so that they had been constrained to set their 
habitations near the northeast corner of their town bounds as 
they alleged, "wheare wee haue no outlett for our Cattell to feed 
on" 

To understand the situation as they represented it, it is 
necessary to consider the town lines as they then existed, including, 
as they did, the present town of Westford and a large part of 
Carlisle, and as the north line did not extend as far north as the 
present village of North Chelmsford, it will be seen that what 
is now the center of the town, where the meeting house stood, 
was the northeast section of the town. 

That they found scanty pasturage over such a large tract 
while it was occupied by only twenty or thirty families was owing, 
of course, to the condition of the wilderness as they had found it 
and before they had cleared up land for cultivation. The land 
being covered by forest except on the meadows which skirted 
the streams or where Indian fires had destroyed the timber, it 
required a long range over which the cattle must roam to find 
sustenance. 

Their petition is as follows : 

'7th 3 mo., 1656. 
"The humbell petition of the inhabitants of Chemsford 
sheweth that wheareas this honotired Courtt hath fformerly 
giuen them a sertayn tractt of land which we thankefuly acsept 
of, and wee thought it to haue binn sofitient and Conuenient for 
a plantatyon, but by reason of the stonines of sum part and the 
barones of another part there of, we weare Constrained to set off 
our habitatyons on one corner of our bounds which w^as only 
Conuenient for that vse, and so wee have vnauoidably put our 
selues vp on straights because now our setuation is neare vpon 
our north east line, wheare wee haue no outlett for our Cattell 



30 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

to feed on, may it please, therefore, this honoured Courtt to take 
this our Condityon in to Consideratyon, and to graunt a small 
parsill of land from our north east line downe to merimack Rieur, 
and so bownd us by the sayd Riuer aboutt three mills, and so to 
run vp on a south west line so as that wee woold nott bee any 
hindrance to grauton plantatyon: May it please this honoured 
Courtt to graunt this our petytion how euer your petisionors 
will Continualy Remayne praying for a blesing vpon all your 
waity affaires. 

"Isack lerned, 
"Thomas Addams, 
"Jo ffiske: "Simon Tompson, 

"Edward Spaulding, 
"Beniamin buterfild, 
"William fletcher 
"william vnderwood, 
"in the name & on the Behalf e of ye Towne. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 112, p. 80.] 

The Apostle Eliot, with an ever watchful care for the interests 
of his Indian charges, had petitioned the court for an extension 
of their grant. The court granted both petitions but not in a 
manner calculated to promote haitnony between the Indians 
and their white neighbors. They gave to the Indians a tract a 
mile in length lying between the Merrimack river and Chelmsford 
(Chelmsford did not then extend to the river at any point). It 
corresponded to what is now Middlesex village, from Black brook 
westward. The Indian name of this tract was Neahambeak as 
appears from a deed of land upon Black brook, from "Wanalanset 
the only Sonne surviving of old Passaconaway, deceased, who was 
the great and chiefe Sachem upon Merimack River" to Thomas 
Henchman in 1685. And a much larger tract was given to 
Chelmsford and the Indians jointly. This tract took in what is 
now North Chelmsford and the northern section of Westford. 
Both these grants are indicated on the plan by dotted lines, the 
smaller one marked "Joe Sagamore" being the Indian grant. 
[See Vol. Ill, p. 406, printed Records Massachusetts Bay.] 

The following is the answer of the Court: 

"In Answer to this Peticon and Allso that part of mr. Eliot's 
Peticon respecting An Jnlargement of land, vpon Conference 
with the Comittee who layd out the bounds of Chelmsford and 
perusal of a descripcon of A plott of the sayd plantacons and 
Allso of the Track of land now by both parts Peticoned for: 
Wee Apprehend it requisite that the Indian grant be extended A 
mile from the North East Angle or corner bound of Chelmsford 
Abutting on Merrimack and Patucket Eastward, taking in John 



THE BEGINNING 31 

Sagamor's planting ground. And the end of the said mile to 
determine the Indain plantacon. And for the rest of the land on 
behalf of both towns — Peticoned for, that Chelmsford South and 
North line Abutting on Tadmuck, be extended from the North- 
weast Angle or Corner three Miles north: so as it pass not 
Merrimack riuer. And from thence to run A parralell line, with 
the East and west line of Chelmsford, vntill it meete with Meri- 
mack Riuer. And that the whole Track of land so taken in, be 
and remayne in Comunitie vnto the Towns of Chelmsford and 
the Indian Town called Patuckett for all vses. 

"21th 3 mo 1656. "Daniel Gookin, 

"Joseph Hills, 
"John Wiswall. 

"The Deputy es approve of the returne of the Comittee in 
answer to this petition desiringe the consent of or honord magists 
hereto, 

"William Torrey, Cleric. 

"Consented to by ye magists, Edward Rawson, S^cr^fj'." 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 112, p. 80.] 

This joint ownership plan did not prove satisfactory, and we 
find the Court again appealed to in 1660, and it confirmed an 
agreement between the whites and Indians, by which Chelmsford 
got that large section that had been given to them and the Indians 
jointly, and the Indians were given a small strip of land bordering 
their grant, which had belonged to Chelmsford. 

As was usual in such transactions, the whites got a good 
deal and the Indians got a little. 

The line as then established between the Indians and Chelms- 
ford, would appear from the description to correspond very nearly 
to the line of the old Middlesex canal as far, perhaps, as where 
the canal crossed the River Meadow brook. 

The following is the decree of the Court. [Massachusetts 
Records, Vol. 4, p. 430.] 

1660 31 MAY EXCHANG OF LAND BETWENE YE INDIANS & 
CHELMSFORD. 

To all people to whom this present writing shall come to be 
scene or read. 

Whereas the honnored Gennerall Court of the Massachusetts 
was pleased of their free beneficence & bounty to graunt vnto 
the Indians of Patucket a parcell of land adjoyning to the bounds 



32 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of Chelmsford plantation, the scittuation whereof being by- 
experience found to be prejudicial! vnto the mutuall peace of 
the sajd plantations, — now, this wittnesseth that the Indian 
inhabitants of the abouesajd plantation, wth the consent and 
approbation of the Reuerend Mr. John Elliott, Sen, haue coue- 
nanted and agreed to make an exchange of land wth the inhabitants 
of Chelmsford, in manner following, vizt: tat the partition & 
dividing Ijne betweene the sajd English & Indian plantation 
shall beginn at the Great Swampe, the sajd swampe being left 
wthin the bounds of Chemsford, excepting only about tenn foote 
in bredth, and from thence the Ijne to be continued by the marked 
trees, as the former comittee sett out the same, vntill it reacheth 
Merremacke Ruier; and all the land lying on the northeast side 
of the sajd Ijne, formerly belonging to Chelmsford, shall henceforth 
be the propper right & to the sole vse of the sajd Indian plantation; 
and all the land on the southwest side of the sajd Ijne, excepting 
only what is hereafter graunted vnto James Parker, whither of 
the Indians old or new graunt, & euery parte thereof, shall foreuer 
be & remajn the proper right & to the sole use of the inhabitants 
of Chelmsford. 

And Whereas there is a parcell of land l3^ing & being at the 
west end of the Indians graunt, wch is not wthin the bounds 
(of either plantation) as aboue exprest, this wittnesseth that the 
sajd parcell of land, be it more or lesse, is, by the free consent 
of both the abouesajd plantations, given, graunted, & alienated 
vnto James Parker, of Chemsford, abouesajd, for and in con- 
sideration of his great pajnes and costs wch he hath necessarily 
expended in setling the bounds, as aboue is expressed, betweene 
the abouesajd plantations, to haue & to hold the sajd parcell 
of land, wth all the appurtenances thereof, vnto him, the sajd 
James Parker, his heirs and assignes for euer, to his and theire 
only propper vse & behoof e. And to the true performance of 
the aboue named exchange & graunt, mutually made by & 
betweene the sajd plantations, and also theire joinct graunt and 
guift vnto the sajd James Parker, on condicons & in manner 
aboue expressed, both the sajd plantations doe hereby respectively 
bind themselves, theire heires, execcutors, & administrators, 
each to other & joinctly, to the sajd James Parker, his heires & 
assignes, firmly by these presents; in wittnes whereof these 
whose names are subscribed as the deputjes Sc lawfull trustees 
of the abouesajd plantations, haue herevnto putt theire hands 
& scales. 

Aprill the third, 16G0. 

Signed in presence of James Parker, & a scale, 

Willjam Simmes, William Felther, 

Samuell Greene, Tho: Hincksman, & a scale, 

James Converse, John Elliott, in wittness of my appro- 

bation. 










(~^ 



.^^ ^ Q 




^ <5 



\ 




S\3 




i — 









^•f ( 



THE BEGINNING 33 

The names of ye cheife inhabitants of Pmatucket, testifying 
theire consent and sattisf action in this deed: — 

The marke of () Puntahhun. 

John Tohatowon. 

The mrke. c^ Kussinauscut, 

The marke of Pannobotiquis, 

The mrke Un of Nomphon, 

The mrke of (J Peter, 

The mrke of CX Nonnoit, 

The mrke of ^ Wampannooun. 

Wee doe testify these markes & names were sett doune 
lawfully at a publicke meeting, the 14th of the 3d. 1660 

John Eliot, Sen. 
John Eliot, Jun. 

This deed is acknowledged by Wm Fletcher, Tho Hincksman, 
together wth James Parker, as trustees for ye Indians, to be 
thire act & deed, this 5 2mo 1660 

as attest Tho : Danforth. 

In ansr to the petition of the inhabitants of Chelmsford & 
Patuckett, the Court Judgeth it meete to confirme theire agree- 
ment, & orders the same to be recorded. 

In order that their title to the land might be further strength- 
ened and to satisfy any claim that the Indians might presume to 
hold upon lands within the town a deed was obtained, April 26, 
1665, from the Indians, who deeded the land lying "within the 
bounds and limitts of the said Towne of Chelmsford, and is 
bounded Southerly by the lands of the Towne of Billerica and 
West Southerly partly by the lands of the towne of Concord and 
partly by the Indian plantation of Nashoba, and E' S'thly by 
the Countryes land. Northerly by the lands of Mr. Edward 
Ting, and on the North by Merrimacke River, and on the East 
and North East by the plantaccon of the Indians called 
Patuckett." 

In that year the town levied a rate of £31, 17s., 8d. for 
"A Toune rate and for the parches of the plantation of ye Indians." 

In 1665 the line was more definitely established between 
Chelmsford and Wamesit by committees from Chelmsford and 
Billerica and the Indians of Wamesit. It appears from the 
description of the line as established by them that it began at 
Concord river at what was subsequently known as Wamesit stake, 
from there crossing the river meadow and over the ridge on what 
is now the Lowell city farm to great swamp, through which later 
the Middlesex canal was constructed, and by the line of what is 
now Baldwin street to Merrimack river. 



34 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The following is as this agreement appears in the town 
records. [Transcript of 1742, p. 142.] 



THE BOUNDS BETWEEN CHELMSFORD & WAMASETT. 

June the: 8th: 1665: Ensign Hinchman and Sergeant Fletcher 
being apointed by the Town of Chelmsford: and Sergeant Parker 
with Jonathan Danforth of Billerica : and the Indians who are the 
Inhabitants of Wamasett being apointed by the Indian Court 
at Wamassett to Run the Line — between Chelmsford and Wamas- 
sett did attend the same: And the Bounds between them are as 
followeth : viz : we began at the stake by the side of Concord river 
which is the most Northerly Comer of Billerica & on that side 
of the River: and from that stake we Run a Streight Line untill 
you Come over the River meadow to a black oak marked with W 
and C: from thence westward Cross the high Ridge to a pine in 
the Bottom Marked as before: from thence it Runs by marked 
trees at a Little distance westward of the high ridge uto a Little 
white oak: from thence it turns to the great swamp by a great 
white oak marked on the east of Butterfields high-way: and from 
thence to the swamp: and Tenn foot within the swamp there 
being a White oak marked where we Com to the Swamp with: 
C and W: and so the Line is to, Run Tenn foot within the thick 
swamp: untill you Come to Ensign Hinchmans meadow there it 
comes from the Swamp to Tenn White oaks standing together: 
one being marked : and from thence by marked trees Leaving the 
swamp and meadow to Chelmsford: and Continue the Line to 
Merimack : Also it is agreed that Chelmsford is to have Conveniant 
high wayes through this Land in any place as shall be found need- 
full: as also a Covneniant highway by their Line from Merimack 
River to Ensign Hinchmans Damm. This was agreed by us: 
there was present and Consented Thomas Hinchman 

Nob How William Fletcher 

John Line John Parker 

Misstick George Jonathan Danforth 

Frances. 

Samuel: alias Manatoques 
old Rogger. 

This above is a true Copy of the origanall Recorded 
the : 27th : of January : 1691 : By me Solomon Keyes 

Town Clerk 



THE BEGINNING 35 

FIRST SAW MILL. 

It has always been a marked characteristic of the New 
Englanders from the very first, that they manage to provide for 
themselves comfortable and substantial dwellings. 

There being no saw mill nearer than Concord or Wobum, 
and neither roads nor bridges between those places and Chelms- 
ford, the first who came must have been compelled to erect log 
houses for their shelter, although there is a tradition that William 
Fletcher had a frame house in 1654. There is a tradition also 
that Josiah Richardson's first shelter was partly formed by digging 
into the bank. 

The people were not long content to occupy such rude struc- 
tures, and very soon negotiated with the enterprising Samuel 
Adams to erect a saw mill, and also a mill for the grinding of com. 

Mr. Adams was a person of somewhat varied accomplish- 
ments. Rev. Wilkes Allen, in some notes made by him after 
his history of Chelmsford was published, states, upon the authority 
of some old deeds and other papers in the Adams family, that he 
was a millwright. "He was also somewhat skilled in medicine 
& exercised his skill to ye advantage & benefit of this infant 
settlement while they were destitute of a physician better 
informed." 

He was a Captain in the military, Clerk of the Writs, and 
for twenty years town clerk. The records in his handwriting are 
still mostly quite legible. 

The Town was quite liberal with Mr. Adams, giving him 
100 acres of land in consideration of his "erecting & maintaining 
a Com Mill for the Towns suply," and he was given 450 acres 
in consideration of his erecting a saw mill. 

These with other grants made his holdings "by estimation 
about six hundred acres." * * * 

The following is the vote of the Town in reference to the 
saw mill as it appears in the town records [Transcript, p. 32]: 

"1656, July Day ye third. At a Public meeting of the whole 
town, it is Granted to Mr. Samuel Adams in Considoration of 
Setting up a Saw-mill: and thereby supliing the Town with 
Boards at three Shillings the hundred, or the Sawing of one Board 
log for the providing and bringing of another to be Redy to work 
by the next March ensuing. In consideration Whereof it is 
hereby Granted to the Sd Mr. Adams to have the Sum of Four 
hundred and fifty acres of Land upon the South Side of the meadow 



36 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

belonging to the Sd Mr. Adams, called brook meadow; Farther 
that the Sd Mr. Adams Shall have Liberty to make use of the 
Pines upon the Common. And to hold the fore Sd Land to him 
and his heirs for ever." 

And "Mr Adams is granted Libberty to sett Flood gates 
for the advantage of his Mill pond at the Mouth of Hart pond 
this was granted by the Town for the use of his Mill to him and 
his heirs forever"* 

This mill was upon Great, or River Meadow brook, about 
two miles, a little east of south, from the center of the town. A 
saw and gristmill was maintained there by five successive genera- 
tions of the Adams family. It then passed by purchase to Mr. 
Abbot Russell, who was followed by his son, the late Lincoln H. 
Russell, since whose death in 1899, the mill has not been used. 



PETITION TO TRADE WITH INDIANS. 

The following petition to the General Court, asking for the 
privilege of trading with the Indians, gives their representation 
of the difhculties which they encountered in providing for their 
families in "this Remoat Comer of the wildernes." 

The 33 names signed to the petition probably included very 
nearly all of the adult males then li\nng in town. 

Chelmsford 

May: 17: 58 To the honered Coart Assembled at Boston 

the humble petistion the in habetants of the towne off 
Chelmsford Sheweth : that we have as god by his Providenc haveing 
despoased off us with our famelies into this Remoat Corner of the 
wildernes : whare not with Standing the improvement of all Lawfull 
Liberties and Advantages put into our hands wee have and doe find 
as the State of things now standeth Much dificalte to : nay imposebile 
[ ] of procuering such nesesarie suplye as boath Church 

and familie ocations doe call for to the great hasard boath of 
uss and owrs as wee dout not but yr wisdoms are sensable oflE which 
difecalltie is much increased to uss by beeing prohibeted from 
tradeing with the indiens which we doe Conseive to bee our 
Lawfull Liberte : owr humble Requeste tharf ore is that yr honers 
would bee pleased to take this Case into yr Consideration: and 
grant your petiscioners thare Lawfull Liberte which wee Conceive 
ought not to bee Menopolised in as much as it is no nue inuention 
and that the Lord would kepe boath you and yours in his feare 
and truth wee your petiscioners shall for ever praye 

♦Town Records, Transcript, p. 34. 



THE BEGINNING 



37 



wee doe further in [ ] your honer 
Leter to bee our townes brand or Leter of 
Vss:C: 



to Rate for this inserted 
marke as Law injoyneth 



James Parker 
William Fletcher 
Henry Farwell 
Tho Chamberlin 
Edward Kempe 
James Blud 



Josiah Richardson 
John Fiske 
Berabin butterfild 
Roberd Procter 
Edman Chamberlin 
Joseph Parker 



Thomas Adams 

Edward Spalden 

Georg byam 

Beniamin buterfild 

Daniel Blodget 

John Spalden 

Roberd Flecher 

Samewell Foster 

Joseph Gilson: 

Games Hildereth: 

William Underwod 

John Shiple : 

Richard Hildereth 

John Nutting 

Abraham Parker 

John Right 

Jacob Parker 

Edward Spalden 

John Shiple 

Joseph Parkis 

Samewell Kempe 
[Massachusetts Archives, Trade &c., Vol. 119, p. 19.] 

What action was taken upon this petition does not appear, 
but the privilege asked for was probably not granted, because it 
would have interfered with a valuable source of revenue to the 
Colony, the statute holding that " * * * the Trade of 
Furrs with the Indians in this Jurisdiction, doth properly belong 
to this common-wealth and not unto particular persons."* 

EARLY ROADS AND LOCATION OF HOUSES. 



In fixing upon locations for their dwellings an important 
consideration, to the early settlers, was to be convenient to the 
meeting house. Mutual protection and social considerations 
would prompt them to cluster about this social center, and the 
General Court had decreed in 1635 that no dwelling should be 
placed more than half a mile away from the meeting house in 
any new plantation. But the physical condition of the country 
was such that these desires could not well be carried out, and 
they were forced to locate at places which offered the best promise 
of support for their families. 

♦General Laws, 1672, p. 75. 



38 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

When the committee first explored this tract with a view to 
settlement, the only land mentioned as under cultivation was the 
Indians' cornfield upon Robins hill. With that exception the 
territory which these men siirveyed from this eminence was 
probably an almost unbroken forest, excepting upon the meadows 
which skirted the streams, or upon land too barren to support 
vegetation. This, at least, would be the condition unless the 
land had been devastated by Indian fires. 

As the meadows furnished a supply of food, easily obtained, 
to carry their animals through the winter, we find many of the 
first inhabitants located near the borders of such meadows. 

One of the first necessities in promoting the development 
of the town was for suitable highways to enable the people to pass 
from house to house and to "mill and meeting house." Highway 
surveyors were chosen at the second town meeting in 1655 and 
annually thereafter. Often the aboriginal paths were widened 
and graded by the early settlers into roads. 

If there were any roads laid out by the town before 1659, 
they are not recorded. There were, however, roads in use 
previous to that time. One of the first of these passed between the 
cemetery and common, following the line of Worthen street and 
Crosby place to the house of William Fletcher, some thirty rods 
beyond the Crosby house. Soon, if not at first, this continued 
toward what is now the house of Jas. L. Stearns and from there 
by Golden Cove road and Stedman street towards the Merrimack 
river. 

The "town-way to the mill" led to Saml. Adams' saw and 
corn mill and corresponded to what is now the Boston road as 
far as the Hazen place. Originally it passed around (through what 
is now called Adams street) by the present house of C. E. Bartlett. 
It made a turn to the left near J. E. Warren's house, and, after 
crossing Farley's brook swung around to the east to avoid the hill. 

The "road to the Bay" was what is now Billerica road. 
This was the line of travel to Boston for Groton and Lancaster 
as well as Chelmsford, and those three towns were required to 
help build and support the bridge across the Concord river in 
Billerica. 

Upon these roads the houses in or near the village were 
located. The house of Mr. Fiske, the minister, was near the 
meeting house, of course. Wm. Fletcher's house has been men- 
tioned. His brother, Samuel, lived near him. John Bates' was 



THE BEGINNING 39 

near Mr. Fred E. Russells', and the house of Dea. Cornelius 
Waldo, who came here from Ipswich in 1665, Allen tells us was 
in his garden, probably where the house of Edward J. Robbins 
was recently erected. 

Abraham Parker, the first settler, had his homestead lot 
on the south side of the Billerica road near the present town farm 
(he was bounded easterly by his river meadow, and north by the 
highway to the Bay), but later we find his house at the village, 
where he and his sons built a mill near the upper dam of the 
Mill pond. 

Jacob Parker, the town clerk in 1658 and several years fol- 
lowing, was near the first location of his brother, Abraham. 

Deacon Henry Farwell, the tailor, was nearer the village 
on the same road. 

John Nutting was on the south side of Beaver brook and east 
of the road to the mill and he had for near neighbors, James Blood 
and Joseph Parker. These last three and James Parker soon 
removed to Groton where their lot was made bitter by the repeated 
attacks upon that town by the Indians. 

Steven Pierce, a tailor, the progenator of the Pierce family 
in town, came from Woburn and married a daughter of Jacob 
Parker. His home was in the village. He was granted land in 
1671. "A small parsill to sett a house upon * * * south 
west side of Beaver brook bridge." 

Samuel Adams we should find at his mills on Great brook, and 
between him and the village was Moses Barron, near the place 
of the late Chas. Sweetser; and for a short time his near neighbor 
was Francis Gould and his wife Rose, who had come from Braintree. 

Farles brook and Round meadow are named in the description 
of Barron's land. 

John Blanchard probably lived at what is now the Joseph E. 
Warren place. Dea. Joseph Warren came into possession of 
this land about 1700, since which time it has remained in that 
family. Benjamin Butterfield lived on the same road, nearer 
the village. 

The Beaver brook meadows west of the village attracted a 
number of families into that section. This was known as the 
"West End." One of these families was George Byam's, one 
of the original families which came from Wenham with Mr. Fiske 
They settled where Geo. A. Byam now lives (1905). The place 
has been continuously in the Byam family. 



40 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

A near neighbor to the Byams was Thomas Chamberlain. 
The spot is pointed out a few rods east of the Hunt place, where 
his house is supposed to have stood. The earliest record of any 
highway in town started from his house. 

"January: 7: 1659 
George Biam and Thomas Barrett are apointed a comitee 
to state the High-way that gos to Tadmuck before Thomas 
Chamberlains hous: The tree at his Hogs Coat is concluded one 
bound and so to Run his due bredth acording to order towards 
the Brook Cald Beaver brook."* 

Edmund Chamberlain, Richard Hildreth, Robert Proctor, 
the brothers, Jacob and Arthur Warren, and perhaps Dea. Edward 
Kemp and his son-in-law, Dea. Samuel Foster, both of whom were 
of the Wenham company, were in this neighborhood. 

Thomas Chamberlain's highway mentioned above presupposes 
one already in use for this neighborhood to go to the meeting house. 

This was formally laid out 

"3d 1 month 1662-3. 
Thomas Adams and Josiah Richardson being chosen a 
committee to Joyn with Groton committee to Lay out a High- 
way from Town to Town the work is performed by them and the 
way is Laid out from Beaver Brook Bridge over the North side 
of Robbins-hill and thence through Richard Hildreth 's yard and 
so to the west end of Hart pond over the swamp and so to Thomas 
Chamberlins meadow and so on towards Groton, on the east side 
of Tadmuck great meadow" f 

This was the road over which the Groton people passed in 
going to Boston. 

All of this road which lies in Chelmsford is still in use, although 
upon some parts of it the travel is very limited. 

Another road started on the south side of Robins hill and, 
passing around on the west side of the hill and into the road above 
described, at what is now John Byam's place. 

The description given in the records of this is: 

:7th: 8: month :: 1673: Laid out by the selectmen the Day 
above for the use of the Town a high-way which is Bounded 
Between Henry Gidleys Lott and John Blanchards meadow and 
so all a Long between the meadow and Robbins hill Runing into 
the way that corns from George Biams to the meeting hous: 

This road accommodated Thomas Barrett, who had come 
from Braintree with his father, Thomas, and bought, ten years 
before, a house and land on the south side of Robins hill, where 

*P. 42, Town records, Transcript, 
tBook A. p. 36. 



THE BEGINNING 41 

C. W. Byam now lives. Henry Gidley may have lived at the 
Wm. Fay place, although there are marks of one or two old 
cellars on that road, over one of which his house may have stood. 

Quite a number of families settled in the northeast quarter 
of the town, near the Indian line, where they had near access 
to the fisheries on the Merrimack river. This section was called 
the "North End," and that term, later, included the section from 
Wamesit to the north schoolhouse (Dist. No. 2). 

Henry Bowtall, or Boutwell, who came from Cambridge 
with his wife and Jerathmell Bowers, her son by a former marriage, 
located upon what is now Stedman street, in Lowell. His house 
stood just north of where the stream crosses the road. In this 
neighborhood was Joseph Parkhurst,* the progenitor of the 
Parkhurst family in town, and on either side of him, John Wright 
and Thomas Sewall. 

North of these were John Shepley, Jona. Butterfield, and Eleazer 
Brown. Thomas Henchman was in what is now Middlesex village, his 
land being bounded east by the Indian line, and north by the river, 
and joining him at the south was his son-in-law, James Richardson. 

The picturesque John Webb, alias Evered, the former mer- 
chant of Boston, was the first man to cross over and plant himself 
on the opposite bank of the river. 

The first road which accommodated this section was called 
the "Highway to Merrimack." There is no record of its having 
been formally laid out. It terminated at "Poorman's bridge." 
Where that bridge stood there is neither record nor tradition to 
enlighten us, although it is mentioned from time to time in the 
records for 150 years. An examination of the old roads and 
paths in this section reveal its probable site. 

There is evidence of an old road leading from Stedman street 
towards the swamp just south of Mount Pleasant, and at Black 
brook, opposite to where this comes out at the edge of the swamp 
there are still to be seen some remains of a foundation to a bridge. 

The late Sewall Bowers, an old and lifelong resident of this 
section, stated that formerly a road crossed the swamp in the 
direction of Pine street. 

The road to Poorman's bridge was extended to Merrimack 
river in 1673, passing on the east side of Mount Pleasant, and 
from there the line corresponded to what is now Baldwin street; 
It is thus described in the records. 

*The records in regard to his house lot are contradictory, but the weight of evidence locates 
him as above. 



42 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

[In margin] 20: 3: 1673 A highway 

Will vnderwood Will Flecher and Abraham parker being 
apointed to lay out a highway for the inhabitants on other sid 
meremake Do determin that it shall beegine att the Country way 
att pore mans bridge and so a longe bettwne the to swamps and 
ouer will vnderwods medow all along bowndid by markd treese 
on both sids and so runeth below mr hinchmans Dame and so to the 
Endian line to Answer the Contry Rode att meremake and on this 
side this is atrew rettorne of the Comity as Aboue Datted and 
heare entred by order of the selecttmen * * * 

Samell Adams 
clerk. 

Jerathmell Bowers, when he reached maturity, settled where 
his descendant, Joseph Bowers, now resides on Wood street. 
The place has been continuously in the family. The house, said 
to be over two hundred years old, is undoubtedly the oldest 
building now standing in Lowell. Another road which helped to 
develop this section was laid out from the newly incorporated town 
of Dunstable, viz.: [In margin] Country Way The 1 Day of 
January 1674 leften Thomas hinchman and liften Samuell Foster 
beeing Apointed by the Towne to Jo3nie with leftenant Whealer 
and Abraham parker the Cometty to lay out the Contry Way 
from — Donstable to Chelmsford thay Doe Joyntly Agree 
on both parties that the Way shall in Chelmsford bowns 
beegine at mr Tings Farme and so to bee sixe polle wid and so to 
Continew as by marked treese Downe to Jerathmell bowers 
land and so to black brooke into the Contry way that Comes 
From merimack this is a trew Rettorne of the Comity as above 
Datted wittis Samell Adames 

clerk 

This was the old road from Tyngsboro through North Chelms- 
ford. It swung to the left above Drum hill over a piece of road 
now little used, coming out upon what is now Westford street 
near Joseph Bowers'. The travel to Boston, from Dunstable 
and towns above, passed over this road for many years, passing 
over what is now Stedman street and the Golden Cove road and 
crossing the Concord river at Billerica. 

The following year a new bridge was built across Stony brook, 
"to foot higher than the former was." 

There were two foot-paths laid out near Jerathmell Bowers 
in 1677, which are thus described. 



THE BEGINNING 43 

A highway — By apointment of the townesmen ther is tew 
foott waies laid out through the land of John Wright the one 
begining att the still next to Jerathmell bowers and * * * 
so to the Cartt brige and then below the orchard to the land of 
Jonathan butterfeild and then close by the fence of John wright 
vp to the drift way and the other begining Against John Sheplies 
and then straight to the drift way at Jonathan buterfilds bame 
by William vnderwoods and Jerathmell bowers and for partt of 
satisfaction hee hath taken apece of land about an acer and halfe 
bonendid North vp on the towne common east vp on the medow 
of John wright South vp on the lands of Jonathan Butterfeild and 
west upon the land of John wright: Recorded by order of the 
Selectt men 21 7 mo 1677 

This is a trew Coppey Samell Adams 

of the Rettorn of the Comity clerk 

[Orig. Records, Book 1656, p. 129.] 

Whether it was Jerathmell Bowers' still which created the 
necessity for paths leading in his direction, we can only conjecture. 

In the transcript of the town records, which was made in 
1742, the word is written stile, but the original record gives it 
plainly "still." 

In 1686 and again in 1688 Jerathmell Bowers was licensed 
to sell "strong waters" by the General Court. 

Capt. Josiah Richardson located upon what is now the road 
leading from Westford to Lowell where, his descendent, the late 
Edward F. Richardson lived. The farm had been continuously 
in the family to the time of the death of the latter*. 

STONY BROOK PATH. 

One of the very early roads at first known as "Stony brook 
path" was what is now Westford road. Upon this road, about 
half a mile from the meeting house, settled John Perham, after 
his marriage in 1664, but at just what time is not known. The 
place has been continuously in the family to the present time. 
The present writer, who now occupies it, is of the seventh genera- 
tion from John. Edward Spalding settled about a mile and a 
half ftuther west, upon the farm of the late Henry R. Hodson. 
This farm and those adjoining it on either side were occupied 
by Spaldings for several generations. To the west of Spalding, 
at what is now the William Martin place, at the foot of Francis 
hill, lived John Stevens and his descendants for five generations. 

♦Family tradition. 



44 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD. 

William Underwood was also in this neighborhood. His daughter 
PrisciUa, and Edward Spalding, Jr., having united their fortunes 
in marriage. 

The road from this neighborhood was early in use, but, if 
recorded, its description is, like those of so many of the old roads 
which were laid out by marked trees, such that it cannot be 
identified. It swung to the left near the present residence of 
Geo. F. Snow, crossing Stony brook at Westford comer, where a 
saw mill was established in 1669. 

STONY BROOK VALLEY. 

A number of families soon pushed out into the Stony Brook 
valley: John Snow, Joseph Butterfield and Joseph Parkhurst 
(probably Joseph, Jr.) and others. The following are the names of 
those who were chosen fence viewers for "Stony brook" from 
1682 to 1700: Samuel Burge, John Spalding, Joshua Fletcher, 
Benj. Spalding, Joseph Spalding, Samuel Cleveland, Samuel 
Underwood and Gershom Proctor. Arthur Crouch planted his 
house upon Tadmuck hill. He was probably the first resident 
upon this beautiful hill now crowned by the charming village of 
Westford. 

Two highways were laid out, one to accommodate the Stony 
brook families and another leading into it from Tadmuck hill 
furnished the first continuous highway from what is now Westford 
Center to the Chelmsford meeting house. They are thus described : 

A hie way Laid out from stony broock houses throw the 
Land of Joseph buterfild and so ouer frances hill by Josaph Keyses 
house bounded by marked trees and ouer flagi mado plaine bounded 
by marked trees and by the East and of henory f orwells house in to 
the Cuntery road the hie way is 3 rod wide all so we laid out 
A hie way from Arthar Crouchis house and by the houses at 
Litell tadnick and by the house of Josaph parkhust and as the 
way is drawn bounded by marked trees untell it Coms to stony 
broock way Commity 

Soloman Keys 
Samuell Fletcher 

This record is not dated but it is recorded in the handwriting 
of Thomas Parker who was town clerk in 1696 and 97. 

The part of the road over Francis hill from No. 2 Schoolhouse, 
in Westford, to the top of the hill is no longer in use. 



THE BEGINNING 45 

Samuel Cleveland's land, granted in 1681, was upon the east 
side of Tadmuck hill, "by the highway to Great Tadnack" with 
liberty to dam and flow the swamp. It is said that there still 
remains evidence of an old dam at that place. 

Samuel Cleveland was a son of Moses Cleaveland of Woburn, 
an ancestor of Ex-President Grover Cleveland. 

GREAT BROOK SETTLERS. 

The meadows upon Great brook early attracted settlements 
in the southerly quarter of the town, in what is now Carlisle. 

The first that we find there were: John Barrett, George 
Robbins, Thomas Cory and Ambrose Swallow. A highway was 
laid out for their accommodation "to mill and meeting-house" in 
1671, described as follows: 

The selectt men vp on Request by George Robines for a 
highway to mill and metting house have Apointed a Cometty 
namly John Blanchard Moses Barron and John fiske to lay out 
the same And they make ther rettorne thatt they have laid out 
the same from the house lott of the f orsaid Robines to And through 
the land of John Brett and so passing Beefore his house in to 
Concord Rode way over great Brooke ; and so by Judgment of the 
Commetty And John Baretts Consent the town gives John barett 
three Acers of land Adioyning to his loott on the south side of his 
land By order of the selectt men* 
31 the 8 mo 1671 Sam Adames 

This neighborhood had increased by 1692 to at least ten 
families, three of which belonged to sons of John Barrett, mentioned 
above. The section from there to South Chelmsford came to 
be known as the "South End." 

DEVELOPMENT OF WEST END. 

In 1719 a highway, which furnished an outlet for other 
families that had settled in the West End, is thus described: 

Chelmsford November the 4th 1719: A High-way Laid out 
which began at the corner of Jacob Warrens by the Highway to 
the great pond Called Hart pond : and from sd Corner as the Path 
now is to Jonathan Minotts from thence as the path now is to 
Thomas Adams's and Pelatiah Adams through there Land; and 
from thence as the path now is by marked trees along to Little 
Tadmuck to the Land of Thomas Adams & Pelatiah Adams & 
through there Land and through the Land of Ephraim Hildreth 

•First Book of Records, p. 106. 



46 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

senr — by marked trees running & facing: and from thence to 
Ebenezer Wrights Land & through sd Wrights Land as the path 
now is: from thence by trees marked Runing & facing to the 
High-way that goes from the meeting hous to Ensign John Snows : 
The afore sd Highway is Three Rods wide* 

By the selectmens order 
Recorded this : 5th Day of November: 1719 \ Jonathan Richardson 
pr. Benj. Adams Town Clerk / Benjamin Adams 

Committee 

The original petition for this road was preserved in the house 
of B. O. Robbins until recently. The house is a very old one and 
it may have formerly been Jacob Warren's house. 

Of those mentioned in this description, Thomas Adams 
lived at the Hayward place. The house is still standing. It 
may have been built by Mr. Adams, who was a carpenter. He 
later removed to Dunstable, selling his place in Chelmsford in 
1726 to Benj. Heywood, cooper, of Billerica. It has since re- 
mained in the Hej^ward name. Timothy Adams lived at what is 
now the John Sheehan place. Ebenezer Wright lived at what is 
now Edwin Heyward's place near Chamberlin's comer in Westford. 
The road terminated on Francis hill at the road which led from 
the Stony brook houses to the center of Chelmsford. 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN. 

The material from which to draw any picture of the life of 
the people of those early times is almost wholly wanting. We 
have neither tradition nor literature written at that period. We 
can simply present such bare facts as are found in public records, 
and the imagination must supply the rest. 

The houses of that period were small and mostly of one story, 
with a living room and kitchen and a loft overhead for sleeping 
rooms, reached by a ladder, or a stairway in front of the big 
chimney. 

The question is often asked. When were the old houses now 
standing built? It is impossible to say. It was not the custom 
then any more than today to inscribe upon a house the date of 
its construction. 

Some of the oldest houses are thought to have been standing 
for two centuries. These are the old gambrel roof house by 
North square; the Emerson house on Dalton street near the road 
to North Chelmsford; the railroad house, so-called, near the 

♦Book A, p. 172. 



THE BEGINNING 47 

depot on Littleton road; the Joseph Warren house and the 
Hazen house on Boston road; the Bowers house in Lowell; and 
the Hayward house and house of B. O. Robbins near South 
Chelmsford. Of the first mentioned, we have only its architectural 
features by which to judge of its age. All of the others have had 
additions and improvements which have changed their original form. 

The meeting house was the social center. The minister 
was the important man, looked up to with great respect. His 
presence was called for at all important public, or family occasions. 

Attendance upon public worship was compulsory. All were 
taxed to support the church, and, when a minister was to be 
settled, he was voted upon in town meeting, the church having 
previously made known its preference. 

SEATING THE MEETING HOUSE. 

The seats in the meeting house were assigned by a committee 
chosen by the town, persons being given preference according to 
their estate, office, or social standing. 

In 1678 the town chose "For a Comite to order the seating 
in metting house Capt thom hinchman, Capt Samell Adams, 
en [sign] Thom Adams william vnderwod, Josiah Richardson" 

It is not probable that the first meeting house contained 
pews, the people being seated on benches. It was repaired in 1702, 
"both wtout Side to keep out rain and snow, & also withinside 
such Inlargement as may be needful & in perticular A long table 
from one allee to another" At a later period persons were 
permitted to build pews at their own expense for themselves and 
families. In 1712, "It Was uoted that Colonall tyng Capt Bowrs 
Capt Barron and Jonathan Richardson shall haue the Liberty 
and Benefit of making Pues in that uacant Roome one the East 
side of the Pulpit in the New meeting hous to the East Window"* 
At a still later period the town received pay for such privilege. 
In 1772, "Voted to sell room, for pew, in meeting house by the 
mens stairs sold to Samuel Perham for ten dollars."! 

PRIVATE ENTRANCES. 

There are votes on record which indicate that such pew- 
holders were sometimes permitted to have a door cut through the 
side of the building, giving them a private entrance to their pews. 

♦Book B, p. 16. 
tBook I, p. 100. 



48 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

For what other purpose could have been the doors ordered 
by the following votes? In 1696, "it is voted yt two men shall 
be ordered to make two dors at ye back side of ye meeting hous" 
and the year following, "it is uoated that thare shall be A doar 
mad out at the noarth sid of ye meeting house and A pillor set 
under ye bame"* 

Before the introduction of bells it was the custom to summon 
the worshipers to meeting with a drum. Among the town charges 
in 1659, one was "for the paiment for A drum to Henry Farwell 
£3-5-0" 

It appears also that sometimes a flag was flung to the breeze 
for that purpose. 

"The 1 Day of June 1676 the selectt men made an Agreement 
with George biam to cleane the metting house putt out Cullers 
[colors] and Attend both saboth and lecttur Daies as formerly 
hee hath don and for the yeare insewing hee is to have 50 shillens 
in come or Cattell to bee paid halfe att the last of Nouembor 
the other halfe att or before the last of June Foloing" 



BELL. 



But these primitive methods were soon superseded by better. 
From 1680 to the present time the sound of the church bell has 
called the people to worship. On the above date "Ther was a 
voatt past that ther shold bee a bell bought for the Towns vse 
and that ther shold be so much land sould out of the Comon as 
will purchas the bell and hange him in the metting house that 
is to say if the towns stock in hand will not doe it then to sell 
landf 

The Commity to sell the lands ar 

Mr John Fisk 

Ser [geant] Richardson 

Soloman Keies" 

The date 1682 was inscribed upon the bell. When the third 
meeting house was built the town voted, in 1793, "to sell the old 
Bell and buy a new one of 700 wt, raising £110 for this purpose." 

The old bell went to Tyngsboro, where it was used on a 
schoolhouse|. 

*[pp. 22.5, 229, First Book, 139, 143 Copy.) 
tFirst Book. p. 157. 
Ullen. pp. 26, 77. 



THE BEGINNING 49 

Several votes remind us of the Dial, the Hour-glass, and the 
Stocks, those ancient instruments, the two former for marking 
time, the latter for the punishment of offenders. In 1698 payment 
was made 

"to John Kyder for tythin mens staues £0-4-6 
to John bates for mending the stoxs £0-1-6 

Samuell Foster for the desency of the meeting house £0-10-0" 

At another time Jona Barrett is paid for "sitting up the 
dial," and Abraham Byham "for bringing the stooks £0-1-0" 

LAND DISTRIBUTION. 

The method which governed the proprietors of the town in 
their land distribution is not described in the records. This 
may have been contained in the first book of proprietors' records, 
which Allen says were burned about 1715, with the house which 
contained them. 

The rule was doubtless the same as in other towns at the 
time. In Billerica the Dudley farm "was divided into twelve 
lots of one hundred and twenty-five acres each and this number 
became the unit of measuring shares through the town. Each 
share was called a ten-acre lot and consisted of one hundred and 
thirteen acres of upland and twelve acres of meadow and carried 
with it the right to 'all town priviledges, after additions and 
divisions of land and meadow.' "* From this it would seem that 
each proprietor's holdings were much larger than appears by 
the records. 

There were four divisions of the common lands. 

As the town controlled the disposal of land and new residents 
were admitted by vote, undesirable persons were prevented from 
gaining a foothold. The laws of the colony were very strict in 
regard to receiving and harboring strangers, it being enacted in 
1637 that "No Town or person shall receive any Stranger Resorting 
hither with intent to Reside in this Jurisdiction, nor shall allow 
any Lot or Habitation to any, or entertain any such above three 
Weeks, except such person shall have allowance under the hand of 
some one Magistrate! 

At first land was granted to approved characters on condition 
that they build and settle on same and pay town charges, but 
land soon came to have a greater value and in 1669 "it was ordered 

♦Hazen's Billerica, p. 31. 
tLawe and Liberties. 



50 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

by the town, that all those, who shall take up accommodations in 
town shall pay for a ten acre lot £2-10-0, and in the same pro- 
portion for any lot greater or smaller."* 

Land continued, however, to be granted free to encourage 
the introduction of useful trades. 

John Lowell was admitted an inhabitant in 1682, if he come 
and settle "and so follow his trade of Tanning" and given the 
privilege of taking bark from the commons. And James Dutton, 
in 1693, was granted three acres to set a house and shop on "in 
order to follow his trade." Thomas Parker, shoemaker, and 
Zachariah Richardson, blacksmith, were given similar grants. 

MILLS ESTABLISHED. 

Nothing more marks the enterprise of the people than the 
mills which were early established upon the various streams. 
The first saw and com mill, which the town so liberally endowed 
in 1656, was followed in 1669 by a second saw mill, upon Saw Mill 
Meadow brook which flows into Stony brook at what is now 
called Westford comer near West Chelmsford. 

"At a Publick meeting the: 3d: Day in September: 1669: 
Thomas Hinchman William Fletcher and Josiah Richardson 
Petitioning for a parcell of Land for there Conveniencies in 
Erecting of a Saw-mill and Carying along the work thereof." The 
grant was made by the town, the conditions being that the 
"Inhabitants thereof shall have there Boards at four shillings 
per Hundred and not exceeding that prise: for any kind of pay 
that the afore sd Inhabitants Can make : at price Currant between 
man and man in this Town: And that any of the Inhabitants of 
Chelmsford Giveing timely notice of there want of Boards to 
any of the owners of the Mill afore said that then they shall be 
suplied for there pay before others. And further it is Granted 
to the afore sd owners of the Mill that they shall have free Liberty 
to take of the Town Common What Timber they see meet for the 
Mill to work on: And to Rattifie the afore sd Grant the Town 
hath Chosen Samuel Foster and John Burge Senr to se to the 
Reccording thereof and that it is done according to former Order. 

Witnes our hands Samuel Foster Senr 
John Btirge Senr" t 

The banks of an old canal are still plainly seen at this point. 

Att a General metting of the towne the 3 day of Febuary 

1673 * * * by a maior voatt was granted to Farther the 

♦Allen, p. 21. 
tBook A, p. 40. 



THE BEGINNING 51 

Iron worke that thye shall haue For 2d a Cord leave to cutt wood 
Acording to Former Agreement* This was doubtless Capt 
Jonas Prescotts mill at the outlet of Forge pond on the Stony- 
brook. 

GROTON MILL. 

"At A Genii Town meeting August the : 24th 1709: it was 
voted that Capt Jonas Prescot of Groton shall have the Common 
Meadow Lying in Chelmsford as it was granted to Thomas 
Chamberlain of Groton for the sum of Twenty five pounds of 
money" t When this grant was recorded the following year, 
the only part of the description now intelligible is "Lying within 
the Town of Chelmsford near to Groton Mill on both sides of 
Stony brook" 

Capt. Prescott's object in obtaining the meadow was, doubt- 
less, for the purpose of obtaining bog ore to be manufactured 
into iron. "Prior to 1730, Jonas Prescott had greatly enlarged 
and improved the works on Stony Brook by erecting forges for 
manufacturing iron from the ore as well as other purposes." J 

Capt. Jonas Prescott and his descendants continued the 
business at Forge Village till 1865, almost 200 years from the 
date of the first action by the town of Chelmsford in aid of the 
enterprise. 

FIRST FULLING MILL. 

The first Fulling mill, for the dressing of the homespun cloth, 
is indicated by a vote of the town Feb. 2, 1691. 
"on the day aboue lef tenant John barett and his sonn Jonathan 
barett propounding for libarty to erect a fuling mill on the mill 
brock it was by uote granted and ther was chosen on the day 
aboue to setell this mater 

captine richarson 
and Joseph farwell se 
and Thomes parker 
commity"§ 

This mill was probably in the present town of Carlisle near 
the road leading to that town from Chelmsford. The two 
Barretts mentioned in the vote lived in that neighborhood at the 
time. 

There are several mill sites on the stream in that section, 
one of which is still in use. 

♦First Book, p. 118. 
tBook A, p. 172. 
iHodgman'a Westford, p. 243. 
§Fir8t Book, p. 188. 



52 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

FIRST MILL AT CENTER OF TOWN. 

The first mill on Beaver brook at the center of the town, 
Allen tells us, was erected in "1678. — John Parker, son of Abra- 
ham, built a saw-mill on Beaver-brook, of which some remains 
are yet to be seen."^ I am unable to find any reference to this 
mill in the town records, but in an ancient deed from Abraham 
Parker, Senr., to his eldest son John, occurs this language: "Also 
whereas the said John Parker of his own estate hath ben at one 
third pt of ye charge in building of a saw milne now standing 
upon his father Abrahams land * * * both ye upper & lowr 
Dam with all the profits and comodityes of ye same According 
to his proportion of interest in ye said mill. * * * Dec 29. 
1679" and from another deed, from the same to son Moses, it is 
plain that the mill was on Beaver brook. 

FIRST GRISTMILL AT NORTH CHELMSFORD. 

Daniel Waldo, who, doubtless, had learned the mill business 
of Samuel Adams, whose daughter Susanna he had married, 
proposed to undertake a mill on his own account, and, in 1695, 
he made an agreement with the town "about Building a com 
mill on Stony brook below the Highway to Dunstable" 

The agreement stipulated that said Waldo was to maintain 
a good mill and miller. "The sd mill to be kept for the Towns 
use Except the fourth Day of each week which is for Dunstable: 
and to grind the Towns Com well and there Mault for half Toal 
Except a small quantity a Bushel or the Like," and the people 
were to be served in turn, and he is not to "Damnific" the highway 
or any man's meadow by flowing. In consideration for which 
"we grant to the sd Waldow the stream of sd Brook: and also 
Twenty five acres of Land on each side of sd Brook provided the 
sd Highway be not Damnified" 

The Dunstable highway here mentioned is the street passing 
through the village of North Chelmsford, now known as Middlesex 
road. The bridge originally crossed the stream lower down than 
the present one. Allen, writing in 1820, says of this mill privilege, 
"This advantageous situation has been constantly occupied by 
a mill under several successive owners. The present proprietor, 
Wm. Adams, Esq., rebuilt the saw mill, 1815, and in 1814, the 
gristmill on an improved plan. It contains three runs of stones, 






THE BEGINNING 53 

each of which is moved by a tub wheel. The wheels are placed 
at different elevations, that the uppermost may be used when 
the water in the Merrimack is at its greatest height, and either 
covers the other wheels or impedes their motion. As the water 
in the river falls to its common level, either or all of the wheels 
may be used at pleasure."* In a note made below, after his 
book was published, he wrote; "1822 These mills with twenty 
acres of land around were sold to Kirk Boott as agent for the 
Merrimack Manufacturing Company for 15 thousand dollars." 
But these mills continued in operation after Kirk Boott 's 
purchase, for the present writer has taken wheat there to be 
converted into flour, I should say, about 1858. 

JOHN Richardson's mill. 

To return again to the earlier period; Daniel Waldo sold, 
in 1700, to John Richardson, who then lived nearby, "one com 
mill also one half of the third part of a Saw Mill Standing on the 
aforesaid Stony Brook near to said com miH"t 

Daniel Waldo removed to Dorchester, and later to Bridg- 
water. 

In 1707, "Jonathan Richardson and John Richardson had 
granted the Liberty of erecting Iron works upon Stony brook 
with Conveniency of flowing provided it Damnific none of the 
Inhabitants,"! and in May, 1709, "It was voted that John Richard- 
son shall have the Liberty of Drawing of the pond Called New- 
fied-pond to suply his mill with Water ; And shall have the benifit 
of sd pond to the high-water mark" 

The attempt of Mr. Richardson to avail himself of the benefit 
of the waters of this pond caused a most remarkable catastrophe. 
As the workmen were digging a channel through the bank of the 
pond the pressure of the water suddenly bturst the weakened 
bank and the water rushing out carried with it a negro who was 
in the ditch at the time and buried him in a mound of sand washed 
by the water to the meadow below. Thus this pond, covering 
100 acres, was aU drawn off with the exception of about an acre 
in the lowest part. This story rests wholly upon tradition. 
Allen relates it (pp. 19, 20) and at the time he wrote, the pond 
still remained dry and its bed "covered with a thrifty growth of 
wood." The writer's father, the late David Perham, has told him 

♦Page 31. 

tRegister of Deeds, Cambridge, Book 20. p. 277. 

tBook A, p. 170. 



54 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of going with his father, when a boy, to haul timber from the 
bed of the pond. Thus it remained for more than a hundred 
years, until Gen. Leech, in 1824, filled up the old breach in its 
banks and it was again filled with water. 

HIGHWAY TO JOHN RICHARDSON's MILL, 

In 1707, the year that John Richardson's iron works were 
established, at the mouth of Stony brook, a road was laid out to 
it, which is thus described: 

"February the: 21: 1707 

A high Way Laid out from Stony Brook to John Richardson 
mill bounded as foloweth begining at the high Way that Leads 
from John Snows to the meting hous this sd way bounded 2 : Roods 
wide by marked trees and so a Long to Dunstable Road near 
Stony Brook bridg."* I think this is the road which starts near 
the house of Patrick Savage, near Dist. No. 7 schoolhouse, passing 
the present house of A. M. Blaisdell and near that of the late 
E. F. Richardson. Mill street in North Chelmsford is probably 
a part of this old road. One object of this road at that time may 
have been to obtain a shorter route to their supply of bog ore, for 
Allen in a note written after his book was published speaks of 
"An ineshaustible bed of bog ore on the farm of Robert Richardson, 
late Mr. Andrew Spalding's." 

Robert Richardson, at that time, lived upon the place now 
occupied by the family of the late Henry R. Hodson, and a narrow 
road runs directly from their premises to the road above described. 

HERDING OF CATTLE AND FENCING IN COMMON. 

In the early days of the Town, before each farm was enclosed 
by fences, the cattle were allowed to range over the common 
lands, under certain restrictions. Each neighborhood had a 
prescribed range for its herd, which must have had a keeper 
to protect the cattle from wild beasts and to prevent them from 
encroaching upon planted fields. The term Field Driver may 
have originated from this custom. The Colony passed laws 
especially protecting the Indians' planting-fields, ordering that 
"the English shall keep their Cattle from destroying the Indians' 
Com." 

Large fields, in one case over two hundred acres, were fenced 
and used in common. 

•Second book, copy p. 72. 



THE BEGINNING 55 

All these communal arrangements served to bring the people 
into closer relations one with another, and furnished a strong 
reason why only such should be admitted as inhabitants of the 
town as would work in harmony with such necessary regulations. 

The vote relating to herding reads, 

"7: 1 : [16] 71 its ordred Concerning herding of Cattell that From 
Cros Bridge to henry Bowtells shall bee one herd 

2 From Cros brige to Moses Barrens shall bee an other herd 

3 From Thommas Barrets to Robertt procters And John backe 
shall bee an other herd 

4 From George Biams to Arthur warrens shall be an other 
heard and that if Any person shall Neglect to put ther Catell 
to the herd they shall pay ther preportion of herding and twelve 
pence a beast over and Above"* 

The first range mentioned in this order was from the center 
of the town to Stedman street, where the line between Chelmsford 
and Lowell crosses that street. 

The second was from the Center to where the road to Concord 
branches from the Boston road. 

The third was from the present residence of Chas. W. Byam, 
on the south side of Robins hill, around the hill towards Geo. 
A. Byam's. 

It is impossible to define the limits of the fourth range because 
we are unable to locate the habitation of Arthur Warren in 1671, 
except that it was in the "West end" probably beyond Geo. A. 
Byam's towards Heart pond. 

A former vote passed in 1667 provided that "such as Live 
remoat shall have Liberty to choose their heards and have Cows 
and working cattell exempted. "f 

The management of the swine seemed to be the cause of a 
good deal of trouble owing to the destructive tendencies of those 
useful animals. 

Hog Reeves were annually chosen whose duties were, as 
described in one entry, "to oversee swine and keep them in order." 
Swine were allowed to run at large but the number that any one 
man was allowed to keep upon the public lands depended upon 
the amount of land which he possessed. In 1683 "it was voated 
that eury inhabitant beeing an house holder shall have librty to 
keep to swine vp on the Common and eury tenne Acer loot the 
propriettors ther of haue liberty to keep Four swine on the Common 
And so eury man Acording to his enlarged loott to keep swine to 

*FirBt book, p. 106. 
tFirst book, p. 173. 



56 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ther priuilege Acording to A boue a tenn A cer lott And hee that 
keeps more swine then Acording to this order on the Common 
shall pay fine shillens evry swine so fownd on the Common as a 
penalty for his trespas"* 

The regulations made to prevent damage by a too free use 
of piggy's snout must have been very annoying to that humble 
creature. 

In 1681, "ordered that all Swine Aboue three moth old shall 
bee soffitiently Ringed in the midell of the Nose Constantly and 
Youcked From the tenth day of Aprill ontill the Twentith day 
of octobor: soffitiently on penality of sixe pence a swine for 
wante of either youck or Ringe and twellue pence a Swine for 
wante of boath and this penality to bee paid to the officer 
Appointed or to Any other on the empownding of such swine 
with all other damages For empownding or leagall Conuiction 
of the owners of the swine." f 

And these regulations were enforced. On account of trespass 
done by Abraham Parker's eight swine, they were impounded 
"Fouer times in the same year" 

Owners of horses or cattle that do damage to meadows must 
pay such sum as may be appraised. 

In order that the breed of horses might not deteriorate, 
stallions must be approved by the selectmen. 

"28 the 12 mo 1670 mr John Fiske pastor presenting a sorell 
stone horse with a white face which for said horse the selectt men 
Do Aprove of to Answer the law wittnes in the Name of the 
selectt men 

Sam Adames 

cleT"t 

Henry Bowtell's white stone horse was also approved the 
same year. 

With cattle, sheep and swine running at large, fences required 
much supervision. Sometimes as many as eight fence viewers 
were chosen. 

The selectmen ordered, 1677, that all fences should be made 
"sofitient Against great cattell." 

Such fences would not be a protection against sheep, and 
in 1681 it was ordered "that No Sheepe shall goe vp on the 
Common of this towne with out a Kepper" [Keeper]. 

♦First book, p. 175. 
tFirst book, p. 168. 
jFiret book, p. 103. 



THE BEGINNING 57 

Wild beasts, particularly wolves, caused such destruction 
to the flocks and danger to the people that a bounty of ten 
shillings was paid for each wolf killed. 

In 1692 the town paid for seventeen. 

The largest number taken by one person was by Moses 
Parker, "seven wolfs." 

In 1690 the town set apart a large tract of land in the north 
part of the town, extending from the Merrimack river westward 
to Groton, and in width from Deep brook to the Dunstable line 
(now Tyngsboro), "for to kepe a dri herd of chattells [cattle] and 
Shep"* 

SHEEP PASTURE — ROBINS HILL. 

In 1697 it was proposed to use Robins hill for a common 
sheep pasture. Three men, 

"Cap bowers Ephrem hildreth and samuell foster are Chosen a 
commity to draw up Artickels in order to the keping a flock of 
shep in a publick way upon Robins hill — and prasent them to 
the town the next town meeting"! 

NEWFIELD. 

A common field was laid out much earlier than those last 
mentioned, upon the Merrimack interval, north of Stony brook. 
It consisted of 214 acres, in lots of six acres each. It was owned 
by 22 proprietors, some of whom owned several lots. The largest 
owner was Benjamin Butterfield, who held seven lots, 42 acres. 

The field was enclosed by a fence, and, doubtless, used in 
common, by these owners, for pasturage. It was called Newfield, 
and that name came to be applied to all that part of the town 
now North Chelmsford. In 1667 a committee consisting of 
Lieut. Foster, Daniel Blodgett, and Jacob Parker were appointed 
by the Selectmen "to state to euery propriator in the New field 
there proportions of fence." The committee reported: "Acres 
of Land: 214: Length of fence : 555. due to A Lott of : 6 : Acres : 
2 pole &: 10 foot of fence" | In 1659 a committee was appointed 
"to state the fence one the other parts of the said feild & they 
did find 2 pole and 6 foote to euery Acre Lying in the same order 
that the other doth * * *" 

*First book, p. 184. 
tFirst book, p. 233. 
JFirst book, p. 110. 



68 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

MILLSTONES. 

Some of the Town's action, calculated to restrain individual 
enterprise, would, at first view, appear to be prompted by a narrow 
spirit, thus: 

"Millestones [in margin] 26 March 1678 the selectt men orderd as 
Foloeth For the good of the towne thatt if Any person what so 
euer shall take to worke or worke vp Any stone for a mill bee it 
for Corne or sider or Any other mill and make [s]all of the same 
stone or stones to Any other person then of this towne such person 
so selling shall pay to the vse of the towne the simi of twenty 
shillens a stone in money For euery stone so sould out of the 
town and no stone or stones as Aboue is to bee transported out 
of this township vntill this order bee satiffied datted the 26 March 
1678 by order of the selecttmen: by Samell Adames" 

Gierke* 

And in 1689 it was "agred that no bordse or timber sho[u]ld 
be sovld ovte of this tovne comon land vpon penalltie of painge 
one shiling for evj hvndred of bord"t The common lands being 
held for the benefit of the community in general, nothing must 
be taken from them, for private profit, which would impair their 
value. Millstone hill is situated in the extreme northwest corner 
of the present town of Westford. 

As timber came to have a money value, upon the stump, it 
was voted, 1698, "that the owners of all saw mills in our towne 
except the first that improue the Towns Timber into bords shall 
pay two shilings a thousand in corn for the use of the Towne" 



LAW AFFECTING TAVERNERS. 

Our forefathers had their temperance problems no less than 
we of the present day. The Colony passed laws forbidding tippling 
at inns, and fines were prescribed for drunkenness, and, lest the 
attractions of the tavern might cause some to neglect their religious 
duties. It was ordered "That in all places where Week-day Lectures 
are kept, all Taverners, Victuallers and Ordinaries, that are 
within one mile of the Meeting-house to which they belong, shall 
from time to time clear their Houses of all persons able to go to 
Meeting, during the time of the exercise" J * * ♦ 

♦First book, p. 146. 
tFiret book, p. 185. 
iLaws and Liberties, p. 83. 



THE BEGINNING 59 

It is to be feared that this provision fell into disuse, for it 
appears, from the diary of Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, at a later period, 
that at one time he discontinued the weekly lecture, on account 
of the bad conduct of those who went to the tavern upon lecture 
days. 

"lICKERS" to INDIANS. 

The people in the early days consumed much rum and strong 
beer, but they soon discovered that such drinks were bad for 
Indians and sale to them was prohibited. One case of the en- 
forcement of that law appears upon our town records (First 
Book, p. 150). 

"the 24 day of march 1678-9 Abraham Parker senior with his 
tew sonnes moses an Isack weare Acused for seling of strong 
lickers to seuerall endians Contrary to the law established thay 
doe each of them frely Acknolege ther Faulte ther in And doe 
heare by bind them selues severaly vnto the selectt men of Chelms- 
ford neuer hear after to sell Any more stronge lickers to Any 
Indians" 

The oldest tax list that has been preserved is that of 1671. 
It contains sixty-two names, the minister not being included. 
This shows that in the first sixteen years after the incorporation 
of the Town the number of families had increased three fold. The 
record seems of sufficient interest to be given in full 

30th 3 mo 1671 The Selectt men of Chelmsford madde this Rate 
as Foloeth for the payment of the Townes Ingagement to the 
m'nester 

Thomas Adames 

Thomas Chamberlin sen 

Thomas Chamberlin jun 

Beniamin Spaulding 

Joseph Spaulding 

Joshuah Flecher 

George Biam 

John perham 

En will Flecher 

John Battes 

John Coborn 

Robert Coborn 

Edward Coborn 

Thomas Coborn 

Edward Coborn sen 

John Wright 

James Richenson 



2 


14 





1 


13 








19 


— 





19 


8 





18 








13 


4 


1 


11 





1 


01 


8 


3 


1 








16 








14 








16 








15 


4 





12 


9 


1 


18 


9 


1 


05 





1 


05 






/ 



60 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

John Sheply Jun 12 8 

Beniamin Buterfeild 2 05 4 

Jonathan Buterfeild 1 05 

DanieU Bloggett 1 10 2 

Nathaniell Buterfeild 19 4 

Robertt Procttor 2 09 10 

John Barrett 1 19 8 

George Robines 13 

Edmond Chamberlin 13 

Thomas Corry 12 

JohnBauke 14 6 

Johnwadell 17 6 

John Sheply sen 14 6 

John Blanchard 1 10 4 

will vnderwood 1 07 4 

Edward Spaulding 16 

Richard hildreth 1 16 2 

Sarah parker 1 05 8 

Samuell varnum 1 16 

Joseph Barrett 1 10 4 

Abraham parker 2 15 4 

Jacob warren 09 

Left Samuell Foster 2 12 2 

william woodhead 07 

Andrew Spaulding 13 4 

Jerathmell Bowers 07 [ ] 

Thomas Copper 06 4 

mr Thom Hinchman 2 16 4 

Joseph perkis 17 8 

Joseph Farwell 1 09 8 

John Stevens 12 4 

John parker 09 4 

John Spaulding 19 4 

JohnBurge 1 14 10 

AmbrosSwalow 10 4 

Francis Goold 13 

James hildreth 1 09 

mr Cornclios walldow 3 03 4 

Samuell Fletcher 1 01 8 

Henry Bowtell 1 01 8 

Moses Barron 17 10 

MrJohnFiskeJun 1 04 

Josiah Richenson 1 19 4 

Thomas Barrett 1 00 2 

Samuell Adames 1 12 5 

Solomon Keies 1 01 8 

To so much ped over by the last yers Ratt 15 

Totallis 80 01 ' 3 



THE BEGINNING 61 

At the time of Mr. Fiske's settlement as pastor he was 
promised, as we have seen, fifty pounds for the first year and 
"to pay his maintinence as the Lord shall enable us for the 
future." The above amount, eighty pounds, shows that the 
Lord had enabled them to make a very substantial increase in 
their minister's salary. 

In the tax list of the following year, 1672, there appears 
against nearly one-half the names an enumeration of the stock and 
real estate assessed. About an average estate is that of George 
Byam "2 heads 2 mares 4 Cowes 2 of 2 yer old 8 sheepe 1 swine 
8 Acres land bowsing." The land was probably only that which 
had been improved and "bowsing" included all the buildings. 

CARE OF POOR. 

But little appears upon the records to show what provision 
was made for the support of the poor. John Martin at the 
"South end" applied to the General Court for assistance, receiving 
the reply that the "Court declares yt ye releife of poore persons 
concemes the toune to wch they doe belong * * * " 

They preferred to relieve the wants of the needy by individual 
contributions rather than levy a tax for the purpose. In 1696-7 
"the inhabitance are not wiling to grant mony to releue the por to 
be raised by way of reat but promis to do it by a Contrybution--" 

Later the destitute were cared for in families at the expense 
of the town, but not until 1820 did the town purchase a farm 
and house for the support of the poor. 

CLUBS IN MEETING HOUSE. 

In 1671 we find the first intimation of danger from the Indians, 
with whom the people had thus far been at peace. Evidently, 
the Indians were manifesting symptoms of uneasiness at the 
growing strength of their white neighbors, whom they attempted 
to destroy in the conflict which broke with such fury upon the 
colonies four years later in King Philip's war. 

The men were ordered to bring clubs with them to the meeting 
house. The record reads: 

25 the 5th mo 1671 It is ordred by the Selectt men For severall 
Considerations espetialy For the preseruation of peace That with 
in one moneth After the Date hear of euery malle person 



62 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

with in our towne Above the Age of Fiueten years shall prouid 
a good Clube of Fouer or Fiue Foot in Hngth with a knobe in the 
end and to bringe the same to the meeting house ther to leaue 
the same vntill ocation fore use of it. 

sicmed the Name of the Rest By- 
Sam Adames 

clerke* 

town's house on robins hill. 

Two years later, the Town built a house upon Robins hill, 
the purpose of which is not clear. It was neither sufficiently 
large nor substantial for a garrison house, being of one room, 
16 X 18, covered with but a single thickness of boards, and with 
but one window. The fact that Indian troubles were brewing, 
and that the committee appointed to select its location, Lieut. 
Samuel Foster and Ensign William Fletcher, were both officers 
in the "foot company," would indicate that it was intended to 
serv^e some military purpose. The place was admirably adapted 
for a lookout from which to discover and warn people of approach- 
ing danger. 

stockade — signalling. 

Several years before, the friendly Wamesits had built a 
stockade upon Fort hill, now Rogers park, in Lowell, to protect 
themselves from their dreaded foes, the Mohawks. There was 
a tradition, related to me many years ago by an old man, that 
these Indians signalled across from Fort hill to high points in 
Chelmsford. 

ROBINS hill house. 

The following is the wording of the contract for the house 
upon Robins hill: 

7 of octtobor 1673 Att a general metting Acording tv the towne 

order thes Foloing * * * 

Articls of agreement made the seventh Day of October on thousand 

sixe hundreth seventy and three bettwine the inhabitants of 

Chelmsford and Joseph barrett of the same place 

1 The said Joseph barrett Doth promis and Ingage to buld a 
house of eighten Foott longe and sixten foott wid and eight 
Foott stud and to Do all the worke belonging to the same 
From the stump to the finishing of the same and to Find 

♦First book, p. 108. 



THE BEGINNING 63 

bords For the hole house and lay the Flowers and Dobell 
bord the Roofe and bord the sids and ends and to make the 
Chemly and Dore and window and to Find stones and Clay 
and to Finish the said house att or beefore the last Day of 
March Next insewing the Date above 
2 The inhabitants of Chelmsford Do promise and hearby ingage 
to pay vnto the Forsaid barett in full satiffacttion for the 
house Aforsaid the Just sum of twelve pownds in towne pay 
that is such as the towne Can produce and to pay the same 
twelve powds att or beefore the tenth Day of octtobor in the 
yeare onthousand sixe hundreth seventy and Foure as wittnes 
in the behalfe of the towne the Date above 
AUso it was agreed vpon that the towne Sam Adames 

shold Find Naills for the whole house Clerke* 

Upon the same date "It was voated that all male persons 
From the Age of Twelve years to sixtey shall every one worke 
one Day in the yeare For the Clearing of Robins hill" the selectmen 
to "Apoint a man to lead on the worke either ther or else whear" 

JOSEPH BARRETT. 

Joseph Barrett had a double motive for doing faithful work 
when he built the house for the town, for, when completed, it 
was promptly occupied by Francis Gould, whose daughter, Martha, 
the builder had married the year before. 

GOOLE. 

Goold, or Gould, signed an agreement with the selectmen, 
stating that "I have taken to hier the house and land that I now 
live in of the selecttmen of the towne For which house and land 
I Do couenatt with thm to pay yearly the simi of one peck of 
endian Corn For the towns use as wittnes my hand this last 
tuseday in Desembor 1 673 " Francis Goold 

his mark 

Gould and his wife. Rose, had a family of five small children, 
and others older, to occupy this one room cottage, which had but 
a single thickness of boarding to protect its inmates from the 
blasts of winter. Francis and Rose Gould have many descendants 
living today, one of whom is Hon. Samuel L. Powers. 

The fact that only a nominal rent was required, sufficient 
only to acknowledge the Town's ownership in the property, plainly 

*Fir8tbook, p. 116. 



64 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

implies that the occupant was to render to the Town some service 
as an equivalent for the use of the property, or else that the 
family were in circumstances requiring aid from the Town. 

The most reasonable supposition is that he was to maintain 
a lookout and warn the inhabitants in case of any discovered 
peril. 

GALUSHA. 

Gould remained in the house until his death, March 27, 1676. 
In October, following, his daughter, Hannah, married Daniel 
Galusha, a Dutchman, who paid the Town the peck of corn due 
for rent and leased the house and seven acres of land for the term 
of seven years for which he was to pay as an acknowledgment of 
his grant from the Town "say one peck and halfe of Come yerly" 
The one condition stated in the contract was "that he distorbe 
not his mother Gools peaceabl living in the house"* 

Galusha remained in the house three years when, his mother- 
in-law, Gould, having died, his request to leave the house was 
granted. Later he removed to Dunstable, where the family had a 
sad experience. At the assault upon that town, by the Indians, 
on the night of July 3, 1706, his house, upon Salmon river, was 
attacked and burned. Galusha escaped and one of the women 
of the household fled from the flames and saved herself from the 
savages by hiding in the underbrush, but his daughter, Rachel, f 
was killed. 

INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS. 

Difhcult as were the conditions of existence in this new 
settlement the people maintained a lively interest in public affairs. 

After the accession of King Charles II, when his displeasure 
was manifested toward the Colony and the Charter was felt to 
be in danger, Chelmsford was among the towns which sent petitions 
to the General Court, declaring their satisfaction in the present 
government, and expressing their earnest desire that the same 
might be continued. 

MIGRATION. 

About 1690, and for several years after, there was quite a 
migration of families to Connecticut to found the new town of 

♦First book, p. 131. 

1Born at Chelmsford. Sept. 14, 1683. 



THE BEGINNING 65 

Canterbury. They were Capt. Joseph, Samuel, David and 
David Adams, Samuel and Josiah Cleveland, Jacob Warren, 
Joseph, William and Edward Spaulding, Eleazer Brown and 
probably others. Some of these became prominent in the affairs 
of that town. Jacob Warren, Joseph Spaulding and Saml. Adams 
were chosen on the first board of Selectmen, and Eleazer Brown 
was Deacon of the ch\irch. 

DEATH OF MR. FISKE. 

After twenty years of faithful service the aged pastor. Rev. 
John Fiske, became physically unable to carry the burdens of 
his labors alone, and the town took measures to procure him an 
assistant in the ministry. The following is the wording of the 
record : 

The 13 Day of the 10 mo 1675 att a Genorall metting of 
inhabitants of Chelmsford was voated as Foloeth 
lly in Consideration of mr Fisks Age and infermitis Acompaning 
the same ther is ned of sum hilpe to Joine with mr Fiske in 
the woorke of the minestry 
21y that besids the eighty pownds Formerly grauntid yerly to 
the minestry ther shall be Fourty pownds more Raised — 
yearly For the obtaining of mr Clarke to bee a help in the 
worke Aforsaid if hee may bee Attained 

Recorded by order 
of the selecttmen the 28 10 1675 

Sam Adams 
clerk* 

Mr. Fiske now rapidly declined in health, although he con- 
tinued his labors notwithstanding his weakness. 
"On the second Lord's day of his confinement by illness, after he 
had been many Lord's days carried to church in a chair, and 
preached as in primative times sitting * * * on January 
14, 1676-7 he saw a rest from his labors." 

Mr. Fiske's will is dated June 18, 1674. It is a lengthy 
docimient written by himself in an excellent hand. His library 
was appraised at £60, and the entire estate at £703-3-10, including 
154 acres of land, 1 pair oxen, 4 cows, 1 mare, 12 sheep, carpet, 
7 quishions and 4 silver spoons. 

His gift, or legacy, of a silver communion cup to the church 
has been in use to the present time. The cup was made by John 
Dixwell, Jr., son of the regicide Judge of that name. He was 
a goldsmith at Boston. On the bottom of the cup is stamped 

♦Firet book, p. 129. 



66 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the maker's mark, a fleur-de-lis, and his initials, I. D., and sur- 
rounding it the letters, I. F. L. C. C. — John Fiske's Legacy, 
Chelmsford Church. 

He is buried in "Forefather's" cemetery, but the exact spot 
is not known, as there are no inscriptions of so early a date. 

A memorial cenotaph has been recently erected in the cemetery 
by the Fiske family of Chelmsford, to commemorate the life and 
virtues of the First Pastor of the Chelmsford Chiirch, the Rev. 
John Fiske. 

SETTLEMENT OF REV. THOS. CLARKE. 

Rev. Thomas Clark, who had been Mr. Fiske's assistant, 
was now, upon the death of the latter, called to the pastorate, 
^nd, as a settlement in the ministry was, in those days, expected 
to continue during the pastor's life, the relation was entered into 
with great deliberation and a thorough understanding between 
pastor and people, as the following, from the records, will show: 

Articls of Agreement bettwine mr Thomas Clerke And the 
inhabitants of Chelmsford in order to mr Clarks settellment in 
the ministry for time to Com in Chelmsford are as Foloeth 

1 Firstly it is Agred beetwine both parties that the inhabitants 
of Chelmsford do pay yearly to the said Clarke the Just and 
full sum of eightey pownds in maner as Foloeth Twenty 
pounds in Ciu-ent mony and sixtey pounds in provision viz 
fortey-pownds in Corn of all sortes as God giues and the other 
twenty pownd in porke Beefe and other flish beefe not exseding 

. tow pence halfe peny p pownd more over its allso Agred that 
the towne shall soply mr Clerk with wood sofitient for his 
family use yearly which is by Agreement thirty cord yearly 

2 Secondly it is allso Agreed that the said towne shall pay sixty 
pownds in mony towards the parchas of Corsers land lying 
in Chelmsford and that thay build an house vp on the said 
land which house shall bee forty foott in length twenty in 
bredth fiveten in stud and a kiching Adioyning of sixten foot 
square tenne foott stud prouided that the said Clark shall 
pay on Quarter partt of what this bulding shall Cost 

3 Thirdly it is Agred that the said towne make an Adition to 
the salary Above stated if he stand in nede and the towne bee 
Abell ther to 

4 Fourthly that the selectt men shall stand ingaged yearly to 
the performance of the Aboue Agreements by making a Rate 
and proporsining the Inhabitants his partt of the Forsaid 
sum and leuey the same. 

5 Fifthly its Agred that his yearly salary shall bee paid with 
in the yeare 



THE BEGINNING 67 

Finaly it is Agred that if the said mr Clarke do growndlisly 
remov[e] and leave the worke of his ministry in Chelmsford 
then the said land and house as Above shall rettorne into the 
hands of the towne of Chelmsford thay paying to mr Gierke what 
hee hath expendid towards the parches and bulding and bettring 
the Acomendatione And For A confirmation of this Agrement 
As above this fifth day of the Twelfth mont[h] one thousand sixe 
hundreth seventy and seuen wee have sett to our hands 

Thomas Clarke: 
Samell Adams Clerk 
in the Name of the 
Inhabitants* 

This house which the town provided for Mr. Clarke was 
certainly of ample proportions, being 40 x 20, two stories in height, 
with an ell 16 feet square for a kitchen. 

There is good reason to believe that the house was the parson- 
age later occupied by his successors in the ministry. Rev. Samson 
Stoddard, and Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, and, if so, it is still standing. 
It stood upon the site of the present passenger depot, and was 
removed to its present location upon Littleton road, when the 
railroad was put through the village in 1872. It is now known 
as the railroad house. The house has been enlarged by the 
addition of a wing facing upon Littleton road. The old part 
facing east corresponds in width and height to the house built 
for Mr. Clarke, although now somewhat longer. When the 
house was remodelled about twenty years ago, the walls of one 
room were found lined up with plank. 

In the "Settlemt of the Garrison in the Wt Regiment of 
Middx. March, 1691/2" five families were assigned to Mr. Thomas 
Clarke's house, besides his own. The meaning of this is that these 
families were to resort to his house for safety, in case of an Indian 
attack. 

This fact explains the object of the plank lining found in 
the walls of this old house, and supports the belief that is it the 
identical house built by the town for Mr. Clarke two hundred 
and twenty-seven years ago. [This was written in 1904.] 

Mr. Clarke acknowledges over his own signature that "the 
purchas of Corsers land and bulding a house on the same is 
fully performed by the inhabitants" * * * 27th 11 mo 1679 

Rev. Thomas Clarke was born in Cambridge, March 2, 1652-3. 
His father was the Ruling Elder of the church, Jonas Clarke. He 
graduated from Harvard University in 1670. 

♦First book, p. 144. 



68 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

He served, probably as chaplain, in the Narragansett cam- 
paign, in King Philip's war, as the following record of his services 
show: 

October 17, 1676 "Mr Thomas Clarke, minister, being 
seven weekes in the aimy at Narraganset, & officiating at the 
request of the comander in chiefe during that time, the Court 
judgeth it meete to grant him sixe pounds money to be payd by 
the trestirer."* 

There is very little material from which to form an estimation 
of Mr. Clarke's character. Mr. Allen, writing more than eighty 
years ago, could find "neither chiu-ch records, manuscript sermons," 
nor "cotemporary notices" relating to him. 

It appears from the town records that he made few requests 
of the Town, and these in every case were granted, the most of 
them unanimously. 

He soon concluded that, rather than take three-quarters of 
his salary in grain, "porke beefe and other flesh" he would prefer 
to try a smaller salary to be paid in money, and, accordingly, 
in 1679, the selectmen made another agreement with him, that, 
for the next three years, he was to be paid yearly seventy pounds 
"in spesy" [specie]. 

By some means he became indebted to the town the same 
year for the sum of seven pounds and ten shillings, which he 
acknowledges upon the Town book (p. 150). 

At the end of two years from the date of the above arrange- 
ment, they returned again to the original agreement of 80 pounds 
in money and provisions, and, at the same time, "7 the 12 mo 
1681" Mr. Clarke's debt was "by a vnanimus voat of the towne 
* * * Freely Forgiuen him" * * * 

With such a great scarcity of ready money as existed at that 
time, it must have been very difficult for the town to pay their 
minister wholly in specie. 

It seems that the minister did not find 30 cords of wood 
enough to keep his house warm, and the Town voted "30 of octobor 
1683 * * * Mr Thomas Clerke shall have Forty Cord of 
wood alowed him by the towne yearly" 

The Town also granted him 10 acres of land near Beaver 
brook "22: 11: 1680" 

In 1688 Mr. Clarke asked of the Town an increase in his 
salary, which was granted unanimously, as appears by the following 
vote. 

•Sibley's Han*ard Graduates, Vol. 2. p. 322. 



THE BEGINNING 69 

This seuenth day of Febuary 1687-8 mr Thomas Gierke 
requesting of the inhabitants that his yearly salary may be 
inlarged to which the Inhabitants doe Answer and Agree vnaimosly 
that mr Clark shall have paid him yearly on hundreth pownd that 
is twenty pownds in Ctirrent mony and eightey pownds in Come 
of all sortes at the price as it goeth From man to man in the towne 
not respectting the Country and this to bee paid the one halfe 
of mony and Come eury halfe year which is in full satiffacttion 
of the former Agrementt for mony Come Flesh and wood to 
which mr Thomas Clarke doth Asent to And Acsept of as wittnes 
my hand the day Above in the behalfe of both parties 

Samell Adams* 
clerk 

From these transactions, showing that every request made by 
Mr. Clarke was cheerfully granted, it is manifest that harmonious 
relations existed between the pastor and his people, and that he 
was held by them in affectionate regard. 



WITCHCRAFT. 



The witchcraft delusion occurred during Mr. Clarke's ministry 
and there was one suspected case at Chehnsford. The good 
sense displayed by Mr. Clarke in handling the matter shows 
him to have been free from that fanaticism which had seized upon 
the minds of the people at Salem with such disastrous consequences. 
The circumstances of the case are related in Mather's Magnaliaif 

"There was at Chelmsford an afflicted person, that in her fits 
cried out against a woman, a neighbor, which Mr. Clark, the 
minister of the Gospel there, could not believe to be guilty of such 
a crime, and it hapned while that woman milked her cow, the cow 
struck her with one horn upon her forehead and fetched blood; 
and while she was thus bleeding a spectre in her likeness appeared 
to the party afflicted; who, pointing at the spectre, one struck 
at the plase, and the afflicted said, 'you have made her forehead 
bleed;' hereupon some went unto the woman and found her 
forehead bloody and acquainted Mr. Clarke of it; who fortunate 
went to the woman and asked, 'how her forehead became bloody?' 

♦First book, p. 183. 
tVol. 2, p. 478. 



70 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

and she answered, 'by a blow of a cow-horn,' as abovesaid ; whereby 
he was satisfied, that it was design of Satan to render an innocent 
person suspected." 

The diary of Chief Justice Samuel Sewall, of Boston, mentions 
a visit to Chelmsford, in 1702, when he enjoys the hospitality 
of Mr. Clarke, but, unfortunately for us, he does not record his 
impressions of the man. He says: 

"Monday Octr 26. 1702 * * * Went to Chehnsford, by 
that time got there twas almost dark. Saw Capt Bowers and his 
Company; Gave a Volley and Huzza's. Supid at Mr. Clark's; 
I and Col. Pierce in his study."* 

We find one allusion to Mr. Clarke in the records of the 
Brattle Street church, Boston, which reveals his character in a 
very favorable light. It was at the time when that house of 
worship was new, and the church was having serious differences 
and troubles with their neighbors, (ministers and others) about 
their proceedings. The clerk "records in the Church Book an 
Acknowlegment of their great Obligations to * * '^ the Rev 
Mr. Clark of Chelmsford," and others, "for their good and kind 
Endeavours for their peaceable Settlement."! 

Mrs. Mary Clarke, the wife of the minister, died Dec. 2, 1700. 
He again married, Oct. 2, 1702, Miss EHzabeth Whiting, the 
daughter of Rev. Samuel Whiting of Billerica,t who survived 
him many years. 

Mr. Clarke's death occurred Dec. 4, 1704. The following 
brief account of it is found in Judge Sewall's diary, p. 118. 

Deer. 7th. Mr. Clark of Chelmsford dies of a fever; was taken very 
suddenly the Friday before, after he had been at a Funeral: 
buried the 11th. 

The Fairfield manuscript journal contains the following 
appreciative notice of him. "A great loss to all our towns, and 
especially to the frontier towns on that side of the country, who 
are greatly weakened with the loss of such a worthy man"§ 

Something may be judged of a man by his descendants. 
Those of Mr. Clarke have been people of intelligence and force of 
character. The most distinguished among them was his great 
grandson, the patriot Governor, John Hancock. 

*Sewal! Papers, Vol. 2, p. 67. 

tSibley'a Harvard Graduates, Vol. 2, p. 322. 

JAllen. 

IMass. H. C, Vol. 9. p. 195. 



THE BEGINNING 71 

The epitaph upon Mr. Clarke's grave stone, in Forefathers' 
cemetery, is in Latin : 

MEMENTO FUGIT 

MORI HORA 

Huic pulveri Mandatag sunt 
Reliquiae Revdi Dom Thoas Clark 
Gregis Christi Chelmsf : 
Pastoris Eximij, qui fide & 
spe Beatae Resurrectionis amima 
in sinum Jesfi Expiravit Die 

o 

VII Decembr, Anno Dom 
MDCCIV & i^tatis suae LIL* 

The following receipt shows the cost of the monument : 

"Chelmsford 17th Nov. 1708 
"Recievd of Mr. William Fletcher the sum of fifty shillings in 
money to be bestowed for a monument over the grave of the Rev. 
Mr. Thomas Clark late of Chelmsford deceased: it being the 
donations of sundry persons in Chelmsford for that use. I say 
received by me. 

"John Hancock." 

The signer of this receipt was Mr. Clarke's son-in-law, Rev. 
John Hancock, of North Cambridge, now Lexington, and the 
grandfather of the Governor. 



♦Here to the dust are committed the remains of the Reverend Master Thomas Clark, the 
distinguished pastor of the flock of Christ in Chelmsford, who, in the faith and hope of a 
blessed resurrection, breathed forth his soul into the bosom of Jesus the 7th of December, 
in the year of the Lord 1704, and the 52nd of his age. [W.] 



CHAPTER II. 
EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS. 

EARLY GRANTS. 

THE Charter of Massachusetts Bay, given by King Charles I, 
in 1629, granted "all that part of America lying and being in 
breadth from forty degrees of northerly latitude from the Equin- 
oxial line to forty-eight degrees of the said northerly latitude 
inclusively, and in length of and within all the breadth aforesaid 
throughout the main lands from sea to sea." 

The maps of the previous century gave the extent of the 
Continent northward as much less than it is in reality, and some 
people in England as late as 1651 believed that the Pacific Coast 
was at the foot of the western slope of the Alleghanies. [Narr. 
and Crit. Hist, of America, Vol. II. p. 456.] The Charter 
continues: 

"All that part of New England in America aforesaid, which 
lies and extends between a great river there, commonly called 
Monomack, alias Merriemack, and a certain other river there, 
called Charles river, being in the bottom of a certain bay there, 
commonly called Massachusetts. * * * And also all * * * 
those lands lying within the space of three English miles on the 
south part of the said part of the said Charles river * * * 
and also all * * * the lands lying * * * within the 
space of three English miles to the southward of the southermost 
part of the said bay * * * and also all those lands * * * 
which lie * * * within the space of three English miles to 
the northward of the said river called Monomack, alias Merrymack, 
or to the northward of any and every part thereof, and all lands 
and hereditaments whatsoever, lying within the limits aforesaid, 
north and south in latitude and breadth, and in length and longi- 
tude of and within all the breadth aforesaid, throughout the 
mainland there, from the Atlantic and western sea and ocean 
on the east part to the south sea on the west part." 



EARLY GRANTS—THE INDIANS 73 

De Monts, Champlain and Capt. John Smith are all three 
claimants to the title of discoverer of the Merrimack. De Monts 
named it for himself, but the name did not obtain acceptance. 
Champlain called it "la riviere du Gua," after one of his associates. 
Captain John Smith, who explored this locality in 1614, named 
the Charles for his King, and allowed the Merrimack to retain 
its Indian name. Cowley says: "Like all the great rivers on 
the Atlantic coast, the Merrimack pursues a southerly course, 
but after following this course from Franklin (N. H.) to Tyngs- 
borough, a distance of eighty miles, the Merrimack, unlike any 
other stream on the Atlantic, makes a detour to the northeast, 
and even runs part of the way northwest. It is obviously 
unnatural, that, after approaching within twenty miles of the 
head waters of the Saugus, as the Merrimack does, on entering 
Massachusetts, it should suddenly change its course, and pursue 
a circuitous route of more than forty miles to the sea. If the 
history of bygone ages could be restored, we should probably 
find the Merrimack discharging its burden at Lynn, and not at 
Newburyport." 

Samuel Maverick, in his "Description of New England" 
(1660), says: "Above Twelve miles above Watter Town is an 
In-land Towne called Concord. It lieth on the River Meromack 
I conceive about 20 miles above the first falls but good passing 
on it there in small Boats from place to place. They subsist 
in Husbandry and breeding of Catle." 

This was, undoubtedly, written with no knowledge of the 
grants first to Cambridge and then to Chelmsford settlers and 
others, after Maverick had removed, but makes Concord to include 
the land thus granted, even to the Merrimack. 

Maverick describes Wobum: "Power or five miles above 
Mouldon [Maiden] West is a more considerable town called 
Woobume, they live by ffumishing the Sea Townes with Provisions 
as Come and Plesh, and also they ffumish the Merchants with 
such goods to be exported." 

Of Wenham he says: "Six Miles from this Towne [Ipswich] 
lyeth a Town Called Wenham seated about a great Lake or Pond 
which abounds with all manner of ffresh ffish, and such Comodities 
as other places have it affordeth." 

Wobum and Wenham and Concord helped to settle Chelms- 
ford. 



74 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

May 13, 1640, the General Court granted to Mrs. Margaret 
Winthrop, widow of the late Governor John Winthrop, three thou- 
sand acres of land, and the next year this was assigned about the 
lower end of Concord river, near Merrimack. This was east of the 
Concord and south of the Merrimack. Thirty acres of meadow 
were granted on the west side of the Concord, to compensate for 
poor land on the east side. In 1642 the report of those appointed 
to view it was that it was generally ordinary land, not of the 
best: "neither did wee see any medowe worth the mentioning 
there about, except a parcell on the west side of Concord Ryver 
which wee conceive may bee some 30 acres," which (as there were 
some Indians holding land within the large grant, and there being 
"no medow of any worth there") was also granted her. This 
was in Wamesit, and is mentioned in Tyng's deed of 1686, as 
excluded from the Wamesit purchase. In a later document, 
twenty-one acres of this is described as lying on the west side 
Concord river at the upper end of the meadow there, and is 
bounded about by the bounds of Chelmsford Township in that 
place, and below by a pine tree marked near the meadow side, and 
so runs cross the meadow to a stake that stands on the west 
side of a cove that runs toward Chelmsford field, not taking in 
the cove. [See also Mass. Bay Records, Vol. IV, pt. 2, p. 109.] 

In 1661 Mr. Deane Winthrop petitioned to have the land laid 
out for the use of the heirs, and Thomas Addams of Chelmsford 
was one of the committee appointed. The land (or part of it) 
included in the Chelmsford grant was originally given to Cam- 
bridge, June 2, 1641, and June 14, 1642. The language is: All 
the land lying upon Shawshin Ryver, and between that and 
Merrimack Ryver, not formerly granted by this Court, are 
granted to Cambridge, so as they erect a village there within five 
years, and so as it shall not extend to prejudice Charlestown 
village [Woburn], or the village of Cochitawit [Andover] &c. 
This grant was confirmed absolutely March 7, 1643-4, and 
included the present town of Billerica, portions of Bedford and 
Carlisle, and a part of Tewksbury or of Chelmsford, or of both, 
[Paige's History of Cambridge, page 3.] 

The record is as follows : 
"Shawshin is granted to Cambridg wth out any condition of 
makeing a village there; & the land between them & Concord is 
granted them, all save what is formly granted to the Millitary 
company or others, pvided the church & psent elders continue at 
Cambridge." 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 75 

This liberal grant was made to induce Mr. Shepherd and his 
church to remain in Cambridge, and not emigrate to Connecticut 
as Thomas Hooker and his company had done. Shepherd was the 
son-in-law of Hooker, who tu-ged him to follow him to Connecticut. 
(Hazen's Billerica.) 

In 1652, under a commission from the government of the 
Colony, the river (Merrimack) was explored by Captain Simon 
Willard and Captain Edward Johnson as far as Lake Winne- 
pesavikee. In the same year certain inhabitants of Concord and 
Wobum petitioned the General Court for the privilege of ex- 
amining the region at the confluence of the Concord and Merrimack 
with the intention of making a settlement, which was accomplished 
the next year. The Town of Chelmsford was settled in 1653, and 
incorporated May 29, 1655. 

THE INDIANS. 

At the time (1604) when the Sieur de Champlain discovered 
the Merrimack the region between the Concord and Merrimack 
rivers, afterwards called Concord Neck, and up to the Pawtucket 
falls, was the rendezvous of the Pawtucket or Pennacook Indians, 
the foremost of the five New England tribes, numbering, prior 
to the great plague in 1617, several thousand souls. 

The territory over which they roamed included all of what 
is now New Hampshire. Wamesit, at the confluence of the 
rivers, Merrimack and Concord, was their capital or headquarters, 
and these streams attracted the red men on account of the 
abundant supply of fish which they afforded. "Merrimack" means 
sturgeon, and this fish with salmon, shad, and alewives were easily 
taken in goodly numbers. "It was no unusual spectacle to see 
thousands of the dusky sons and daughters of the forest encamped 
here in the season of Spring, catching with rude stratagem their 
winter's store of fish. Aside from this periodical convention of 
Indians this region contained one or two villages of more permanent 
inhabitants — one at Pawtucket falls and another at Massick or 
Wamesit falls." [Cowley.] 

Within the bounds of the Lowell cemetery, during the progress 
of improvements, there have been exhumed, in past years, a large 
number of human bones, which would indicate that this was a 
burying place of the Indians. Near the Concord river a large 
skeleton, presimiably that of an Indian chief, was found buried 
in what appeared to be charcoal. It was in a sitting posture, 



76 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

facing the east, and the skull seemed to have been broken by the 
blow of a tomahawk. Another skeleton seemed to indicate that 
the chief's squaw had been buried near him. A ntmiber of Indian 
fireplaces, constructed with stones, and of circular form have 
been discovered in this vicinity, at a depth of four or five feet below 
the surface of the ground, indicating great antiquity. 

The purpose of this History requires but a brief account of the 
Indian inhabitants of this region. Extended narratives may be 
found in the writings of Gookin, Hubbard, Drake and others, 
with descriptions of their wigwams, canoes, and implements 
of shell and bone and stone; their wampum (shell-bead money) 
and various personal ornaments. They were polytheists and 
polygamists, untruthful and fond of gambling; very hospitable and 
fond of extravagant dancing and reveling. Their government 
was a paternal despotism. These children of the forest were 
possessed of some noble traits and were grateful for kindness. 
They believed in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection 
of all animal life. They had no priests, but the powwow, or 
medicine man, had almost unlimited influence among them. 

Various writers have given us their observations on the 
relations of the Whites and Indians. 

The Indians can hardly be said to have had proprietory 
right to the land. They were nomadic, occupying a certain 
territory as long as it afforded them a livelihood, their occupancy 
being determined largely by the superior strength of their particular 
tribe. The earlier cessions of land were made under a mis- 
conception on their part. They thought that the English, after 
a few years, would move on and leave the tract again to them. 
It was not easy to deal with them in buying land or in making 
treaties, as their government was on a loose system without 
a responsible head, so that it was uncertain that any compact 
made with them would be secure. 

The Indian trade was one incentive to colonization, and the 
stubborn contest for supremacy on the part of the English, who 
felt that the country rightly belonged to those who could make 
the best use of it, developed among the pioneer settlers a bravery 
and spirit of endurance, which was an element of strength in the 
colony. The fierce and savage nature of the natives prevented 
their being largely domesticated as slaves and saved the northern 
colonies from the moral danger arising from contact with a servile 
race. 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 77 

These treacherous foes persecuted scattered settlements 
in the interior country, and thus compacted the population and 
enabled the colonies to make a more united stand against the 
English government, when this became necessary. 

Passaconaway, "the child of the bear," a man of considerable 
ability, was the earliest Indian chief whose subjects dwelt upon 
the banks of the Merrimack, and whom history has made known 
to us. He was regarded as a magician for whom the trees would 
dance and the rocks move, who in the summer turned water into 
ice, and in winter made it burst into flame. He could bring 
dead serpents to life, and make himself a burning fire. Major 
Gookin says he saw him alive about 1663, at Pawtucket, when 
he was about one hundred and twenty years old. He flourished 
at the time of the first permanent English settlements in Massa- 
chusetts, and showed himself the friend of the white man. In 
1644 he, with others, made a treaty with and submitted themselves 
to the English. In 1660 he resigned the sachemship to his son, 
Wannalancet, and at a great banquet, according to the early 
chronicles, made the following oration : 

"Hearken to the words of your father! I am an old oak, that 
has withstood the storms of more than a hundred winters. Leaves 
and branches have been stripped from me by the winds and frosts. 
My eyes are dim ; my limbs totter ; I must soon fall. When young 
no one could bury the hatchet in a sapling before me. My 
arrows covild pierce the deer at a hundred rods. No wigwam had 
so many furs, no pole had so many scalp-locks as Passaconaway's. 
Then I delighted in war. The whoop of the Penacooks was heard 
on the Mohawk and no voice so loud as Passaconaway's. The 
scalps upon the pole in my wigwam told the story of Mohawk 
suffering. The English came; they seized the lands; they followed 
upon my footpath; I made war on them, but they fought with 
fire and thunder. My young men were swept down before me 
when no one was near them. I tried sorcery against them but 
they still increased, and prevailed over me and mine. I gave 
place to them, and retired to my beautiful Island, Naticook, I, 
that can take a rattlesnake in my palm as I would a worm without 
harm, — I, that have had communication with the Great Spirit, 
dreaming and awake, — I am powerless before the pale-faces. 
These meadows they shall turn with the plow; these forests shall 
fall by the axe. The palefaces shall live upon your hunting grounds, 
and make their villages upon your fishing places. The Great 
Spirit says this, and it must be so. We are few and powerless 
before them. We must bend before the storm; peace with the 
white man is the command of the Great Spirit, and the wish — 
the last wish — of Passaconaway." [Indian Wars of N. E., 
Caverly.] 



78 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Wannalancet, the son of Passaconaway, succeeded his 
father in office and was friendly to the Enghsh. Numphow, the 
Indian magistrate, held a monthly court in a log cabin in the 
vicinity of the Boott canal in the City of Lowell. Samuel, his 
son, who had been well instructed in English and in Christianity, 
gave instruction to his fellow-Indians in a log chapel near the 
west end of Appleton street in Lowell. Cowley was certain this 
stood near or upon the site of what is known as the Eliot church 
on Summer street. Mr. H. S. Perham thought there was not 
sufficient evidence to substantiate the opinion of Cowley. The 
writer has talked with both these men on the subject. Mr. 
Cowley claimed to have the evidence of some who had seen the 
log chapel before it disappeared in 1823 or 1824. John Eliot, 
the Apostle to the Indians, who in 1647 had made his first visit to 
Pawtucket falls on the Merrimack was their staunch friend and 
in 1653, when the Chelmsford and Billerica grants were made, 
secured an ample reservation for the exclusive use of the Indians, 
where the City of Lowell now stands. There were two villages : 
Pawtucket, east of the falls, and Wamesit, east of Massick or 
Wamesit falls. The two were finally merged into one, known 
as Wamesit. The bounds of the reservation were enlarged in 
1656 and 1660, and a few years later a ditch was dug to mark its 
limits. Eliot and Gookin did good work among the Indians, 
who, for ten years or more, gave promise of growth in civilization. 
General Daniel Gookin, appointed superintendent of the Indians, 
gives this description of the praying town at Wamesit. 

"Wamesit is the fifth praying town; and this place is situate 
upon Merrimak river, being a neck of land, where Concord river 
falleth into Merrimak river. It is about twenty miles from Boston, 
north north west, and within five miles of Billerica, and as much 
from Chelmsford: so that it hath Concord river upon the west 
north west; and Merrimak river upon the north north east. It 
hath about fifteen families; and consequently, as we compute, 
about seventy five souls. The quantity of land belonging to it is 
about twenty-five hundred acres. The land is fertile and yieldeth 
plenty of corn. It is excellently accommodated with a fishing 
place; and there is taken variety of fish in their season, as salmon, 
shad, lamprey eels, sturgeon, bass, and divers others. There is 
a great confluence of Indians, that usually resort to this place in 
the fishing seasons. 

"Of these strange Indians divers are vitious and wicked men 
and women; which Satan makes use of to obstruct the prosperity 
of religion here. The ruler of this people is called Numphow. 
He is one of the blood of their chief sachems. Their teacher is 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 79 

called Samuel: son to the ruler, a young man of good parts, and 
can speak, read, and write English and Indian competently. He 
is one of those that was bred up at school, at the charge of the 
Corporation for the Indians. These Indians, if they were diligent 
and industrious, — to which they have been frequently excited, — 
might get much by their fish, especially fresh salmon, which are 
of esteem and good price at Boston in the season ; and the Indians 
being stored with horses of a low price, might furnish the market 
fully, being at so small a distance. And divers other sort of 
fish they might salt or pickle, as sturgeon and bass; which would 
be much to their profit. But notwithstanding divers arguments 
used to persuade them, and some orders made to encourage them; 
yet their idleness and improvidence doth hitherto prevail. 

"At this place, once a year, at the beginning of May, the 
English magistrate keeps his court, accompanied with Mr. Eliot, 
the minister: who at this time takes his opportunity to preach, 
not only to the inhabitants, but to as many of the strange Indians, 
that can be persuaded to hear him: of which sort, usually in times 
of peace, there are considerable numbers at that season. And 
this place being an ancient and capital seat of Indians, they come 
to fish; and this good man takes this opportunity to spread the 
net of the gospel, to fish for their souls. 

"Here it may not be impertinent to give you the relation 
following. May 5th, 1674, according to our usual custom, Mr. 
Eliot and myself took our journey to Wamesit, or Pawtuckett; and 
arriving there that evening, Mr. Eliot preached to as many of 
them as could be got together out of Mat. xxii. 1-14, the parable 
of the marriage of the king's son. We met at the wigwam of one 
called Wannalancet, about two miles from the town, near Paw- 
tuckett falls, and bordering upon Merrimak river. This person, 
Wannalancet, is the eldest son of old Passaconaway, the chief est 
sachem of Pawtuckett. He is a sober and grave person, and of 
years, between fifty and sixty. He hath been always loving and 
friendly to the English. Many endeavors have been used several 
years to gain this sachem to embrace the christian religion ; but he 
hath stood off from time to time, and not yielded up himself 
personally, though for four years past he hath been willing to 
hear the word of God preached, and to keep the Sabbath. — A 
great reason that hath kept him off, I conceive, hath been the 
indisposition and averseness of sundry of his chief men and 
relations to pray to God; which he foresaw would desert him, 
in case he turned christian. — But at this time. May 6th, 1674, it 
pleased God so to influence and overcome his heart, that it being 
proposed to him to give his answer concerning praying to God, 
after some deliberation and serious pause, he stood up, and made 
a speech to this effect : 

" 'Sirs: You have been pleased for four years last past, in 
your abundant love, to apply yourselves particularly unto me and 
my people, to exhort, press and persuade us to pray to God. I 



80 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

am very thankful to you for your pains. I must acknowledge, 
said he, I have, all my days, used to pass in an old canoe (alluding 
to his frequent custom to pass in a canoe upon the river) and 
now you exhort me to change and leave my old canoe, and embark 
in a new canoe, to which I have hitherto been unwilling; but 
now I yield up myself to your advice, and enter into a new canoe, 
and do engage to pray to God hereafter.' 

"This his professed subjection was well pleasing to all that 
were present, of which there were some English persons of quality; 
as Mr. Richard Daniel, a gentleman that lived in Billerica, about 
six miles off, and Lieutenant Henchman, a neighbor at Chelmsford, 
besides brother Eliot and myself, with sundry others, English and 
Indians. Mr. Daniel before named desired brother EUot to tell 
this sachem from him, that it may be, while he went in his old 
canoe, he passed in a quiet stream; but the end thereof was death 
and destruction to soul and body. But now he went into a new 
canoe, perhaps he would meet with storms and trials, but yet he 
should be encouraged to persevere, for the end of his voyage 
would be everlasting rest. Moreover he and his people were 
exhorted by brother Eliot and myself, to go on and sanctify 
the sabbath, to hear the word, and use the means that God hath 
appointed, and encourage their hearts in the Lord their God. 
Since that time, I hear this sachem doth persevere, and is a 
constant and diligent hearer of God's word, and sanctifieth the 
sabbath, though he doth travel to Wamesit meeting every sabbath, 
which is above two miles; and though sundry of his people have 
deserted him since he subjected to the gospel, yet he continues 
and persists. 

"In this town they observe the same civil and religious 
orders as in other towns, and have a constable and other officers. 

"This people of Wamesit suffered more in the late war with 
the Mawkawks than any other praying town of Indians; for 
divers of their people were slain; others wounded; and some 
carried into captivity; which providence hath much hindered the 
prosperous estate of this place." 

From this account it appears that their capital was on the 
east of Concord river, in what is now Belvidere. Allen states 
that Wamesit consisted of about 2500 acres, of which 1000 were 
estimated to be east of Concord river and 1500 on the west. 

The English came to this region at an opportune moment, 
because, a few years previously, the number of Indians had been 




No. 7 



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From 1895 to 1915 a hundred houses or more have been erected in the 
Centre Village shown in part on the left of this map. The other 
villages in the Town have grown in proportion. The Town Hall 
has been built on the vacant lot between the railroad and the house 
of Miss M. E. Richardson ; All Saints' Church stands where the 
words "Episc. Soc." are on the map ; the Congregational Church 
is on the land marked "G. P. Winn and Sisters;" the Central 
Block, below the house of Mrs. E. W. Fiske ; and the large fireproof 
building of the Chelmsford Spring Company, above the mill pond 
on the lot marked "D. Perham." The Adams Library occupies the 
southern part of the lot marked "Res. of J. A. Bai-tlett." 



v^^iauM>iiMM.vj^lJiiu^ II II 1 1 li'i II I II 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 wwffimww Mwww ww a^ 



5'8 COUNTY ATI.AS. 1875 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 81 

greatly reduced by a most sanguinary war begun about 1614 
between the Pawtuckets and the Tarrantines of Maine, whose 
devastation was followed by a terrible pestilence, which so 
afflicted the Indians that they "died in heaps." Thousands of 
corpses were left unburied, and the terrors of the plague were 
greatly increased by the comet of 1618, which appealed to the 
superstition of the savages. 

In the early settlement of New England, says Allen, the 
Pawtuckets consisted of about 3000; and, in 1674, 250. At 
Wamesit, when Mr. Eliot persuaded them to receive the Gospel, 
there were about 75 souls. Wannalancet resisted all Eliot's 
efforts, until 1674, when he received the Christian religion, and 
persevered in it, although some of his people abandoned him on 
that account. At the time of King Philip's war, the EngHsh 
and Indians in New England were about equal in number, probably 
55,000 each. 

In 1642, upon suspicion of conspiracy to exterminate the 
English, forty men were sent to arrest Passaconaway, but could 
not find him. Wannalancet was taken and tied with a rope, 
which he loosened and escaped. He was retaken, and his squaw 
captured. When the English saw they had been mistaken in 
their suspicions, they apologized to Passaconaway, and invited 
him to Boston. "Tell the English," he said, "when they restore 
my son and his squaw, I will talk with them." 

Thinking the Mohawks were about to attack them, Wanna- 
lancet and a number of Indians descended the Merrimack, in 
1669, and built a fort on what became known as Fort Hill, in 
Belvidere, Lowell. The English settlers became alarmed. The 
Indians of this region, numbering several hundred, and including 
the most dangerous, went against the Mohawks and were badly 
defeated. Wannalancet, however, was peaceably disposed, and 
friendly to the English, and escaped the fate of many of his race- 

For the first twenty years, the relations between the people 
of Chelmsford and the Indians were friendly. Trade between 
them was mutually advantageous. By it the Indian obtained 
food in winter (when, from their improvidence, it was lacking); 
better utensils; and, too often, rum. 

The Massachusetts Court held that trade with the Indians 
belonged to the Commonwealth and not to particular persons. 

From "The Retume of ye Committee betrusted to agree with 
such as presented to carry alonge ye Trade of Furrs," we learn 



82 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

that "The exclusive right of Trading with the Indians on the 
Merrimack River was sold to Simon Willard, Thomas Henchman, 
ensign Thomas Wheeler and William Brenton for £25. on July 1, 
1657." The trade of Concord sold for £5; that of Springfield 
and Norwottock for £20; Cambridge £2; Nashaway & Grotton 
£8. 

THE INDIANS AND WICASSEE ISLAND. 

From 1637, when the crushing blow was given to the Pequots, 
until 1675, the people of New England were at peace with the 
Indians. But as the years went by, the courage of the Indians 
revived. Though contrary to the law, the savages procured 
rum and muskets, both of which were elements in this revival. 

1644, June 12. Passaconaway and Nanamocomuck signed 
a covenant submitting themselves and their subjects and pos- 
sessions to the Massachusetts Government. 

1645. The military officers of the several towns were ordered 
to keep a daily watch against the Indians; and the Reverend 
Elders were requested to give advice concerning the Christianizing 
of the Indians. 

1654. Persons licensed to sell intoxicating liquors to Indians 
were advised not to sell more than one pint to each individual. 

1656. The sale of horses, boats and skiffs to the Indians 
was prohibited. 

1659. John Eliot asked that Indians have no power to sell 
their land. But within a month (Nov. 8th) an order was issued 
permitting them to sell an island in Merrimack river (Wicassee) 
to John Evered to redeem Nanamocomuck, a son of Passaconaway, 
from imprisonment for a debt of £45. In 1663 there was made a 
grant of 3,000 acres on the same river at Naticot to Passaconaway 
and his associates. 

In 1663 John Evered and Thomas Hinchman were appointed 
to lay out 100 acres for Wannalancet about twelve miles from the 
house of Evered, on a great hill near a great pond. 

1665. The Indians, living on the "Island of Wicosucke," 
asked permission to exchange other lands for the island purchased 
by Mr. John Webb (Evered), Wannalancet to surrender 100 
acres of land formerly granted him by the Court. This was 
granted, and the Court gave John Evered, alias Webb, 500 acres 
adjoining his own, if he release his right and interest in Wicosuche. 

Wickasauke, Wicassee or Tyng's island, in the Merrimack 
river, opposite the northwestern part of Chelmsford, was owned 



EA RL Y GRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 83 

by the family of Passaconaway, and cultivated as a corn field. 
Wannalancet, the son and successor of that chief, occasionally 
made it a place of residence. As stated, Wannalancet 's elder 
brother was in prison in Boston, having become surety to one 
John Tinker, for another Indian to the amount of £45. In order 
to have Nanamocomuck released from jail, Wannalancet obtained 
permission from the General Court to sell the island in 1659 to 
John Webb, alias Evered. Wannalancet was granted 100 acres 
on a hill, ten or twelve miles westward. The former owners came 
again into possession of the island, for the release of which the 
Court gave Mr. Webb 500 acres, and Wannalancet forfeited his 
100 acres, above mentioned. After King Philip's war about sixty of 
the praying Indians from Wamesit were removed to this island or 
vicinity, under the care of Jonathan Tyng. They remained there 
about ten years, when they removed to St. Francis in Canada. 

In 1680 Capt. James Oliver, admitted freeman 1640, member 
of the Artillery Company, petitioned the Court to grant him 
"the Island whereon the Indian Wianenset lately dwelt lying 
neer Dunstable," etc. The Court for his relief on account of his 
incapacity for getting a "livelyhud," granted to his Kinsman, 
Nathaniel Barnes, with whom he lived, "a small Island of upland 
containing about twenty acres (more or less) wch lyeth in Merimack 
River near to Mr. Jonathan Tings farme wch Island hath been 
commonly caled & knowne by ye name of Tinker's Island," etc. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 45, p. 174.] 

October 18, 1681. The Court granted him two hundred 
acres "where it is to be found." 

December 5, 1683. Tyng's island, called Weikeset, was 
granted to Mr. Jonathan Tyng, in full, for all accounts having 
to do with his care of the Indians. [Massachusetts Bay Records, 
Vol. V, p. 430.] 

* * * "Whereas Mr. Jonathan Ting of Dunstable hath 
obtained of ye Honord Genii Court of the Massachusetts Bay a 
grant of a certaine Jland lying in Merimack River, near to the 
north east corner of Chelmsford land and partly right over and 
against a great commonfield in Chelmsford, lying upon said 
Merrimack River, which Hand is called & Known by ye name of 
Wekesoak Jland, which Jland hath been formerly planted by the 
indians" of which "the Indian right & title did & do belong & 
appertaine to Wanalansit, and indian sachem." The latter sells 
to Jonathan Ting for the full & just sum of six pounds sterling, 
New England coyne— 27th Oct. 1685. [Early Court Files, 
Number 2356.1 



84 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

KING PHILIP'S WAR, 

Although the English regarded the Indians as heathen, whose 
inheritance God would give to His people, yet the Rev. John Eliot 
and others knew that they had souls, and so were to be brought 
to a knowledge of the truth. The Indians as a rule resented 
the attempts of the English to Christianize them. "With 
jealous eye the Indian saw his hunting grounds vanish with 
each advance of the English, and the number of warriors 
diminish by the increase of 'praying Indians'." Massasoit, 
chief sachem of the Wampanoags, friendly to Plymouth, died in 
1660, leaving two sons, Wamsutta and Metacom, christened as 
Alexander and Philip. The former died in 1662 at Plymouth, 
where he had been siimmoned to defend himself against a charge 
of plotting mischief with the Narragansetts. Thinking his brother 
had been poisoned, Philip, his successor, became the scheming 
enemy of the English. After several rumors and denials, it 
became evident in 1674 that a general Indian uprising had been 
planned. Mount Hope, a peninsula, running into Narragansett 
bay, was the territory occupied by Philip. Sausamon, a Christian 
convert from the Massachusetts' tribe, with his family, had been 
taught by Eliot. His son, John, was a teacher and preacher 
to the Indians at Natick. Coming to Plymouth, Sausamon 
revealed to Governor Winthrop the plot of Philip, who declared 
his innocence. A few days later Sausamon was murdered near 
Middleborough by three Wampanoags, Philip's men, who were 
found guilty and put to death. On June 20, 1674, the Indians 
attacked Swanzey, killed many and committed fiendish outrages. 
Indian war parties now spread over the country, and panic seized 
the English in Massachusetts as far as the Connecticut valley. 
Worcester and Brookfield had about a dozen houses each, and from 
Springfield to Northfield a number of small villages were exposed 
to the Indian attacks. Captain Edward Hutchinson, son of the 
famous Ann, was sent by Governor Leverett to treat with the 
Nipmucks at Brookfield. He was murdered, with eight of his 
men, as his mother and most of the family had been before. Philip, 
himself, took part in the assault on Brookfield. The large house 
in which the inhabitants were besieged held them for three days, 
when Major Simon Willard, more than seventy years old, ancestor 
of two presidents of Harvard college, on his way from Lancaster 
to Groton with forty-seven horsemen, being informed of the 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 85 

situation, ttirned toward Brookfield and routed the Indians. 
Worcester, Groton, Mendon and Marlborough were destroyed. 
Attacks were made upon Springfield, Hatfield, Medfield, Hadley, 
Northampton, Sudbury, Chelmsford, Andover, Wrentham, 
Scituate, Middleborough and Bridgewater. At Sudbury Capt. 
Wadsworth, with seventy men, was surrounded by five hundred 
Nipmucks. He and fifty of his men were killed, six being burned 
alive over slow fires. By August, 1676, the Indians had been 
practically exterminated. Philip was shot by one of his own men 
on August 12th, and his head was exposed in Plymouth. A dozen 
sachems were hanged or shot and hundreds of Indians sold into 
slavery in the West Indies, among them Philip's little son. Of 
ninety towns, twelve had been destroyed, and more than forty 
others had suffered. 

CHELMSFORD OFFICERS. 

In 1655 Isaac Lemed was chosen Sergeant of the band, and 
Simon Tomson Clerk of the band in Chelmsford. Lemed, or 
Lamed, was one of the first settlers of Chelmsford, and removed 
here from Woburn. He died November 29, 1657. 

Simon Thompson, or Tomson, was of Ipswich in 1636, and 
was active in securing the removal of the Wenham people to 
Chelmsford. He returned to Ipswich. Both of these men were 
among the first trustees or selectmen of Chelmsford. 

1659. 'Thomas Addams of Chelmsford, being presented 
by Joseph Parker, in the behalf e of that Towne for their Cheife 
Sergt & military Officer, This [County] Court being informed that 
the said Addams hath publiquely manifested himself to be Hessi- 
tant, as to the orders and practises of the churches in these places, 
do not judge meet to allow of ye said choyce, untill they shall 
be further sattisfied concerning the same — " 

The next year Mr. Adams was accepted by the Court, having 
solemnly engaged not to disseminate any of his principles or 
notions contrary to the practice of the churches. 
[Records of Middlesex Co. Court.] 

Thomas Adams was born in England in 1612, married in 
Braintree in 1642, moved to Concord, and to Chelmsford in 1650-4. 
He was Ensign in 1678, and Lieutenant in 1682, in the company 
of which his brother, Samuel, was Captain. He was town clerk, 
selectman and representative. He died July 20, 1688, aged 76 
years. 



86 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1660 Thomas Hinchman was clerk of the train band. He 
was made freeman in 1654, was a magistrate, and Major of the 
Middlesex Regiment; a representative in 1666, 1667, 1671 and 
1676; died July 18, 1703, aged 74 years. He had an accurate 
knowledge of Indian affairs, and his influence with them was of 
much value to the English. 

Edmond Hinchman, or Hincksman, of Chelmsford, died 
Oct. 27, 1668. His widow married the Rev. John Fiske. Major 
Thomas is supposed to have been the son of Edmond and the 
father of Capt. Thomas Hinchman. 

The Hinchman property adjoined the Warren homestead, 
and Deacon Joseph Warren married Ruth Wheeler, daughter of 
Sergeant Thomas Wheeler and niece of Major Hinchman's wife. 

1669, Oct. 12. "In answer to the motion in the petition 
of severall ye inhabitants of Concord, Chelmsford, Billirrikey, 
Lancaster, Groton, the court judgeth it meet, & doe order, that 
such persons living in the frontier townes within the county of 
Middlesex as are legally capacitated to lyst themselves troopers 
shall have liberty to doe the same, under Thomas Wheeler, Senior, 
of Concord, whom this Court appoints to be their leiftent; & for 
such others as are already listed in the other troope in that country 
that may find it more convenient to joyne in this new troope, 
they haue liberty so to doe, provided they doe it orderly & legally, 
& that a sufhcjent number be left in the old troope, according to 
lawe." 

[Records of Massachusetts, Vol. IV, pt. 2, p. 439.] 

"Sarjant Willjam Fletcher of Chelmsford, is appointed ensigne 

to the ffoot company there." Oct. 12, 1670. 

[Records of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. IV, pt. 2, p. 466.] 

William Fletcher, one of the first settlers, came from Concord, 
was a selectman, and died November 6, 1677. He had a son, 
William, born February 21, 1657. 

Edward Tyng, prominent in the Indian wars, was Lieutenant 
in the 5th Company, Mass. Reg't, in 1675, for the Narragansett 
Campaign. 

Edward and William Tyng came to America about 1639. 
In 1660 James Parker, of Chelmsford, sold Edward three thousand 
acres in what is now Tyngsboro. Dunstable was named for the 
English town, the home of his wife, Mary. 

His sons, Jonathan and Edward, born in 1642 and 1649, 
were prominent in this region, as were William, son of the former, 
and Edward, son of the latter. William came to Chelmsford and 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 87 

represented the Town in the General Court. He was a Major, 
and married Lucy, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Clarke, Sept. 
19, 1700. He was severely wounded while commanding a batallion 
between Groton and Lancaster, and died in Concord, August 16 
1710. Lucy, his wife, died April 25, 1708. 

"The Nashoba Indians, who lived upon the southern borders 
of the Town, suffered great hardships during King Philip's War. 
They were removed by order of the Court to Concord, where they 
were cared for by John Hoar. Here they lived peaceably. When 
Captain Samuel Moseley came, he broke into their home, scattered 
their property, and they were hurried to 'their furnace of 
affliction' at Deer Island." In May, 1677, they were, with some 
of the Naticks, removed by order of the Court, to Pawtucket. 
Those who were removed were mostly women and children. It 
was ordered "that the men be improved in the service of the 
country." Arms were provided for such as were trusty, and they 
were placed under the command of Captain Hinchman. 

They were shiftless like all Indians and had no permanent 
homes, and required careful watching by their white neighbors 
whose pigs and chickens they often made away with. 

Rarely did the early settlers go into the field to work without 
taking their guns with them, and placing a sentinel to watch for 
the enemy. 

Gookin speaks of "some skulking Indians of the enemy" 
"the principal whereof was Nathaniel, he and his party did this 
and other mischief * * in burning several houses at Chelms- 
ford." Nathaniel was captured later in New Hampshire and 
hanged in Boston. 

At the opening of King Philip's war each county had its 
regiment of "trained soldiers." The Middlesex Regiment 
consisted of fifteen companies of foot and one of cavalry. Men 
were impressed from the local companies and placed under officers 
appointed for special service by the Council. The pay of soldiers 
was 6s. per week, and 5s. was paid for their "dyet." The old 
matchlock musket was used, but was discarded for the flint- 
lock or snaphance. No bayonets were used and pikemen were 
useless. The matchlock was too long and heavy to fire at arm's 
length, so that each soldier was obliged to carry a rest, or crotched 
staff, with an iron point at the bottom, and attached to his 
wrist by a string. He carried six feet of match or fuse with which 
to fire his gun. 



88 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

This weapon had the disadvantage of the burning fuse being 
scented by the enemy when to leeward, and in wet weather it 
was well nigh useless. It was perhaps less effective than the bow 
and arrow. 

According to the old colonial law, sixty-four soldiers were 
accounted a foot company, which could nominate their officers, 
and must have two drums. 

Every foot soldier was to be completely armed and furnished, 
the pikeman with a good pike well headed, corslet, head-piece, 
sword and snapsack; the musquetiers with a good fixed musquet^ 
not under bastard musquet bore, nor under three feet nine inches 
in length, nor above four feet, three inches long, with a priming 
wire, worm, scouter and mould, fitted to the bore of his musquet ; 
also with a good sword, rest, bandeliers (shoulder-straps with 
many little boxes containing powder and ball), one pound of 
powder, twenty bullets, and two fathom of match upon the penalty 
of ten shillings for every defect; and all other inhabitants of this 
Jurisdiction, except magistrates, and elders of Churches, the 
president, fellows and students of Harvard College, shall always 
be provided of arms, and furnished as aforesaid under the penalty 
aforesaid. 

Soldiers and others provided their own arms. Poor men 
were put to service to earn out the cost of their arms. Flintlocks 
came into use shortly after the outbreak of King Philip's war. 

November 3, 1675, every town was ordered to provide 6 gun 
flints to each of its soldiers." 

As early as 1671 Chelmsford people began to prepare for the 
coming outbreak. Men were ordered to bring clubs to the meet- 
ing house. 

In 1672 the town "covenanted with Abraham Parker 
* * * to cut all the brush in the training place * * * and 
by training place is understood all that land now cleared by the 
town for that use." This land was probably on the pine plain, 
formerly called the Carolina plain, on the west side of the road 
between Chelmsford Centre and Lowell. 

In 1673 a house was built on Robin*s hill, probably for a 
lookout. 

7th 8mo., 1673. The towne voated Lef tenant Samuell 
Foster and en-william Fletcher vShold a point the place whear the 
towne house Shold bee bultt. ... It was voated that all mall persons 
from the age of twelve years to sixtey, shall, every one, worke one 



EA RL Y CRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 89 

day in the yeare for the Clearing of Robins hill, on the penalty of 
twelve pence a boy, and tow Shillings a man, in case thay Neglectt 
beeing ther unto caled...by order of the Selectmen. For sixe 
years in sewing, the datte heer of being left to the Selectmen to 
a point the day yeerly, and likwis thay are to apoint a man to 
lead on the worke either ther or else whear, att the selectmens 
apointment, dated as above by order of the Towne. [See Chapter 
on the Beginning.] 

At this period the Chelmsford Company in the Middlesex 
Regiment had for Lieutenant Thomas Hinchman, and for Ensign 
William Fletcher. The ensign carried the colors. The title of 
second lieutenant has been substituted for that of ensign, owing 
to the changed conditions of modern warfare. 

The following powder account of 1674 is found in the Town 
Records, and shows the names of Chelmsford's able-bodied men 
at that time. 

An ac't of Powder sould to the inhabitants of Chelmsford the 
1 Day of September, 1674. 

It[em] James Richerson 
Samuell Flecher 
Will woodhead 
Andrew spaulding 
Will Underwood 2 pds 

Thom barett 
Joseph barett 
Solomon Keies 
Robertt proctor 
Efrm hildreth 
Moses barron 
Joseph buterfild 
John Spaulding 
Nath buterfild 
John steuens 
Paull Flecher 
Will Flecher 
Jerath bowers 
George Robines 
John Wright 
Samll buterfild 
Abraham biam 
Ambros swalow 
Steuen perce 
John blanchard 
John battes 
Jonathan Adames 
Thomas hinchman 
Jacob Warren 





6 




6 




6 




6 








6 




6 




6 




6 




6 




6 








6 




6 




6 




6 








6 




6 




6 




6 









6 




6 


3 






6 




6 


4 


6 


1 


6 



90 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Joshuah Flecher 1 6 

Sam Flecher Jun 1 6 

peletiah Adames 1 6 

Thomas Adames 4 6 

Joseph Farwell 1 6 

Thomas Cobom 1 6 

Edward Coborn Sen 1 6 

John Cobom 1 6 

Edward Cobom 1 6 

James hildreth 1 6 

John bauke 1 6 

Thom Corry 1 6 

Abraham parker, Sen 2 pounds 3 
John parker 1 6 

John barett 4 6 

Thom Chambrlin Sen 3 

Edward Spauldig 1 6 

leften Foster 6 

John perham 1 6 

John Fiske 1 6 

Josiah Richenson 3 

henry Gidly 1 6 

Eleazer browne 1 6 

Cornell waldow 3 

John burge 4 6 

Sam varnxmi 3 

Will Good 1 6 

beniamin spaulding 1 6 

Joseph spaulding 1 6 

lefttenant Foster more 4 6 

Thom Chamberlin Jun 1 6 

Jacob parker 1 6 

this ac't above is to be Charged att 15d p pound 
And giune by Rate to the Connstable 6 9 

John Stevens, whose name appears in this list, (though it may 
have been another man, for he describes himself in his petition to 
the Court as a stranger, of Captain Mosely's company,) received a 
shot in his right arm so as to lose the use of it, and was granted 
40 shillings and other compensation. [Massachusetts Archives, 
Vol. 67, p. 269.] 

The Town provided several garrison houses. Lieut. Thomas 
Henchman's was at Middlesex in the north part of the town, on 
the Merrimack. One is supposed to have stood on South street 
near Warren avenue, just north of the Marshall place; another 
on the high ground between the mill pond and the South Chelms- 
ford road; still another opposite Andrew Spalding's, the Hodson 
place. Allen mentions "one south of the meeting-house," An 



i 



EA RL Y CRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 91 

ancient well was recently discovered on Acton street, on Winthrop 
Parkhurst's lot. There was also one on Francis Hill, near the 
Keyes' place, which overlooked the settlements on Stony brook. 
The location of another was on Riverside street, in Dracut, a 
mile below Pawtucket falls. Tradition says that the mistress 
of this house drove away a prying Indian by throwing a dipper 
full of hot soft soap in his face, before blowing the horn to give 
the alarm. 

Allen says (page 148), "The EngHsh erected garrison houses 
in different parts of the town, to which they fled on the first notice 
of danger, and where they usually spent their nights. They were 
environed by a strong wall of stones or of hewn timber, built 
up to the eaves of the houses; through which was a gate, fastened 
by bars and bolts of iron. They were lined either with brick or 
thick plank. Some of them had port holes, for the discharge of 
musquetry. In these the early settlers spent many a sleepless, 
anxious night." There were loop-holes in the oldest part of the 
Spaulding house — the ell — for use in case of an Indian attack. 
This part of the house is thought to be as old as any building 
in Chelmsford. It stands on the Boston road, where the 
old Mill road branches off. Almost all of these buildings have 
disappeared. Some houses built in the time of the later Indian 
wars were also constructed as nearly bullet-proof as possible, 
the framed walls being filled in with brick. A wall of this nature 
was taken down within recent years at the Putnam farm, and also 
one at the old Farwell or Timothy Adams place on Billerica street. 

The parsonage, where Ebenezer Bridge lived, now known as 
the "Railroad house," had its walls lined with pine plank of three 
inches thickness. 

The Dupee house and the Homer Thayer house, towards 
the South village, were used as garrison houses. The walls of the 
latter were filled with brick. A house that formerly stood near 
that in which Andrew H. Park lived is also said to have been used 
as a garrison. 

The house, which Jonathan Tyng built about 1674, at Tyngs- 
boro (then Dunstable) is interesting. It was then the most 
northerly house in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. Tyng's 
farm was cultivated by slaves, and in the great attics are said to 
have been the slave-pens where refractory slaves were chained. 
In the tower, on one of the adjoining buildings, was the bell which 
called the slaves in from their work in the fields. 



92 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Heywood, or Hayward, house at South Chelmsford is 
curiously constructed. The chimney, with three huge fireplaces 
opening into as many rooms, is about twelve feet square at the 
base, and rises in an open space in the middle of the house, which 
was built around it. The rooms on the second floor open on a 
sort of gallery in this space about the chimney, which here narrows 
to about half the above dimensions. It was bought in 1726 by 
Benj. Hejrwood, a cooper of Billerica, from Thomas Adams, who 
removed to Dunstable. One room in the house is said to have 
been a garrison, the plank lining of which was removed by Mr. 
Heywood, who died about 1860. 

In the present residence of Mr. J. Adams Bartlett, built in 
1692, by Joseph Parker, some of the walls were filled with brick. 

What is known as "The Ark" at the junction of Bartlett and 
Acton streets, built by Dr. Nehemiah Abbott, in 1700, had in its 
immense chimney (taken down some years since) a hiding place, 
concealed behind a sliding panel. It was a small room about 
six feet square, and five feet from the floor. It was entered by 
means of a ladder. When discovered, there were in it a low chair 
and a jug or pitcher. 

The William J. Stevens' place was used as a garrison. 

The Emerson house, opposite Colonel Simeon Spaulding's 
house at the comer of North and Dalton streets, was a garrison 
house. At one time, while thus occupied, an Indian attempted to 
set it afire with a bundle of flax, to destroy the inmates. He was 
fired upon by a man with a rifle from the meeting house. The 
ball struck the clapboards, just above the Indian's head, near 
the door of the house. The hole was still to be seen, at the time 
the house was burned in 1905. The old part of this house had been 
standing for more than two centuries and had been held by the 
Emerson family from an early date. 

CREDITED AT THE GARRISON AT CHELMSFORD. 







November 20, 1675. 










£ 


s 


d 




£ 


s 


d 


Moses Cleaveland 


02 


12 


08 


Samuel Parris 


02 


12 


08 






November 30, 1675. 








Zachariah Shedd 


03 


00 


00 


Joseph Simons 


03 


00 


00 


John Ellis 


04 


10 


00 


John Roby 


01 


04 


00 


Richard Nevers 


03 


00 


00 


John George 


04 


16 


00 


Joseph Samson 


04 


10 


00 


Hopewell Davis 


04 


16 


00 


Thomas Sawin 


03 


00 


00 


William F'isher 


04 


16 


00 


Thomas Train 


03 


00 


00 


Henry Harris 


04 


16 


00 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 



93 



December 20, 1675. 



Francis Nichols 


02 


11 04 


Thomas Estman 


01 


04 


00 


Hezekiah Pilsbury 


01 


04 00 


Richard Beach 


03 


08 


06 


Joseph Estman 


01 


04 00 


William Foster 


00 


06 


00 


John Martin 


01 


04 00 


Henry Harris 


00 


06 


00 


Benjamin Allin 


01 


04 00 


Joseph Lamson 


00 


12 


00 


Amos Singlater 


01 


04 00 


Hopewell Davis 


00 


10 


00 


Nathaniel Ladd 


01 


04 00 
January 25 


, 1675-6. 








John Bear 


00 


09 04 


John Eliot 


01 


17 


08 


John Darling 


00 


09 04 


Joseph Simons 


01 


15 


02 


George Wyatt 


00 


09 04 


John Salendine 


02 


14 


00 


Samuel Parry 


01 


00 06 


Arthure Crouch 


02 


14 


00 


Robert Shelston 


02 


09 08 


William Ballard 


02 


08 


00 


Walter Davis 


00 


09 04 


Moses Cleaveland 


00 


06 


00 


Thomas Wenmore 


00 


09 04 


Richard Nevers 


02 


08 


00 


Benjamin Lernett 


04 


16 00 


John George 


02 


04 


06 


Moses Cleaveland 


02 


08 10 


Thomas Train 


02 


08 


00 






February 29, 1675-6. 








John Welch 


00 


07 08 
March 24, 


Ephraim Matson 
1675-6. 


01 


04 


00 


Thomas Henchman 


01 


10 00 


Joseph Parker Junr. 


00 


12 


00 


Joseph Parker Senr. 


00 


12 00 
June 24, 


1676. 








Daniel Woodward 


03 


08 06 


Robert Parker 


00 


10 


00 


Josiah Clarson 


03 


16 02 


Nathaniel Graves, Capt 


. 12 


10 


00 


Henry Harris 


03 


12 10 


Timothy Day 


04 


16 


00 


Samuel Cleveland 


03 


07 08 


George Stedman 


02 


12 


02 


John Clark 


03 


12 00 


John Polly 


02 


18 


00 


Henry Sparkes 


03 


12 00 


George Parson 


01 


16 


00 


John Mirecke 


03 


13 08 
July 24 


, 1676. 








John Solinden 


06 


12 00 


John Priest 


05 


02 


00 


William Fisher 


06 


12 00 


George Sowder 


04 


03 


00 


Arthure Crouch 


06 


12 00 


Samuel Damman 


03 


10 


00 


John George 


06 


12 00 


Saball Stearnes 


03 


05 


00 


Thomas Traine 


06 


12 00 


Samuel Heberd 


04 


00 


06 


Samuel French 


03 


08 06 


George Person 


04 


00 


06 


John Elliot 


03 


18 00 


Alexander Alhort 


02 


10 


06 






August 24, 1676. 








Nicholas Lunn 


03 


10 00 


Henry Harris 


03 


00 


10 


John Mirick 


06 


00 00 


Samuel Perry 


03 


18 


00 


John Barbene 


06 


13 08 


John Polly 


00 


18 


10 


Joseph Simons 


03 


18 00 


John Barbene 


05 


04 


06 






September 23, 1676. 








John Priest 


02 


08 00 


John Bateman 


07 


11 


00 


William Peirce 


07 


12 06 










[Bodge, King Philip' 


s War, p 


. 357.] 














At Wamesick 












January 25, 1675 








James Kidder 




00 12 


00 







94 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



From a paper which was presented to the Court after Major 
Willard's death, in statement of his unpaid services and expenses 
for the government, it appears that from the 20th of September 
(1675) till the 18th of April (1676), the Major was employed about 
the country business, settling of garrisons in towns, and settling 
of Indians at Concord and Chelmsford and other business, etc. 

He was born in County Kent, England, baptized, April 7, 
1605. He came to Cambridge in 1634. At the opening of King 
Philip's war he was the chief military officer of Middlesex County. 
He was then seventy years old. 

The following names are on the list of those credited with 
service from Chelmsford under Major Willard, from August 7, 
1675 to January 25, 1675-6. 

October 5th 

Paul Fletcher 

Edward Foster 

John Barrett 

Gershom Procter 

Ephraim Hildred 

Samuel Cleaveland 

John Bateman 

Paid Fletcher 
[Bodge, p. 121.] 



02 


10 


00 


02 


10 


00 


02 


10 


00 


02 


10 


00 


02 


07 


00 


03 


06 


04 


03 


15 


00 


02 


01 


00 



CREDITED UNDER CAPT. WHEELER: 



Feb'y 29th 1675-6. 
Simon Davis (two credits) 01 
Nath. Hill. 01 

Jonathan Hill. 01 

Joseph Foster. 01 

John Waldo. 01 

Francis Dudly. 01 

Samuel Fletcher Senr. 01 
Samuel Fletcher Junr. 01 



11 
12 
12 
12 
12 
12 
04 
12 
19 
14 
19 
12 
12 



Eleazer Brown. 01 

Cyprian Stevens. 00 

Benjamin Graves. 00 

John Bates. 01 

Stephen Goble. 01 

March 24th 

Simon Willard. 01 12 

Thomas Tarball. 01 12 

Joseph Blood. 01 12 

June 24th 1676. 

Henry Woodis, Lieut. 04 02 

Joses Buckman. 01 12 

[Bodge, p. 114] 

Some of these were from 



David Batchelor. 

10 Simon Crosbe. 

10 Daniel Maginnis. 

10 John Kitteridg. 

10 James Pattison. 

10 Jonathan Hide. 

10 Samuel Davis. 

05 John Brown. 

10 Joseph Hayward. 

04 John Hayward. 

03 Stephen Hosmer. 

04 John Gould. 

10 Phinias Sprague. 

10 Henry Green. 

Joseph Winn. 
10 Sept. 23d 

10 Abraham Jaque. 

10 Joseph F"itch. 

Samuel Dunton. 

02 Jonathan Prescott. 
10 



1676. 



01 
01 
00 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 

'oo 

01 
01 

00 



12 


10 


12 


10 


06 


00 


12 


10 


12 


10 


12 


10 


02 


10 


12 


10 


12 


10 


12 


10 


12 


10 


12 


10 


19 


04 


12 


10 


12 


10 


11 


00 


09 


00 


09 


00 


14 


03 



Chelmsford and Billerica. 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 95 

OTHER CREDITS FOR MILITARY SERVICE. 

August 24, 1676 
Chelmsford — Towne Cr. By Sundry accpts viz. 05 05 06 



Joseph Hyde pd. as per 
assignment 01 00 06 



[Bodge, p. 373. 



Jacob Miller per 

Jerathmell Bowers 02 15 00 

John Barrett 01 10 00 



Chelmsford 

November 24, 1676 

James Harwood 04 11 00 

January 24, 1676 
Cornelius Waldoe 00 19 00 

Joseph Hildrick 01 01 04 

[Bodge, p. 448.] 

Cornelius Waldo, who died here January 3, 1700-1, was 
probably born in England about 1624, and came from Ipswich 
after 1668. He was a deacon, and had a son of the same name. 
John, a son of Deacon Waldo, married Rebecca, daughter of 
Samuel Adams, in 1673 (?) at Chehnsford. In 1678 Cornelius 
was one of the committee to instruct the selectmen of Chelms- 
ford, and was selectman in 1698. 

John was wounded at Brookfield in 1675 while in Captain 
Wheeler's company. 

Rebecca Waldo married Edward Emerson, the school master 
of Chelmsford, in 1698, and from them Ralph Waldo Emerson in- 
herited two-thirds of his name. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes is recorded as saying of Edward 
Emerson: "He was noted for the virtue of patience, and it is a 
family tradition that he never complained but once, when he said 
mildly to his daughter, that her dumplings were somewhat harder 
than needful, but not often." 
[Brown: "Beside Old Hearthstones," p. 349.] 

Joseph Hildreth, born April 16, 1658, was the son of Richard, 
one of the early settlers of Chelmsford, who came from Cambridge 
in 1656. Joseph married Abigail Wilson at Wobum, the 25th 
of the 12th month 1683, and died January 28, 1706. 

Richard died February 23, 1692-3, aged 88. His first wife, 
Sarah, died in 1644. His second wife, Elizabeth, died August 
3, 1693. 



96 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1676. February 5. 

In an account of a return of the Committee of Militia in the 
Regiment of Middlesex for 20 men impressed, is this item: 

Chelmsford — Henery Sparkes 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 130.] 

He married July 10, 1676 Martha Barrett of Chelmsford, who 
was imprisoned for more than a year in Boston on suspicion of 
witchcraft. 

"The towns assumed the payment of the wages of their own 
Soldiers, to their families left at home, the families thus receiving 
sure and immediate aid, and the towns being credited to that 
amount upon their colonial "rates" or taxes. It was doubtless 
a means of great help to the families, and of saving to the towns, 
as it secured at once the support of the families without public 
charge, and at the same time the prompt payment of taxes." 

The foregoing lists are from the account book of John Hull, 
Treasurer of the Colony, from which Bodge quotes extensively, 
and which is now in the keeping of the N. E. Hist. Geneological 
Society in Boston. 

Between August 9th and 16th Mosely had marched from 
Mendon to Brookfield, where he distributed his men as above. 
On the 17th he probably marched towards Chelmsford, as proposed, 
but on the 22d some of the Nipmuck Indians fell upon Lancaster 
and killed seven or nine inhabitants, and the next day the people 
sent for Capt. Mosely, and told him of their suspicions of the 
Hassanemesit Indians (friendly or Praying Indians) then living 
under supervision in a sort of fort at Marlborough. Capt. 
Mosely hastily marched to the fort and seized eleven (or, according 
to Major Gookin's account, fifteen) of the Indians, "pinioned" 
them and bound them neck to neck, and sent them down to Boston 
for trial. Of the fifteen, only eleven were accused; all were 
finally found innocent and acquitted, and Capt. Mosely's pro- 
ceeding severely criticised by the Court and his superior officers. 
Major Gookin believes that the people instigated suspicions "in 
order to secure the land of the Indians." After sending these 
prisoners down on August 30th, Capt. Mosely marched up the 
Merrimack as far as Pennacook (Concord, N. H.) to the home 
of the peaceful Wannalancit, where he was prepared to repeat 
the late transaction; but the Pennacooks had quietly withdrawn 
and eluded him. He burnt their village and stores of food, and 
marched back. Capt. Mosely's course was not approved and the 
Court immediately sent messengers to win back the friendship 
of Wannalancet. [Bodge, p. 67.] 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 97 

Letter of Capt. Samuel Mosely to the Governor. He was 
Captain of the "Volunteers," mostly adventurers, released 
pirates, &c. 

ffrom Nashowah Allies Lankestor 16th August 1675. 
Honored Sir 

Yesterday I spayred Capt. Beeres 26 our men to march with 
him to Sprinkefeild & it was with Major Willard ordder and I 
have also Accordinge to my orders from Major General Denison 
Sentt to Dunstable fort to Inlearge there gard 18 men & to 
Groatton 12 men & to Chelmsford 12 men out of those yt ware 
under Capt Hinksmans & of those yt Caime with me: Also 
last nightt about Seaven A clocke we martched into Nashowah 
[Lancaster] wheare we are Att present butt shall as soon as the 
Constable haith prest us a dozen Horses proseed for groatton & 
so to Chensford: according to the order Major Willard gave 
me yesterday Att Quoah-bawge [Brookfield] ; The day before I 
came from Quoahbaugh — I martched I (n) company with Capt 
Beeres & Capt Laytrop to the Swamp where they left mee & tooke 
theire martch to Sprinkfilld and a soone as they ware gon I 
tooke my martch Into the woods about 8 mills beyond the Swape 
where Capt Huttcheinson and the rest ware yt ware wounded & 
killed & so returned to follow the enemy as above saide ; also we did 
find & prsell of wigwoms beyond the Swaimp about 20 which we 
burnt &c. our Majr having a Seartayne Intelligence of a con- 
siderable party of Indians yt have gathered toogather a littell 
above Chensford which I hope wee shalbe up with this night 
or toMorrough at furthest & if it pleese God I come up with them 
God assisting me I will cloosely ingadge with them & God spearing 
my life I shall as oppertunity gives leave Acquaint your honnor 
of my Actions; I have with me butt 60 men at present; so 
desiring your prosperity & yt it my please God to preserve your 
Honour in good health and humbly beseach your prayers to God 
for my Good Suckses in this my undertaking with my Humbell 
Searvis &c in all deuttyfullness I subscribe myself your Respective 
kinsman & Humble Searvantt 

Samuel Mosley 
my Cosson Leverett ppresents his 
Deuty to yor Honour & my Antt. 
[Quoted by Bodge, p. 66.] 

A merchant of Boston in "The Present State of New — 
England," London, 1675, relates an amusing incident, which, 
from the above letter, we may infer took place "a little above 
Chensford" when Capt. Mosely came up with the "considerable 
party of Indians." We wonder whether he acquainted the 
Governor "of his actions" and those of the Indians. 

"About the 15th of August, Captain Mosely with sixty men 
met a company, judged about three hundred Indians, in a plain 



98 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

place where few Trees were, and on both sides preparations were 
making for a Battle ; all being ready on both sides to fight, Captain 
Mosely plucked off his Periwig, and put it into his Breeches, 
because it should not hinder him in fighting. As soon as the 
Indians saw that, they fell a Howling and Yelling most hideously, 
and said, "Umh, Unih, me no staw merre [stay here?] fight Engis 
mon, Engis mon got two hed, Engis mon got two hed' if me cut off 
un hed, he got noder, a put on beder as dis; with such like words 
in broken English, and away they all fled and could not be over- 
taken, nor seen any more afterwards." 

"About a week after this Capt. Mosely took two Indians, 
the Father and his Son, and willing to examine them both apart, 
proceeded thus: Took the old Man and bound him to a Tree, 
after he was so bound, he sent away the Son by a File of Men 
out of sight; the old Man there confessed he was a Praying 
Indian, and that he was only hunting for Deer thereabouts, but 
said that his son was one of those Men that wounded Capt. 
Hutchison. So then after they had pumped him as much as 
they could, they fired a Gun with no Bullet in it over his Head, 
untied him, and sent him another way with a File out of sight: 
then telling him that they had shot his Father, and would shoot 
him also, if he would not confess what he was, and what he 
knew: He fairly told them, that he was a Praying Indian, but 
his Father made him go with him to the Nipmoog Indians, and 
that there they shot three or four times apiece; whereupon they 
then brought the old Man and tied him to his Son, and Examined 
them together, at length they confest. They were both among 
the Nipmoogs, and that the Son did wound Captain Hutchison; 
after their Examination, they were both shot to Death. 

In this same Week, King Philip's men had taken a Young 
Lad alive about fourteen Years old, and bound him to a tree two 
nights and two Days, intending to be merry with him the next 
day, and that they would Roast him alive to make sport with 
him; but God over night, touched the heart of one Indian so that 
he came and loosed him, and bid him run Grande (i. e. run Apace) 
and by that means he escaped." 

Aug. 30, 1675, the Governor and Council, yielding to the 
popular prejudice, against their own better judgment, decreed 
the disbandment of all Christian Indian Companies in service, 
to be confined in their five villages, one of which was Wamesit. 
* * * Oct. 18, a party of hostile Indians set fire to a haystack 



EA RL Y CRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 99 

of Lieut. James Richardson, at Chelmsford, and managed 
that the deed should appear to be done by the Wamesit Praying 
Indians, that so the English should remove them from their 
village, or so persecute them as to drive them to the enemy. 
This crime was afterwards confessed by Nathaniel, a hostile 
Indian, who was taken at Dover by the strategy of Major Waldron, 
and executed at Boston. Although Lieut. Richardson declared 
that the "Praying Indians" were his warm friends, and would 
never injure him, their best friend in those parts, all availed 
nothing. The vulgar clamor prevailed, and the Court next day, 
passed an order for the troopers to bring down the Wamesits. 
* * * This order of the Council was carried out by a strong 
guard of troopers and infantry. The whole nimiber of Wamesits, 
in their village, was one hundred and forty-five, of whom only 
thirty-three were able-bodied men. The original order was for 
all to be brought down; but after the village had been broken 
up, and all had been started on the way, it occurred to the Council 
that there were no sufficient accommodations for so large a body 
of people, especially Indians, and they prudently ordered all, 
save the able-bodied, back to their village. The thirty-three men 
were brought down to Charlestown, and lodged in the town-house, 
under guard, for a few days, and then all except a few, against 
whom some suspicions existed, were returned to their homes. 
[Bodge, p. 397.] Three of the Indians were condemned and sent 
away to be sold as slaves. 

Later in the year the Wamesits met with another disaster, 
in the burning of a barn of hay, by some hostile Indian or English- 
man, for the purpose of casting reproach upon them. Lieut. 
Thomas Henchman, and Lieut. James Richardson, whose barn 
was burnt, were friends of these Indians, and in charge of them, 
and believed them innocent; but some of the English at Chelms- 
ford secretly organized a party, which went to the wigwams and 
shot down five women, seriously wounding them and killing a 
boy outright. The assault was unqualified, brutal murder. The 
lad was a son of a Sagamore, and grandson of a worthy old Sachem, 
Tahatawarre. The mother, who was among the dangerously 
wounded, was the daughter of the English "Sagamore John." 
This horrible outrage greatly exercised the Council; and the 
murderers, two fellows named Largin and Robbins, who were 
shown to be the ones who had fired their guns, loaded with shot, 
into the crowd, were arrested. But, notwithstanding the efforts 



100 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of the magistrates and ministers, with all the best men of the 
colony, no jury could be found to convict them; and, after an 
extended imprisonment, they were set free. By this act the rest 
of the Indians were so disheartened and frightened that they all 
forsook their villages and went away toward Pennacook to join 
Wannalancet. Sam Numphow and John Lyne, their rulers, 
sent back a written answer, by the messengers of the Council 
(sent to induce them to return, and promising protection), that 
they had confidence in the Council's good faith, but feared the 
people, and so were going away "to the French." * * * g^^^ 
being in straightened circumstances and earnestly reassured by 
the Council, they were induced to return after a few weeks; and 
Lieut. Thomas Henchman was placed in charge as their guardian, 
and Major Willard, Mr. Eliot and Major Gookin v/ent up and 
visited them. * * * Although the magistrates and their 
faithful friends, Eliot and Gookin, did all in their power to help 
them, these poor souls suffered terribly from cold and hunger 
during the winter. Bodge has this further to say: Against 
Eliot, Gookin and Danforth, the blind fury raged, and the lives 
of these true men were attempted in a cowardly manner on 
several occasions. In February the Wamesits, fearing the 
hostile Indians on the one hand, and their English neighbors 
on the other, petitioned to be removed to some safer place in the 
Colony. The Court promised, but neglected to take care of them, 
and the great body of them fled to Pennacook, to Wannalancet, 
being forced to leave behind, for the time, some half a dozen of 
their aged and blind, whom they considered safe, being helpless 
and harmless. After they were gone, these poor creatures were 
found and brutally murdered (being burned to death, as appeared, 
within their wigwams) by two brutes of the English, against whom 
nothing direct could be proved, but who were quite well known 
by the public, as they rather enjoyed such notoriety than feared 
it among their fellows. 

In this retreat of the Wamesits, Sam Numphow, their ruler, 
and Mystic George, died from exposure and famine. 

The foregoing account is from the full narrative given by 
Bodge. The Court's record, relating to Robbins and Largin, 
is here added. The letters and other documents which follow 
will explain themselves. They are arranged as nearly as possible 
in chronological order. 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 101 

"At an adjournment of the court of Assistants Nov. 19, 1675, 
George Robbins and Jno. Largin were Indicted and not found 
guilty. 

They were bound over to the next County Court at Cambridge 
in April to answer for their wounding of the Indians under the 
Court's protection." 

[Records of the Court.] 

In reference to this outrage, Increase Mather of Boston 
wrote in his diary: "It is to be feared yt yr is guilt vpon ye Land 
in resp. of ye Indians yea Guilt of blood in resp. of ye Indians 
so treacherously murdered at Chelmsford. I am affraid God 
will viset for yt gf [that grief]." 

LETTER OF NUMPHOW AND JOHN LINE. 

To Mr. Thomas Henchman of Chelmsford. [Whom the 
Council had asked to persuade them to return.] 

I, Numphow, and John a Line, we send a messenger to you 
again (Wepocositt) with this answer, we cannot come home 
again, we go towards the French, we go where Wannalancet is; 
the reason is, we went away from our home, we had help from 
the Council, but that did not do us good, but we had wrong by 
the English. 2dly. The reason is we went away from the 
English, for when there was any harm done in Chelmsford, they 
laid it to us, and said we did it, but we know ourselves we never 
did any harm to the English, but we go away peaceably and 
quietly. 3dly. As for the Island, we say there is no safety for 
us, because many English be not good, and may be they come to 
us and kill us, as in the other case. We are not sorry for what we 
leave behind, but we are sorry the English have driven us from 
our praying to God and from otir teacher. We did begin to 
understand a little of praying to God. We thank himibly the 
Council. We remember our love to Mr. Henchman and James 
Richardson [The marks of Numphow and John Line are afi&xed 
to the letter, which bears no date.] 
[Transact. Am. Antiq. Soc, Vol. II, p. 483.] 

Wepocositt was a servant to William Fletcher of this town. 
About twenty- three days after this, being much in want of food, 
the greater part of the Wamesits returned. Lieutenant Henchman 
informed the Council, who sent, as already stated, Gookin, 
Willard and Eliot, to encourage and settle them, and persuade 
the English at Chelmsford to be more friendly with them. Mr. 
Clarke, the minister of Chelmsford, asked the Indians what they 
had done while absent. They said they had kept three Sabbaths 
in the woods, that is, reading the Bible and praying to God, and 
otherwise deporting themselves as Christians. 



102 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ACTION OF THE GENERAL COURT. 

1675. Oct. 13 — Whereas the Wa3nTiesitt Indians are vehemently- 
suspected to be actors & Concenters to the burning of a haystacke 
at Chebnsford, this Court judgeth it meet that such EngHshmen 
as cann inform or give euidence in the case be forth with sent for, 
and also those Indians now at Charls Towne, and the case to 
be heard by this Court, then & there to consider & conclude what 
wth the sajd Indians 
[Massachusetts Bay Records, Vol. V, p. 57.] 

It is ordered, that the major generall forthwith take order 
to secure the Indians at Wamesicke, & about Chelmsford. 

Vpon the Courts hearing the euidences produced against 
Wm Haukins, Indian, as to the firing the haystacke at Chelmsford, 
sentenct him to be sent away by the Treasurer. 

Two Indians, one an old man named Mannapaugh, & Mannen- 
esit, a young man, his sonn, pretending themselves to belong to 
Vncas, being found at Chelmsford, where the haystacke was 
fired, giving no reason of their coming & staying here, was judged 
to be spyes, and ordered to be sent away by the Treasurer. 
[Ibid, p. 58.] 

WARRANT TO SECURE WITNESSES AGAINST THE WAMESIT INDIANS 
FOR OUTRAGES COMMITTED AT CHELMSFORD. 

To Left. Tho. Hinchman & the Cunstable of Chelmsford 

You are hereby required in his Majty's name forthwith 
to sumon & require such & so many Englishmen as you or either 
of you know have heard or any of ye selectmen Wch you know 
cann Give any evidenc agt the Waymesit Indians wch have been 
actors or consentors to the burning of a Haystack in Chelmsford 
as also in reflEerence to the Indians now at Charls toune and 
require such persons as Cann testify in such respect to make 
their appearances before the Genl Court sitting in Boston the 
25 inst at one of the clock in ye afternoon making your returne 
hereof nor to faile Dated in Boston 22 oct 1675 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 183.] 

Joseph sponnaur Condemned 29 octobr. '75 

Sam I Indian condemed 29 octob 

John Indian sent down from left Tho. Hincksman Condemed 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 183a.] 

THOS. HINCHMAN's LETTER CONCERNING THE INDIANS MENTIONED 

IN [183a]. 

Ye Honered Sir 

J Resefed Yover Honers wer in [wherein] you Recieved 
[required] me to sese the sqvaws wich be Lon[g] to Condemned 
indens and others who are rendered svspisiovs: Wo the Con- 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 103 

demned parsons are I knov not and so cold not tell will w[h]o 
to send dovn: bort J having som of the sobrist indens advis and 
all so thayer de sir that thes Company shold be sent down wich 
ar in nomer: 14: yon[g] and old: som of w[h]os husbans ar in 
the army others of them as J understand are sold or Condemd 
to be sold: not troblen yover honor any f order bot J sobcrib my 

Self Yover Sarvent 
To Command 
Tho: Henchman 
Chensford 
30: 8 mo 75 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 184.] 

Mr. Eliot protested against selling Indians as slaves. 



THE PETITION OF JOHN ELIOT TO THE GOVERNOR 
AND COUNCIL 

"Sheweth 13th of the 6th 1675 

That the terror of selling away such Jndians unto the Jlands 
fr perpetual slaves who shall yeild up ymselves to your mercy 
is like to be an effectual prolongation of the Warre. & such an 
exasperation of ym as may produce, we know not what evil conse- 
quences upon all the land." &c. 
[Massachusetts Archives. Vol. 30, p. 173.] 

The withdrawal of the Wamesit Indians into the wilderness 
occasioned great uneasiness, as it was feared they had joined 
the enemy. Some of the Chelmsford soldiers, who were in the 
more exposed garrisons at Groton, desired to be released because 
of this new peril at home. 

On September 8, 1675, the Council issued an order to 
Comet Thomas Brattle and Lieut. Thomas Henchman to march 
to Chelmsford with fifty men, collected, thirty from Norfolk 
(then a different county from the present one), and twenty from 
Middlesex County, and distribute them in the garrisons in the 
frontier towns of Groton, Lancaster and Dunstable. The men 
were to be left under the command of the chief officers in each 
town. 

For the succeeding months Major Willard was busily engaged 
in ordering the defences of the Middlesex frontier towns and 
settling the various bodies of friendly Indians. Garrisons were 
maintained at Lancaster, Chelmsford, Groton and Dunstable, 
and the entire available force of the country was kept in a "posture 
of war." [Bodge, p. 123.] 



104 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The following is the order to which reference has been made : 

For Cornet Thomas Bratle & Leiftenant Thomas Henchman. 
You are herby impoured & appointed with a party of horsmen 
vnder comand, forthwith to march to Chelmsford to attend & 
put in execution the instructions following: 

1 first you are ordered with fifty soldiers that are appointed 
to meet you, at Leift Henchmans vizt thirty yt are to come from 
the county of Norfolke 8c twenty out of the county of Midlesex, 
that are ordered to neet you at Groton these fifty men you are 
ordered to sett in garrisons in the frontier townes of Dunstable, 
Groton, and Lancaster &c in such proportion as in your discretion 
shal bee expedient placing them vnder the comand of the cheefe 
military officers of each towne: glueing those officers direction: 
to joyne & lyst other meet persons of their owne companyes with 
them, & order them euery day to surraund the townes yey are to 
secure; & if they can to carry doggs with ym to search for & 
discouer any entmy that may aproch nere such towne & at night 
to repaire vnto such corps du gaurd, as are appointed to them 
for the security of the sd place, and there to keep watch by night; 
& furthermore you are to declare vnto the Inhabitants of each 
Towne (you are herby orderd to garrison) that the Gouernor 
& council do expect their bee meet prouisions of victual made 
for the garrison soldiers herby ordered, at ye charge of towne; 
whch is not to bee brought vnto the accot of the publicke; & 
if any town or people decline so to Doe so you are herby ordered 
not to leaue any soldiers with them. 

Secondly you are further ordered, to Vse your best endeuor 
to setle, compose & quiet matters respecting the Indians our 
neighboars, particularly those that Hue at Wamesit, Nashubah, 
& Malborough; yt you endeuer to put in execution the printed 
order, relating to those Indians & particularly yt you procure 
some english man or men to bee with ym or at least, to visit ym 
once a day to be as guardians for securing the english and Indians, 
that neither the one or other may bee piudiced or injured, 
& the council are willing to allow such person or psons a meet 
compensation for their seruice in yt Imploy. And concerning 
the Indians at Marlborow who are ordered to reside at Hassan- 
amesit about twelue miles distant whether you are to order the 
cheefe officer of Malborow to conuey them, & if you can possibly 
procure, an english man or two to reside with them, at Hassan- 
amesit according as the printed order proude but in case that 
can not bee obtained yn those Indians must be left at Hassan- 
amesit with exprse charge puncktualy to Obserue the printed 
order. 

Lastly you are to endeauor either one or both of you (if it 
may bee) to gaine the Indian Sachem called WannaJanset to 
com in againe and Hue at wamesit quietly [and] pecabley ; you may 
promise him in the CounciHs name yt if hee will returne & his 
people & Hue quietly at Wamesit hee shal susteyne No priudise 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 105 

by the english: only you are to ppose to him yt he deliuer for a 
hostage to the english his sonne who shalbe wel vsed by vs, & 
in case hee come in & can bee gained then you are to impour 
him to informe the Pennakooke & Natacook indians & all other 
indians on the East side of Merrimack Riuer, that they may Hue 
quietly & peacable in yr places & shall not bee disturbed any more 
by the english prouided they do not assist or ioyne with any of 
or enimiy nor do any dammage or preiudice to ye english: 

And hauing put in execution these instructions you are to 
retume home and giue an accot thereof to the Council. 

And what euer is necessary for fulfiling these Instructions 
you are herby impowred by order of the Gounor & Councel to do 
it. 
past by ye councel 8 September 1675 

ERS. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 67, p. 252.] 

ORDER PERMITTING WAMESIT INDIANS TO GATHER THEIR HARVEST. 

At a meeting of the Council 21 of 7 bor 1675. 
It is ordered by the Councill that th Indians belonging to Wamesit, 
vnder Nobhow & John Alyne Rulers (they having approved 
themselves friends to the English) hau Liberty granted to gather 
their Come at Wemisett toune & to haue free Egress & regress 
to it from their fort neare Leif tenant Henchmans; prouided they 
do not goe any where whout th bounds of their plantation granted 
by the Genii Court & layd out to ym and this order to be & continue 
in force touching theise indians notwithstanding the old printed 
order Limitting ym not to travell above one mile from their 
wigwams. & All Englishmen are required to take notice of this 
order & not to molest theise indians in their lawfull employments 
duering the time of the Gathering & ining yr Corne. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, 176b.] 

CAPT. henchman's LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR. 

Chelmsford Sept 27, 75. 
Hond Sr 

In pursuance of my instructions; I and my Lieut, met at 
Major Willard's the last day of the week, with the Captaines of 
the severall townes directed to; as well for the drawing of the 
Souldiers, as to advise with them; for the first they promise they 
shall be sent to chelmsford at an hours warning and so will be 
ready here by that time I have provission for them; and that of 
absolute necessity for them will be powder shott biscake cheese 
and raisons, large and warme Wast-coats and drawers tobaco, 
some hatchets and a Chirurgion; for the later the Major and rest 
of the officers will advise to no other motion than about this and 
other towns; but I understanding the intent of the Ho'd Council 



106 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

to be that I should march to Pennycooke although not named in 
my instructions ; I think it need full to acquaint your Hours there 
with, and desire your express there unto. I have not farther 
at present but to subscribe 

Sr your Hours humble Servant 

D. Henchman. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 67, p. 269.] 

Daniel Henchman was a trusted officer of Boston, at the above 
date in command of the Chelmsford garrison. 

ORDER FOR LT. THOS. HINCHMAN TO SEND 2 INDIANS TO TREAT 
WITH WANNALANCET. 

Boston 30 September 1675 

It is ordered by the Councill 
That Leiftenant Thomas Henchman of Chelmsford do forthwith 
endevor to procure by hire one or two prudent & sutable jndians 
of Wamesit to trauill & seke to find out & speake with Wanna- 
lancent the Sachem & cary with them a writteng from the Councill, 
beeing a Safe conduct unto the said Sachem or any other principall 
men, not exceeding six persons, Belonging to Nantikook, penagooge 
or other people of thee northerly indians giving them free liberty 
to come into the house of the said Henchman ; where the Councill 
will appoint Capt Gookin & Mr Eliot (persons known to them) 
to treat with about termes of Amity & peace between them & the 
English, and in case Agreem'ts & Conclusions bee not made to 
mutuall satisfaction then the said Sachem & all others that 
accompany him, shall have free Liberty to retume Backe againe 
to their places without any preiudice or molestation By the English, 
and this offer the Councill are induced to make because the said 
Wannalancet sachem as they are informed hath declared himsefe 
that the English neuer did any wrong to him or his father 
Pasaconaway but alwais lived in Amity & that his said father 
Charged him so to doe and that hee ye said Wannalancet will not 
begin to do any wrong to the Englise. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 178.] 

LETTER TO WANNALANCET. 

These for Wannalancett Sachem 
or for any other principal Persons of th indians that Live vpon 
Merrimacke riuer either Belonging to Natakoog Penngooge or 
others touns. This our writing or safe conduct doth declare 
that the Governour & Council of Massacusets Doe giue you: & 
evey of you provided you exceed not 6 persons free liberty of 
coming unto & Returning in Safty from the House of Leiftenant 
Thomas Henchman at Naamkeake & there to treat with Capt 
Daniel Gookin & Mr John Eliot: Whome you Know & wee wil 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 107 

fuly impoure to treat & conclude with you. upon such meet 
termes And Articles of friendship Amyty & subjection as was 
formerly made & concluded betwne the Englise and old Passa- 
conaway your father & his sonns & people: And for this end wee 
have sent these messengers. 

to conuay these vnto you & 
to bring yor Answer: Whome we desire you to treat Kindly & 
speedily to dispatch them Backe to us with yor Answer. 
Datted in Boston the fiuth day of October 1675. 
Signed by order of the Councill 

Edward Rawson Secrty 
John Leveret Govnor 
Past by ye Council 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 179.] 

LETTER FROM SAM NUMPHOW. 

To the honoured gouvnour J Sam Numphow being com- 
manded to Carrie a letter to Wanna[lan]cit and we cam to 
pannakook a little further then we se sum of the punnakook 
Indians and asked them were wanna[lan]cit they sait he was at 
pemechowasick we went to Wannipposokick that was our way 
to goe to a pleace were they sait he was but when we cam to 
wannipposokick there we saw siim more indians we asked them 
were is the sachem they sait he went away three weeks agone irom 
pemechowasick he went toward the french and they tolled us 
two indians come from pascattoway today they tolled us they kiled 
two english men and taken one alive: ten indians in a company. 

And they tolled us there was sum more indians went out 
afore these last: from aospan and killed sum english and brought 
two children and one maid alive and they tolled us fifty more 
going out then we asked them which way doe they goe: they 
sait we can not tell. 

As we coming home we met with groton indians at panakook 
they tolled us they desired to com in our town 

Youres to command 

Sam Numphow 
12 8 mo 75 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 182.] 

PETITION OF THOMAS HENCHMAN, OCT. 2, 1678. 

In 1675 the Gen Court ordered that Henchman should be 
paid by the Town of Chelmsford for maintaining several souldiers 
at his house on Merriinake River. His account is as follows: 
Account of Thomas Hinchmans Disburstments in Keeping of 
Garrison Souldiers which were sent to Garryson at Merrimake 
River by order of the Honord Councill. 



108 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

For 6 sonlders from the 7th of August 1675 wch 

continued at the Garrison till ye 27th of June 1676 \ £ S. D. 
46 weekes at 4 s. 8 d. per weeke j 64: 08: 00 

For 4 souldiers from ye 27th of June 1676 and con- 
tinued untill the 1st of October 1676 13 weekes 5 1- 12: 02: 08 
days at 4 s. 8 d. per weeke 

For 3 soulders of Majr Pykes who continued at ye 

sd Garrison one month and 3 from Ipswich six S- 07 : 00 : 00 
weeks. 



Summa £83: 10. 8 

A committee was appointed to lay out some Indian land, "neere 
adjacent," which should satisfy the petitioner — 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 69, p. 211.] 

ACTION OF THE GENERAL COURT. 

Whereas Left Thomas Hinchman hath been at great charge 
in providing ffor the diet of certeine souldjers appointed to garrison 
his house vpon Merremacke riuer, where sundry Englishmen, 
his neighbours, are concerned, which is a very apt place to secure 
that frontier, and besides, the sajd Hinchman hauing, vpon all 
occasions, binn very serviceable, and hath expended much. time 
and charge to put in execution sundry orders and directions sent 
to him from the Council, this Court doe order, that the souldiers 
of that garrison be mainteyned both for diet at the toune of 
Chehnsfords charge for the tjme to come, and vntill the Court 
or council take further order; and further more that tenn pounds 
be allowed him for his extraordinary expences and labour out 
of the Country treasiiry. 
1675. oct. 13. 

[Records of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. V, p. 54.] 
1675. oct, 13, Seven country rates were ordered to be levied. 

Chelmsford's tax was £14. 18. 00: Boston's, £300: 

Concord's, £33. 19. 10: Groton's, £11. 10. 00; Billerica's, 

£14. 07. 00. 
"All sorts of Come paid in said rates:" Wheat at 6 shillings; 

rye, 4/6; barly and pease, 4 shillings; Indian, 3/6; oats, 

2 shillings per bushel. If paid in money, 1 /4 abated. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 29a.] 

Prayers were ordered to be said daily in Camp. 

ORDER FOR CAPT GOOKIN AND OTHERS TO PERSUADE THE INDIANS 
AT CONCORD & CHELMSFORD TO SETTLE AT DEER ISLAND. 

It is ordered that Maior willard Capt Gookin & Mr. Danforth 
with Mr. Eliot, by the first oppertunity are to repayre to Concord 
& Chelmsford & to examine those Jndians there & to vse their 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 109 

best endeuor to setle them in sure a posture either at Deare Jland 
or in the pieces where they live so yt they who are friends to the 
English may be secured & the English in those parts also securied 
& as much as may satisfied with their setlement & the said Comittee 
or any two or three of them are impoured to effect this matter, 
& they are to vse their best indeur. that those indians may be 
imployd & kept to lauber & take Care they bee all disarmed 

9 december 75 Past by ye Council Edw. Rawson D. Secrety 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 190.] 

PETITION OF FRIENDLY INDIANS NEAR CHELMSFORD ASKING FOR 

PROTECTION. 

To the much honoured Govornour and Counsel 
We pray you Consider how we may be secured from the 
Indians now the snow is of the ground and they Com When they will 
to do Mischif nere to us for there is one Indian runaway from 
the Chansforth and he tell them how we are well among the 
English, if your worshipfull please brouoid place for us where we 
may be both for for planding and wod and for food pray consider 
our condison with speed 

Mark of Nanphow 

John liing his marke 

Simon Betogkom 
Sam Nanphow 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 191.] 

PETITION OF CITIZENS OF CHELMSFORD. 

To the honored Comite of Majestrs yt are to mete at Namcock 
about the dispose of the Wamasak Indians 

We ye humble petitioners of the Town of Chelmsford, do humbly 
Intreat yt you would bee pleased to take [into consideration] 
our dangerous Conditions yt We are in, in refferance to our Hues 
& estate by reason of the retoiu^ne of the Wamasak Indians 
Emongst us: & also on[e] Indian whose name is Wibecusit & 
his wife yt is & have been harboured in a family Emongst us in 
the former Indians absence these are humbly to Intreat yr honors 
to take som such a course wth them as may seeme best to jnr 
Juditious eyes so as they may not be a snare unto us: we leaue 
you & yr wayty concerns to the wise disposinge hand of god & 
rest 

Yrs in the name of 
Dated this 13th of The Toune 

the 10th Mo. [December] 1675 William Underwood 

John Burge 
Thos Chamberlin 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 186.] 



10. 


Billerica. 


15. 


10. 


Andover. 


10. 


20. 


Concord. 


20. 


10. 







110 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

NUMBER OF MEN TO BE RAISED FOR GARRISON SERVICE IN 1676. 

Magestrates consentt provided the proportion bee. 

Sudbury. 20. Haverhill. 

/ Braintry. 10. Chelmsford. 

\ having already 12 JndiansMedfild. 

Bradford. 10. Weymouth. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 252.] 

1675/6. Jan. 11. "It was ordered by the Council that the 
Garrison Souldjers at Chelmsford, Billerica, Groaten, Lancaster, 
Marlborough, and Sudbury, under Major Willard, be discharged 
forthwith, and sent home"; and at the same time it was voted to 
pay them "two months' pay on their returne." This may have 
been done at the request of the people in the above-named towns, 
because we know that in many cases these garrison soldiers 
become very obnoxious to the citizens * * * [Bodge.] 

It is ordered by the Councill that the County Treasurer pay 
& satisfy Jeraphmiel Bowers of Chelmsford thirty shilling in part 
of his wages, for gaurding the Wamesit Jndians being appointed 
thereunto by order of the Councill 

4 ffebr. 75/6 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 191.] 

Cowley says: On the third of February, 1676, some of 
Philip's partizans attacked Chelmsford and burned several build- 
ings. Colbum's garrison on the east side of the Merrimack was 
now strengthened and nearly all the outer settlements were 
deserted. A second attack was made on the 20th of March, and 
Joseph Parker was wounded. These dates seem not to correspond 
with those here given from other sources. 

A letter from Groton, written by Capts. Parker, Wheeler 
and Woodys in Feb. 1675-6 says: "The Touns from whence our 
forces are raised especially Chelmsford and Billerikey, being 
weak and in want of more strength at home and danger accreuing 
to them by the sudden and suspicious removall of the Wamassuk 
Indians," they demand a release. 

LETTER FROM THE "COMMITTEE OF THE MILITIA" OF CHELMSFORD. 

To our Honord Governor & Counsail in Boston 

Mercy and peace May it please your Honors, 
we have judged our Duty, to acquaint to you, with our present con- 
dition, and danger of following or Brethren and Neibors in the Hor- 
rible distructiens, mines and loss of our owne lives and or relatiens. 
The Savages have been for a day or two discovered to have ranged 
aboite or Borders; and this morning about an hower and halfe 
after sunrising, Joseph Parker of this place, with his son, coming 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 111 

for the Hon'd Major Willard, about fower mile from or meeting 
house, along by some houses perteyning to this town, now against 
one house standing nigh the way, way-layed, and had ye Indian 
Bullets thick (as they Report) about them, and were followed, by 
about 10 nilk guns, discharging at them and shouting: they 
rod fast to escape them: the young man was wounded in his 
shoulder by a Musket Bullet, as cut out on the other side of his 
Arme, and as we conceive, by pistol Bullets his cloathes torne in 
several places. Or men, ye inhabitants of ye saide place, never 
came away into towne over-night, but some as we heare gone 
up hastyly this morning, to see after their cattle; we are in such 
a posture, as without God's extraordinarye help, we see not how 
we can stand against the enemy. Or garrisons are so weake, and 
or men so scattered about their personal occasions: that we are 
without rational hope, for want of men, and what is otherwise 
necessary. Argnts [arguments] we shall not need to use to yr 
Wisdoms to consider or necessity of help : If or frontiere Touns 
be cutt off, what will be the consequence, Itis not for us to say. 
We leave it humbly unto yr Hon'd to doe as God shall persuade 
your hearts. Commending all yr and our concerns unto the 
Lord Almighty, and subscribe 

Yr Hon'dr to command. 
Chelmsford— 15 of 12. 75 [15 Feb. 1676] 

Post Scr. May it please to understand, yt part of or men are 
abroad with Majr Willard; upon public service, whereby we are 
the more enfeebled. 

Sam. Adams 

Samuel Fletcher 

William Fletcher. 
[Coll. N. H. H. Soc, Vol. Ill, p. 97.] 

ANOTHER LETTER. 

For 
the Honord Governor of the Massachusetts- 
or Honord Major General : at Boston 
Mercy & peace 
May it please yor Honors tht we owne orselves greatly obliged 
for the Signal care yor Honors & the honord Counsile, had of us 
when we were put into or late pplexed feares, with respt to or 
Enemies, lately alarming of us, in sending for the prsent succor 
Capt Reynolds & his company; through wch means through Gods 
Blessing, the Enemies designs upon us further haue ben Retarded 
hitherto : So where as this morning. Capt Reynolds hath recejved 
order to goe off from us towards Malbury : & we have for several 
days, had Expence of Jndian Scouts about or Towne, & the last 
night, (as this day we are Jnformed from Billereccy) was Seene 
on or side yt River betwene us, some fires, supposed by them, to be 
Jndians & this day about 11 of yc clock some house seemed on 



112 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

fire, belonging to or Towne, wherevpon, some Scouts sent out, 
& a company of Capt Reynolds & others Marching out after 
them, the horsemen came up to about the place where Joseph 
Parkr was formerly shot & found three dwelling houses burnt 
nigh downe to the ground, & where Jndians had been, Att other 
houses in that parte of the Towne, ye houses deserted by the 
Jnhabitants, & come into the body of or towne, the sd Horsemen 
also Report that they also discovered aboute three Mile from 
the sd Houses, in a dis mal wood some fires, as if there might be 
some smale body of Jndians wigwams, wch Jntimate that the 
Enemy are not far from us, so as upon the motion of Capt. Reynolds 
from us; tis most probable, we shall be soone assaulted, & we yet 
in to weake a posture for Resistance: And therefore "we humbly 
Beseech your Honors to doe us this further favor, as by yor 
"countermand to the sd Capt Reynolds, to order his & his company 
"to reside (at least wise for some days) still amongst us : and withall 
you would please to order to Billerecay or otherwise, the securing 
there Bridge in there towne, betwene them & us : & May it please 
yor Honors, to Consider, that several of or men are prest out, some 
by or Honord Major Willerd of Troops, some upon the otherside 
of Merimake, to the present assistance & security of ye Colburns, 
we adde no further but to commend yor Honors to the protection 
& direction of the Almighty & Rest 

yor Honors to serve in the Lord 
Chelmsford Sam Adams 

25 of 12. 75 Sam Foster 

Will Fletcher 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 144a.] 

Lieut. Nathaniel Reynolds was in command of the garrison 
at Chelmsford in the fall and winter of 1675-6, and on February 
25th the inhabitants petitioned the Court that he be allowed to 
remain, with his soldiers, for their protection. After the war he 
was prominent in the early history of Bristol, R. L 

He was born in England, the son of Robert and Mary; was of 
Boston, as early as 1632. He married Sarah Dwight of Dedham, 
Nov. 30, 1657. She died, July 8, 1663, and he married Priscilla 
Brackett, of Boston, before Feb. 21, 1666. He had three children 
by his first wife: Sarah, Mary, Nathaniel. By his second wife: 
John, Peter, Philip, Joseph, Hannah, Mary, Benjamin, Ruth. 
He was of the Artillery Company in 1658, and admitted freeman 
in 1665. 



I 



EA RL Y GRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 113 

ACT OF THE GENERAL COURT. 

21 February 1675-6 

Vppon consideration of many sculking Indians about our 
plantations doing much mischeife & damage, & that a probable 
way for their surprizall is by scouting in smale partjes, for 
encouragement thereof, this Court doeth order, that euery person 
or persons that shall surprize, slay, or bring in prisoner any such 
Indian on the south side of Piscataqua Riuer, he or they shallbe 
allowed three pounds per head, or the prisoners so taken, 
making it appeare to the Comittee of Militia of that toune to 
wch they are brought. 

According to Hubbard, the burning of a part of Chelmsford 
took place about March 18, 1676, and on April 15 "fourteen or 
fifteen houses" were burned. John Monoco, one-eyed John, a 
leader of the Indians, had boasted that as he had burnt Mediield 
and Lancaster, so he would burn Groton, Chelmsford and other 
towns. 

March 18, several houses on the north side of the river, 
belonging to the Cobums, were burned, probably in retaliation, 
by the Wamesits, and two sons of Samuel Varnum were shot 
and killed while crossing the river with their father and sister 
in a boat to tend their cattle on the other side. One of them fell 
back dead into his sister's arms. Varnum shouted to the stupified 
soldiers who accompanied them, "Don't let dead men sit at the 
oars." The young men were buried by the river, on the Howard 
farm. The guard of soldiers with them were so taken by surprise 
that the Indians escaped. 

Drake mentions this attack upon Chelmsford, "where were 
many deserted houses burned in the beginning of April, 1676." 
See also, "Indian Wars of New England": Sylvester, Vol. II, 
p. 293. 

At the motion and request of Lieft Henchman of Chelmsford, 
about quitting his hovise at Merrimack, 

The Council declare yt they are willing for the present to 
continue the file of solders yt are there as formerly, and that 
Mr Henchman is impourered [sie] to take in any persons to abide 
with him to Keepe Garrison, and for their incouragement he shall 
abide neer to grant such persons liberty to improve any part 
of the Indians' land within the bounds of Wameset and Naamkeke 
untill the Council or General Court take further order. 
[Past 21 March 1675-6] 
Coll. N. H. H. Soc, Vol. Ill, p. 99.] 



114 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In Boston many maintained that God had set the savages 
upon the people of New England for neglect to persecute "false 
worshippers." Quaker meetings were forbidden, some harmless 
Indians were murdered, and there was bitter feeling, even against 
the Christian Indians and their superintendents, Daniel Gookin, 
and Thomas Danforth. 

The following is a sample of the Placards threatening Messrs. 
Gookin and Danforth with death, as favorers of the Indians. 

Boston February 28, 1675. 
Reader thou art desired not to suppress this paper but to 
promote its designe which is to testify (those traytors to their 
King and Country) Guggins and Danford, that some generous 
spirits have Domed their destruction, as Christians wee warne 
them to prepare for death, for though they will deservedly dye; 
yet we wish ye heal the of their soules. 

By ye new Society 

A. B. C. D. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 193.] 

Council's act to Secure the corne at Chelmsford. 15. Febr. 
1675. 

The Councill orders that Lieftenant Hinchman take speedy & 
effectual care that all the corn at the Houses of Colborn & his 
sons on the East side of Merrymock Riuer or any other Houses 
there be secured by transporting the same over to his own house, 
or if any other way be more advisable that he forthwith giue 
notice to the Councill. And he is hereby Authorized to impresse 
what help is needful, past 

E. R. S. [Edward Rawson, Sec'y-] 
15 Feb. 1675 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 135b.] 

The following letter from a "chyrurgeon," or surgeon, who 
seems to have been sent to Chelmsford to be useful in case of need, 
gives some indication that there was fear of an attack at the time 
it was written. He may have been sent to attend the wounded 
man of whom he writes. 

Chelmsford N. E: March ye 20th 1675 
Honord Sr. 

J bless God I came safely hither but was much troubled with 
a Jadish horse who tyred by that tyme we gott to Cambridge, 
so that wee had much adoo to gett him to Woobom. I am in 
very good Quarters & the Capt is very kinde to mee and extra- 



EA RL Y CRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 115 

ordinary civill, Sr. the young man that was shott in the Belly 
dyed about two of the Clock this morning he was mortally wounded 
for his bowells were pricked with ye shott I took out a worme about 
4 or 5 inches long & did dress his wounds, good Sr. I humbly 
intreat you to pray the Councill to grant us a stronger guard for 
wee expect the Jndians every hour to fall upon us & if they come 
wee shall be all cutt off. Sr. J would desire you to send mee a 
paire of fforceps & a probe with an Jncission knife, Thus hoping 
you will grant me my request, for without those Jnstruements J 
can do nothing. J remain in hast hauing not time to inlarge att 
present. 

Sr. Yor obliged Servant 

David Middleton. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 168a.] 

David Middleton was credited in Capt. Scottow's Company, 
January, 1677-8. Oct. 24, 1676, he received £3. 5. 0. pay. 

At the siege of Brookfield in the early part of August, 1675, 
Edward Colbum of Chelmsford was killed at the ambuscade; and 
John Waldo was wounded, as was also Captain Wheeler, who 
being unable to conduct the defense of the garrison, appointed to 
that office Simon Davis of Concord, James Richardson and John 
Fiske of Chelmsford. 

Those engaged in this affair from Chelmsford, and who 
received credit for military service under Capt. Thomas Wheeler 
were : 

Oct. 19th, 1675. 
John Bates. 01 14 03 

November 30th 

JohnWaldoe. 04 00 00 

John Fisk. 01 14 09 

Jan'y 25, 1675-6. 
James Richardson. 02 02 00 

[Bodge, p. 113.] 

Edward Colbum also doubtless belonged to Wheeler's troop. 

John Fisk was the son of the minister. 

After the fight, the famous Cornelius Anderson, known as 
Consort to Captain Roderigo, the chief of the pii-ates, who had 
taken part, marched from Brookfield to Groton and Chelmsford. 



116 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In the Return of the Middlesex Comittee. dated Cambridge 
28. 1 m. [March] 1676, is this proposal: 

1 : That ye townes of Sudbury, Concord and Chelmsford be 
strengthened with forty men a peice, which sd men are to be 
improued in scouting betwen toune and toune, who are to be 
Comanded by men of prudence, courage and interest in ye sd 
townes and ye partys in each toune are to be ordered to Keepe 
together in some place comodious in ye sd tounes, and not in 
garison houses: and these men to bee vpon ye toune charge of 
ye country. 

A thousand bushells of corn were to be raised upon the Indian 
land at Wamesit, and there was to be scouting between there 
and And over, and on the west of Concord river, on the east and 
north of Chelmsford. 

Major Willard on complaint of the people of Chelmsford 
fortified Billerica bridge, and seized two great rafts which the 
Indians had in possession. 

In a letter dated April 1, 1676, from the Council to Major 
Savage, they express a fear that Chelmsford may meet the fate 
of Groton and Lancaster. 

The Council decided to brave the popular prejudice against 
employing friendly Indians in the war, and April 21, 1676, Capt. 
Samuel Hunting and Lieut. James Richardson drew up and 
furnished their company of forty Indians at Charlestown. They 
were ordered first to march to the Merrimack near Chelmsford, 
and build a fort and settle a garrison at the fishing place — the 
great (Pawtucket) falls, but the attack on Sudbury turned Capt. 
Hunting in that direction where he did good service, his company 
being doubled in number, and furnished with arms sent from 
England. The services rendered at Sudbury put the Christian 
Indians into better favor. The fort at Pawtucket falls was built 
in the simimer and autumn of 1676. 

Credited under Capt. Hunting. 

Samuel Hunting, Capt. 21.00.00 William Browne 01.05.08 

James Richeson, Lieut. 10.10.00 Andrew Robinson 01.15.06 

Nathaniel Dunklin 05.05.00 Thomas Frost 03.01.08 

Sept 23, 1676 Jacob Farar 02.18.00 

Benjamin ColHns 01.08.06 Thomas Peach 02.07.00 

John Devericks 01.08.06 

In general, accounts were not kept with the Indians. [Bodge.] 



EA RL Y CRA NTS— THE INDIA NS 117 

ORDERS & INSTRUCTIONS, FOR MR SAMUEL HUNTING & JAMES 

RICHARDSON, April 25, 1676. 

1 You are ordered (with all conuenient Dispatch) To take the 
conduct & comand of Such English and Indians as are ordered 
to accompany you & with them to march vp to the fishing 
places vpon Merrimack riuer (neare Pawtuckt falls) & in 
the most conuienient place there to erect a fortification 
Sutable for yor company & build such shelters within it as 
may bee nescerary according to yor best Discretion- 

2 But while you are in hand wth this worke you are to send forth 
dayly one fowerth part of yor men vnder meet conductt both 
english & indians to scout on the north side of Merrimack 
riuer about or toune of Billerekey, Chelmsford, Andouer & 
woobume, according to yor best discretion & to order the 
retume of yor men to yor quarters at times appointed 

3 If you meet wth the enimy you are to use yor best skill & 
vtmost endeuer to sease kill & destroy ym 

4 For prouision for yor men wee conceue yr wilbe store of fish 
to be taken : for wh end you are to carry twine to make Scoop 
netts, or other netts wch yor indians are ready to do, & for 
supply of come Leift Tho Henchman hath promised to 
supply for the prsent at his house ther for wh you are to pass 
yor recept & take his order for the delivry of it 

5 what you shall need for earring on yor worke of fortification 
& building a shelter you have a warrent to the constables of 
these townes to supply it, either carts or boards or any other 
thing, and the comisoners are to furnish you wth tools nails 
Twine or any other thing nessecary for this affayre 

6 If you find any conuenient parcel of planting land Deserted 
by the english or indians vpon either side of merimake riuer 
or vpon any Hand you are to incoridg the english & indians 
vnder yor comand to plant it for ther owne Benifit, prouided 
the maine designe of scouting After the enimy & secviring those 
parts bee not neglegted but vigorusly prosecuted from time 
to time with a part of yor company: — 

7 If any of the neighbour townes bee at any time assaletd or 
Alarmed you are wh all speid to endeaur to succor such place 
provid you leaue on fourth part of yor men at yor fort to 
secure a retreat 

8 you are wh all care to Gouenern the solders vnder yor comand 
according to the Rules of Gods word & the wholsome laws of 
the country & take care to punish all profaines & wickednes. 

9 wee have & doe ordered James Richardson late of Chelmsford 
to bee yor second and assistant. 



118 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

10 All soldiers vnder yor comand are required to submitt & giue 
obedience to all the LawfuU comands of yor selfe & officers 
at yr perrll Lastly you are to giue intellegence to the councill 
from time to time of all occurences: 

So desiring the Lords Presence & Blessing with & vpon your 
vndertaking for the publilce good so wee commit you to God. 

wee are yo obi freinds 
Edwd Rawson Seceret by 

order of ye council 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 211a.] 

This Order was sent 
To the Constables of Chelmsford, Bilerekey, Andover and 

Woobume. 

You and every of you are hereby required in his Ma'ties 
name within your respective touns, to impress carts, boards, or 
other things necessary to build a fortification and shelter at 
Pautucket falls neare Merrimack river, under the Command of 
Samuel Hunting, for which this shall be yor Warrant, and futher 
more the townes afforesaid are to take notice, yt if at any time 
you be assaulted, you may send to the said Samuel Hunting for 
succor, whom we hau ordered to give you ayd as occasion shall 
require. Dated 19 April 1676. 
[Coll. N. H. H. Soc, Vol. HI, p. 99.] 

Capt. Samuel Hunting was born July 22, 1640, the son of 
John Hunting of Dedham. He settled at Chelmsford and later 
at Charlestown. He married Hannah Hackburne of Roxbury, 
Dec. 24, 1662, and had ten children. He was killed by the 
accidental discharge of his gun, Aug. 19, 1701. 

Lieut. James Richardson moved from Woburn to Chelmsford 
in 1659 & there (Captain Thomas Marshall, by special Act, being 
empowered to solemnize the marriage) married, November 28, 
1660, Bridget Henchman, daughter of Thomas, and by her had 
8 or more children. He was with Captain Wheeler in the defence 
of Brookfield and with Simon Davis, of Concord, and John Fiske, 
of Chelmsford, was appointed by the Captain, who was disabled by 
his wounds, to Manage the defence. He was afterwards active in the 
war; removed to Charlestown, May 1, 1676 & served as Lieutenant 
with Captain Samuel Hunting in his mixed English and Indian Com- 
pany in the summer and fall of that year at Pawtucket falls, where 
they built a fortification and maintained a garrison, of which Lieut. 
Richardson was left in Charge as well as of the Christian Indians 
at Chelmsford. He was well acquainted with the ways of the 
Indians and had great influence with them. Bridget, widow 
of James Richardson, married William Chandler of Andover, 
October 8, 1679. 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 119 

ORDER. 

It is ordered that twelve pound of pouder wth Shot answerable 
be delivered to the Committee of Militia of Chelmsford for so 
much lent by them out of their store to captain Sill at Groton. 

And it is further ordered that the Comissarye Mr Jno 
faireweatherer forthwith convey ouer to ye Constable to Charles- 
toun half a barrell of pouder & proportionable shott to be delivered 
to the persons appointed to carry the same to Capt Scyll at Groton 
together with twelve pounds of pouder with shott answerable 
to be conveyed & delivered to ye comittee of Militia of Chelmsford 
for somme lent by them to Capt Scyll for the Country service. 
22 ApriU 1676 

past. Edw. Rawson. Secy. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 221a.] 

TO THE CONSTABLES OF CHARLESTOUNE 

These require you in his Majestys name forthwith on sight 
hereof to Jmpresse two able men completeately armed with fouer 
Days provission and two very substantiall horses bridles & Sadies 
& well shod to convey & carry the amu'tion to Chelmsford &Groaten 
& deliver the same to Capt Scill as comissary faireweather shall 
direct making 50- returne hereof, dated in Boston the 22d of Aprill 
1676. By ye Council 

Edw Rawson Secret 

Deacon Elliot. 

You are ordered to deliver two of the countrys horses ye best 
you have in yr hands to constable Monsall for ye ends above 
expressed. 22 Aprill 1676 

By ye councill 

Edw. Rawson Seer. 
[Ibid, p. 221b.] 

In May the Court ordered Nashoba and Natick Indians 
removed to Pawtucket under supervision of Hinchman, Fletcher 
and others. 

LETTER FROM CHELMSFORD 

To ye Honored Govrnor of ye 
Massachusets 

May it please yor Honor. 

This evening Jnformation comming to hand, of An Indian 
amongst others yt is come along with Wanalaunset, unto Mr 
Tings Garison: called Hankancor (& ordinarily by the English) 
al. Calacumbine: who was certajnely known to be amongst the 
Indians, )rt shot at Lieftenant Hicksman at our toune end & fired 



120 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

afterward in the same day, at Tenne — which sd Indian was one 
(as is affirmed) of ye Guides of those murderers company : & soone 
he discharged his Gun upon some of the sd Company : considering 
several things, we have thought fit rather then to apprehend & 
bring the sd Jndian before yr Honors: to petition yor Honors, 
he may be sent for, & examined, & testimonies as may come agst 
him, be called for, & the sd Jndian to be secured, or at least 
disposed of from these parts. We being put into so great fears, by 
reason of ye mischeive is apprehended, he hath ben already 
amongst us achiefd (?) and if It please yor Honors, that Leift. 
Tho: Hinksman, Jerahmeel Bowers, or who may be nominated by 
either of ym, may be examined as to ye Case. Not further to trouble 
yor Honors: Desiring Gods presence with yor Honors we surcease 

Yor Honors most obliged 
Jno ffiske senr 
Chelmsford Samuel ffoster Senr 

4. of 4. (June 4) John ffiske Junr. 

76 Edward Spauldyng 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 222a.] 

ORDER. 

The Councill having received information by Major Waldem 
of the Coming in of Wanalanset, with the sachim of Penicook & 
several other Jndians now at Cocheechee, & that they have 
brought in severall english captives & freely delivered them, as 
a testimony of their goodwill to the English & their desire to 
maintain peace & friendship with us; as also that by order of the 
Comittee there, three Jndians of the number abovesayd in hold 
as having an hand in the Killing of two Englishmen & Captivating 
those that they have now brought in. It is ordered that the 
comittee for treating with the Jndians in those Eastern parts 
are licensed & Authorized if they see cause to imploy those 
Jndians so come in, in the publick service against the enemy 
having some English in same Company. & for that end supply 
them with competent Amunition & that they may also send out 
with them any one of the Jmprisoned Jndians retayning & 
effectually securing the other two, that they may all three take 
their tumes to goe out if incouragement be found So to doe. 
15 June 1676. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 204.] 

ORDER. 

It is ordered that the garrison souldiers of Chelmsford, 
Billericay & Concord be dismissed unless those Townes or any of 
them shall make it appear, when ordered to the Council that there 
is a necessity of continuing them or any part of them and the 
Comanders of those several towns and the garrison souldiers are 
hereby required to take notice of this order 

1st August 76 past E R S 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 69, p. 33.] 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 121 

PETITION OF MOSES CLEVELAND. 

To the honored Govrnor & councell 

May it please yr hons. yt my brother Saml Cle viand hath 
been in ye service more then these twelve months & harvest & 
hay time coming in, & J being disenabled by ye lameness of my 
arm, request yt you would be pleased to release my brother yt 
we may get in our corn & hay for ye preservation of or selves 
& cattle, & therein we shall be obliged to further service when 
yor honrs call us thereunto. Yor. sevt. Moses Cleavland. 

Aug 1st. 76 

granted E R S 

Samuel Cleaveland is released & dismist the Country's 
service E R S 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 69, p. 31a.] 

LOSSES AT CHELMSFORD. 

To left hinchman Deputy from 
Chelmsford 

Sir: 

The Consideration of the losses that Chelmsford sustained 
by the Enemy and the laste law made the 3d of May last that the 
losers should have a meete Alottment in ther proportions in ther 
Rattes is argument to the Selectt men to psent what they with 
the Alowance of the honored Jenl. Courtt Judge meette to Alow 
to the Several persons as foloeth out of ther 10 Rates now Required. 

Jt to John Burge Sen —01—19—04 

It. to Thom Chambrlin Sen —02—18—04 

Jt to Robertt proctor —04—00—00 

Will Underwood —03—16—00 

Thom Chambrlin Jun —02—00—02 

Thom Adams —03—06—06 

Joseph Spaldin —01—15—08 

Andrew Spaldin —01—13—04 

John Stevens —01—16 — 08 

left Sam Foster —00—12—06 

Solomon Keies —01—17—06 

Will Wood Senr Slain —01— 05— €6 

John Wattill slain —00—16—08 

Joseph butterfeld —00—09—00 

Nath butterfield —00—03—00 

Jt. to John Wright —01—18—00 

Edward Spalding —01—09 — 09 

John Sheply Jun —01—02—08 

John Sheply Sen —00—02—06 

James Richardson — 01 — 13 — 04 

Joseph Perkins —01—14—00 



122 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



More loss in the Country Rats by persons 
and Estats removed from us 



It to 



Ed leborns 


10 Rattes 


—03- 


-11—06 


Robertt leborns 


10 Ratts 


—01- 


-10—00 


John leborns 


10 Ratts 


—01- 


-10—00 


Thorn leborns 


10 Ratts 


—01- 


-07—02 


Sam varnum 


10 ratts 


—03- 


-04—04 


Thom Willkinson 


10 Rats 


—01- 


-04—00 


left hinchman estat 


in partt ] 
ved J 


—03- 


-09—08 


and his person remo 








53: 


07: 01 



5 Agust 1676 by the selectt men of Chelmsford 

Sam Adams 
John Burge 
Thomas Adams 
William Underwood 
Thos Chamberline sen 
This Account of '53:7: 1 
was allowed to be abated 
out of their to (sic) 

thier last 10 countrey Rates 

William park The deputyes approve of the 

Hugh Mason returne of theire Comittee 

John Wayt and to this account ye Honorble 

25 oct. '76. Magestrates consenting hereto 

William Torrey, Clerk. 

Consented to by ye Magistrates Ed. Rawson D. Secrety 
[Supreme Judicial Court. Early Court Files, No. 1521.] 



ABATEMENT. 



"In ansr. to the petition of the selectmen of Chelmsford, &c, 
it is ordered, that Chelmsford be allowed & abated the sume of 
fiuety three pounds seven shillings and one penny out of their 
last tenn county rates, toward theire losses." (by the Indian 
ennemy) Oct. 12, 1676. 
[Records of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. V, p. 125.] 

In an Account of People Distressed by the war in Mass. Colony, 

taken Jan 22 1676/7 we find: 

In Chettinford [Chelmsford] 11 familyes containing 44 

persons £6. 12S. OD. 
[Coll. N. H., Hist. Soc, Vol. Ill, p. 101.] 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 123 

GENERAL DANIEL DENISON's LETTER. 

Sr. 

Yesterday I received a letter from Capt. Brocklebanck at 
Marlborough signifying his desire of being dismissed with his 
company the reasons he alleadges are 1. their necessities & 
wants having beene in the countryes service ever since the first of 
January at Narriganset & within one weeke after their return were 
sent out againe having neither time nor money (save a fortnights 
paye upon their march) to recruite themselves 2. he saith they 
doe little where they are: & he understands they are called off 
by the Council. I shall make bould to request the like favor in 
the behalfe of those (at least) some of those troopers 8c dragoons 
of Essex that went out last, intended for Hadley but by reason of 
the disaster at Groton diverted to Concord &c. to beate of & prose- 
cute the enemy in those parts and I directed orders to Major 
Willard, that with those he first tooke up wth him & then sent, 
together with the garrisons at Marlborough Lancaster & Chelms- 
ford (if need more) in all above 200 men he might not only defend 
the townes but might prosecute the enemy there, being within 2 
dayes march, but I heare of no such attempt nor indeed of any 
considerable improvement of them that hath beene, or is like to be. 
I am therefore soUicitous for many of them that out of a respect 
to myself went willingly, hoping of a speedy returne to their 
families and occasions some of them more than ordinary great 
and urgent I entreate therefore they may be prsently considered 
& eased to attend the seed time &c. and if there be necessity that 
others may be sent in their roomes, who may with far less detriment 
be spared. The stockade from Watertowne to Wamesit, might 
better be from Watertowne to Sudbury river 9 miles taking in 
more country, & that river being as good a stop as the stockade 
the greatest objection is Merrimack river though broad yet I 
understand is fordable in 20 places betweene Wamesit & Haveril, 
& cannot be safe without guards wch must be kept upon it, 
for hast I Jumble many things, wch be pleased to pardon. The 
Lord Looke in mercy upon his poore distressed people upon your 
selves in particular so prayes 

your humble Servant 
Ips March 27: 1676 Daniel Denison. 

[Bodge, p. 214.] 

Daniel Denison, of Ipswich, was the highest militarj'- officer 
of the Colony. 

A line of fortifications or bulwarks was projected, to extend 
from Charles river to Merrimack river. It was to be a fence of 
stockade or stones, about eight feet high, for protection against the 
Indians. The large ponds along the route were to form a part 
of the defence. 

An anonymous letter to the Governor recommended the use 
of dogs against "the savage foe." 



124 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

A list of soldiers under Capt. William Torner from the 7th 
of April, 1676, contains 

John ffiske Left, wounded 
Benjamin Barrett 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 212.] 

In a list of men wounded at Eastward, sent from Salem, July 4, 
1677, are these names: 

Jacob Parker of Chelmsford; shot through ye Shoulder. 
Tho. Button of Bellricke; shot in ye knee & body. 

Slain : 
Andiver. Jno Parker 

James Parker 
Lin: one man wch was all they sent 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 69, p. 137.] 

The following indicates the spirit of the times: 
In 1676, On the "Sabbath" Jonathan Atherton, a poor soldier, 
"cut a peece of an old hatt to put in his shooes" which galled his 
feet from long use, and emptied two or three cartridges from which 
the povv^der was leaking and which had become dangerous to carry. 
He was sentenced by Capt. Henchman to lose a fortnight's pay, 
and petitioned the Hon. Governor and Council to have the fine 
remitted ; "yet if it be deemed a breach of the Sabbath, he desires to 
be humbled before the Lord, and beggs the pardon of His people" 
Jonathan Poole petitioned to have the fine remitted, giving 
Atherton a good character; but the Council declared that they 
saw no cause to grant the petitioner any relief. 

LETTER FROM JAMES PARKER TO THE HON'rED GOVNER 
AND COUNCIL AT BOSTOWN: HAST POST HAST: 

From Mr. Hinchman's farme ner Meremack: 
23: Imo: [March] 1676-7. 
To the Honred Govner and Counsell. This may informe youer 
honores that Sagamore Evanalanset [Wannalancet] come this 
morning to informe me, and then went to Mr. Tynge's to informe 
him that his son being one ye outher sid of Meremaek River a 
hunting, and his dauter with him up the River over against 
Souhegan upon the 22 day of this instant, about tene of the Clock 
in the morning, he discovered 15 Indens on this sid the River, 
which he soposed to be Mohokes by ther spech. He Called to 
them, they answered, but he culd not understand ther spech: and 
he having a canow [canoe] there in the River, he went to breck his 
canow that they might not have ani ues of it, in the mene time 
thay shot About thirty guns at him, and he being much frighted 
fled and come home forthwith to Nahamcok, wher ther wigowemes 
now stand. 

Not Eles at present, but Remain youer sarvant to Comand. 
Re'd 9 night 24 : Mrch 76-7 James Parker. 

[Shattuck Manuscripts, also printed in N. H. H. Soc. Coll., Vol. Ill, 
p. 100.] 



EARLY GRANTS— THE INDIANS 125 

ORDER OF THE COUNCIL, JUNE 15th, 1677. 

It is reffered to Major Gookin forthwith to Supply Leift. 
Richardson & his pty at Chehnsford with provision Ammunition & 
appl necessary & to order him to scout & range ye woods between 
Merrimack & Pascatawq River & endeavour to kill and sease ye 
Lurking enemy in those parts for wch the Major is ordered to 
encourage ym wth a reward of twenty shillings for every scalpe 
& forty shillings for every prisoner or ye prisoner. And also to 
make up in number 25 men, & to order ym after some time spent 
there, to mrch to Blackpoint garison & Their to bee at ye ordering 
of Liftenant Tipping until further order from the Council the 
time of Randevous at Blackpoint is to bee the 26 of this Instant 
June if possible. 

Past. Edwd Rawson, Secretary. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 69, p. 129.] 

About ninety English and Natick Indians, under Captain 
Swett and Lieutenant James Richardson, were engaged in the 
fight at Blackpoint, July 29, 1677, where both lost their lives- 
"The Lieutenant was killed soon after the first onset." 

Chelmsford escaped the terrible fate of some of the other 
frontier towns, and this was, no doubt, due in part to the influence 
of Wannalancet and the friendly Wamesits, but the inhabitants 
of the town were in constant alarm, if not in fear or terror. 

The counsel of Passaconaway had its effect upon his son 
and successor and upon the actions of his people. Although 
Wannalancet suffered great provocation at the hands of the 
English, even in his retreat, his wigwams and provisions at 
Pennacook being destroyed by Captain Mosely's troops, he 
would not allow his men to retaliate. 

Allen (Hist. Chelmsford) says, "Wannalancet after a long 
absence called on the Rev. Mr. Fiske and congratulating him on 
the restoration of peace, solicitously inquired after the welfare 
of the people in Chelmsford, and whether they had suffered 
greatly during the war. Mr. Fiske replied that they had been 
highly favored, for which he desired to thank God. 'Me next,' 
said the sagacious sagamore, intimating that through his infliience 
this town had been exempted from the calamities that had befallen 
many others." 

In March, 1677, he informed Captain Henchman in Chelms- 
ford that the Mohawks, allies of the French, were not far away, 
and Lieut. Richardson was sent to prevent them from attacking 
the English. 



126 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Wannalancet, with a remnant of his followers, after the 
return of peace, came back to Wamesit, but it was through an 
intrigue of Major Waldron at Dover, where he managed to gather 
about four hundred of them, and take them prisoners, half of 
their number being sold as slaves in the West Indies. Wannalancet 
brought back seven white captives whom he had rescued. The 
Indians were placed under the care of Colonel Jonathan Tyng 
of Dunstable. Wannalancet was a man of simple, native goodness, 
which contrasts favorably with the treatment he received at the 
hands of the whites. 

In 1683 an order was issued awarding £10 to Wannalancet 
and other Indians to silence their complaints concerning a breach 
of the treaty made with them. 

A gratuity of land, besides their wages, was promised the 
soldiers in this war, December 10, 1675. Narraganset Township 
No. 6, now Templeton, Massachusetts, was confirmed by the 
General Coiwt, February 12, 1733, to one hundred and twenty 
grantees, or their representatives, then residing in Chelmsford, 
Concord, Groton, Marlboro', Billerica, Lancaster, Lexington, 
and other towns in this vicinity. 

At the end of the war the plight of the savages was pitiful; 
without ammunition, without leadership, without country or 
hope of any sort, they found no mercy now at the hands of their 
older foes, the Mohegans and Pequots, nor yet the English, says 
Bodge. These hunted down their defenseless enemies, some of 
whom escaped to the eastward and put themselves under the 
protection of Wannalancet and his Pennacooks, who had remained 
neutral. 

The death of Philip was practically the close of the war, 
though hostilities continued for some time after. 

"King PhiUp's War, which was but the beginning of a long 
series of wars which devastated the frontiers, ma}'' be said, properly, 
to end with the treaty of Casco, April 12, 1678." [Windsor.] 
Hostilities continued, however, until the treaty of Portsmouth, 
September 8, 1685. 

On Fast Day, June 6, 1678, the various towns made con- 
tributions for the Canada captives, who had reached Albany. 
Chelmsford gave £2.16. 10. 



CHAPTER III. 

PROVINCE WARS. 

KING WILLIAM'S WAR. 

A RATHER uncertain peace reigned after King Philip's War, 
and continual watchfulness on the part of the English was 
necessary. The accession of William and Mary to the English throne 
occurred in 1689. The King of France espoused the cause of James. 
After the declaration of war, between England and France, began the 
first inter-colonial war, known in America as King William's War. 
The French planned an invasion of Boston and New York. On 
Feb. 8, 1690, a war party came from Canada and burned and 
butchered in Schenectady. The Governor of Massachusetts 
urged the necessity of immediate action and a congress of the 
Colonies was called. Sir William Phips commanded an expedition 
against Acadia in 1690. He took Port Royal, and carried away 
almost everything portable from the Province. His expedition 
against Quebec, the same year, failed. 

The selectmen were ordered to furnish ammunition to their 
respective towns. 

In 1680 Samuel Foster petitioned the Court that he might 
"lay doune his leiftenant place," and the request was granted. 

The same year the Court placed the military forces of 
Chelmsford and neighboring towns under Major Peter Bulkley. 

1682. May 27. Ensign Thomas Addams is appointed to be 
Heft to the ffoot company in Chelmsford, vnder ye comand of 
Capt. Samuel Addams. 

In 1683 John Fiske was appointed ensign to the foot company. 

On November 7, 1685, Samuel Sewall of Boston wrote in his 
diary : "When came home, heard of body of Indians near Chelms- 
ford, 3 or 400. The fears and Rumors concerning them much 
increase. The Indians near Albany; Wonolanset brings the 
news to Chelmsford, and mistrusts of their mischevous designs." 

Boston May ye 10th 1689. 
Wee ye Representatives of the Severall Townes of ye Masitucets 
colony in newingland doe heere by declare in bee halfe of or selfes 
& ye several townes which wee A pere for, viz. for the ensuing yere. 



128 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



the Governer & debety governer & A sistunt Chozen in May 
1686 A ccording too or Charter Rights & ye debeties yeu then 
sent by the freemen of the severall Townes to be ye government 
there Established of ye A bove sayd Colony & that Majr Waite 
Winthrop is Majr Gineroll of our forces, in newingland & untel 
the freemen Renue there [choise] & that iff the present gouerment 
doe desier more A sistenc having enlarged the freemen there 
shall bee A Supply Emediatly maide according to Charter for ye 
Remaineing of the yere A pon ye the daye yt the gineral Cort 
shall A point hopping that all people will rest satisfied tell wee 
have confermation from ye Crown of Ingland which wee dayly 
hope for. 

Thees to testifi ye honered Councel for safety & the Repre- 
sentitives of the severall Townes of ye aboue sayd CoUony ye 
Town of Chelmesford beeing Convened to gether on 13 of May 
1689 according to the honered Councell for safetye dezier ye 
aboue sayd act was severall times red & considered of & Legaly 
voted in the Afermitife , only 2. or 3. desented. 



Signed in the names & 
Consent of the in habitants 
of Chelmsford 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 107, p, 



Samuell foster Senr 
Cornelius Waldo Senr. 
Nathanell Hill 
Solloman Keyes Senr. 

24a.l 



All laws made by the Governor & Company of the Mass. 
Colony that were in force on the 12th day of May 1686 were by 
the convention of Governor and Council and Representatives on 
June 22. 1689 declared to be the laws of the colony and to continue 
in force till further Settlement. 



The 20th of June 1689. 
Thees to sertifi: the Honored Councel in Boston that Sergent 
josiah Richardson was Legalli chosen Captaine. & Sergent James 
Hildreth Legally chosen Lef tenant, & Sergent John Stevens 
Legally chosen Ensigne by ye Towne of Chelmesford 

Test 
Samuell foster Senor 
Joseph Farwill 



The Representatives do allow and 

Confirme the above nomination 

of officers to the Towne of Chelmsford 

Attest Ebenezcr Prout, Clerk. 
Consented to by the Govr and Councill 

Jas Addington, Sec'y. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 107, p. 143.] 



June 27th, 1689. 



June 27 1689 




PLAN OF THE 



CHELMSFORD WATER DISTRICT 

CHEUMSFORD MASS. 

SHOWING 

PIPES, GATE3* MVDRAnTS 



WATER DISTRITT 



J 



PROVINCE WARS 129 

Capt. Thomas Henchman of Chelmsford was apprised of the 
plot against Dover, and sent down a letter of warning to the 
Council at Boston, as follows: 

Hond Sir 

This day 2 Indians came from Pennacook, viz. Job Mara- 
masquand and Peter Muckamug, who report yt damage will 
undoubtedly be done within a few days at Piscataqua, and yt 
Major Waldrons, in particular, is threatened; and Intimates 
fears yt mischief quickly will be done at Dunstable. The Indians 
can give a more particular account to your honor. They say iff 
damage be done, the blame shall not be on them, having given 
a faithful account of what they hear; and are upon that report 
moved to leave yr habitation and corn at Pennacook. Sr, I was 
verry loth to trouble you and to expose myself to the Censure and 
derision of some of the confident people, that ware pleased to 
make sport of what I sent down by Capt. Tom. I am constrained 
from a sense of my duty and from love of my countrymen to 
give the acct. as above. So with my humble service to your 
Honor, and prayers for the safety of an Indangered people, 

I am, Sr, your humble servant Tho: Hinchman. 

June 22 (1689) 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 107, p. 139.] 



This letter was received by Mr. Danforth, and on the 27th 
laid before Gov. Bradstreet and the Council, and a messenger 
was sent to Dover the same day with the following letter to 
Major Waldron, which was received too late to prevent the 
tragedy. 

The messengers were detained at the ferry at Newbury, and 
arrived the day after the attack. 



Boston: 27.: June: 1689 
Honord Sir 

The Governor and Councill haveing this day received a 
Letter from Major Henchman of Chelmsford, that some Indians 
are come unto them, who report that there is a gathering of some 
Indians in or about Penecooke with designe of mischiefe to the 
EngHsh, amongst the said Indians is one Hawkins (Hogkins or 
Kankamagus) is said to be a principle designer, and that they 
have a particiilar designe against yourselfe and Mr. Peter Coffin 
which the Councill thought it necessary presently to dispatch 
Advice thereof to give you notice that you take care of yor own 
Safeguard, they intending endeavour to to betray you on a 
pretention of Trade. Please forthwith to Signify import hereof 



130 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

to Mr. Coffin and others as you shall think necessary, and Advise 
of what Information you may receive at any time of the Indians 
motions. 

By Order in Councill, 

Isa: Addington, Sec'y- 
For Major Richd Walden and Mr. Peter Coffin 
or either of them at.Cocheca with all 
possible [haste] 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 107, p. 144.] 

After midnight the gates of the garrison house were opened 
by the squaws who had asked shelter in the garrison houses. 
The Indians waiting outside rushed in, struck down and bound 
the Major, eighty years old, into his arm-chair, and placed him 
thus on the table, where they mocked him, compelled his family 
to prepare supper for them, slashed the helpless man across the 
breast, saying, "I cross out my account." They then cut off his 
ears and nose and forced them into his mouth, and, when fainting 
from loss of blood, they held his sword under him, upon which 
falling, he expired. Some of the cruelties practiced by the Indians 
are too horrible to relate. Bodge gives a full acount of this 
event — page 316. 

In June, 1689, James Hildreth was confirmed Lieutenant 
of the Foot Company in Chelmsford, and John Stevens, Ensign. 
In 1691, Edward Spaulding was Ensign. 

A bounty not exceeding £10 per head was offered for Indians' 
heads or scalps, respect being had to the quality of the enemy 
taken or destroyed. 

In 1689, June 27, Major Thomas Hinchman was appointed 
Commander in Chief of the Upper Regiment in Middlesex. 

Wednesday, August 28th, the Upper Middlesex Regiment was 
ordered to rendezvous at Chelmsford. 
[Court Records, Vol. VI.] 

hinchman's letter. 

To the Honourable Councill seting in Boston July 12 1689. 

Chemlsford. 
Honourd. & Worshipfull : 

These bring you my humble services, Acquainting you that 
yors bearing date 11th Instant I have received; wherin I under- 
stand the great and eminent danger we are in, upon the account 
of the enemy, or Towne being threatened the next week to be 
assaulted; And not only from what yors expresses; but also, 
what was discovered at Groton, the night before last, the which 



PROVINCE WARS 131 

I understand you have been informed of: And Allso at Dunstable, 
on Thirsday night last towards morning, appeared within view 
of Mr Weldses Garrisson 4 Indians shewed themselves, as Spyes; 
and it is Judged (tho not xHsible) that all the garrissons in said 
Towne were veiwed by the enemy: and that by reason their 
cattle and other creatures were put into a strange ffright. 
Wherefore Honoured and worshipll., I Judge it highly needful 
and necessary that we have relief at this Towne, and that speedily 
of about 20 men or more, for the repulsing the enemy in guarding 
some out places which are considerable, on each side of Marimake, 
As Mr Haward, Varnham, Coburne &c: which otherwise must 
come into us, and leave what they have to the Enemy: or be 
Exposed to the merciles cruelty of bloody and barbarous men. 
Thus Honourd and worshipll., pleas to consider this request as 
highly needfull and necessary and be expeditios in granting the 
same. AllSo, I have ordered of these Troops which are made up 
of Towns which are in danger, 40 at a time to be out upon scouting 
(according to order given me) 'Till the latter end of the next week 
ensving : concerning whom I Jud[g]e it needful and necessary that 
they be released to go home to guard the several Towns they 
belong to. Thus Honoiu"ed and worshippfull pleas to consider 
of and grant the above petitioned things, which I hope and believe 
will be conducible to the saftey and security of vs, and these 
exposed Touns: and highly oblidge, yor most humble Servant 

Thomas Hinchman 
Chebnsford July 12th 1689 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 107, p. 198.] 

Ordered by the Representatives & consented to by the Gov. 
& Council, July 12, 1689, "that 20 men be fourth wth dispatched 
away to Major Henchman to be for the releife of Chelmsford 
farms" &c. 

July 31, Dunstable asked for protection for Samuel Adams' 
corn mill, "without the use of which the Town cannot subsist." 
In August six hundred men were furnished for the frontier towns. 

The General Court ordered the selectmen to furnish ammuni- 
tion to their respective towns. 

In the first number of "Publick Occurences" issued at 
"Boston, Thursday, Sept. 25th. 1690," the oldest newspaper in 
the United States (which was suppressed by the Governor and 
Council four days later, because it "contained Reflections of a 
very high nature.") is the following item: 

"While the barbarous Indians were lurking about Chelmsford, 
there were missing about the beginning of this month a couple 
of Children belonging to a man of that Town, one of them aged 
about eleven, the other aged about nine years, both of them 
supposed to be fallen into the hands of the Indians." 



132 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

hinchman's petition. 

To his Excellency Sr. William Phips, Knt. Capt Generall 
and Govnr. in Chiefe of their Majties Province of the Massachu- 
setts-bay, in Newengland, with the Honod. Council Sitting in 
Boston. 

The Humble petition of Thomas Hinchman of Chelmsford, 
on behalf of himself e, and the Captaines, and Soldiers of the 
Regiment under his Command &c, 

Sheweth, That Wheras yor Petitionr. with his Regiment 
were employed in the Service of the Crown of England, by Com- 
mission and orders from Sr. Edmund Andros. Knt, Late Capt. 
Genii, and Govr. of this their majties Territory & Dominion, 
for the defence of the said Territory against the Common Enemy 
in the yeares 1688 & 1689, there became due to yor Petitionrs 
Considerable Sums for wages and Billeting and other incident 
Charges in the said Service, much of which remaines unpaid to 
this day, which the Continued Alarms from the Enemy ever since 
and the heavy Taxes that have been and still are like to be Imposed 
upon us, render the more intollerable : 

And for as much as there hath never yet been any way stated 
by authority for the adjusting of those accompts — 

Yor Petitionrs do Humbly pray yor Excellency & the Honod 
Council wilbe pleased to appoint and Impower meet persons for 
the Auditing & Adjusting all accompts of wages & Disbtu"smts 
in the said Service for the time aforesaid, within the said Regiment, 
and that speedy and Effectual care may be taken for payment of 
such arreares as shall appeare to be justly due. 

And yor Petitionrs shall ever pray &c 

Tho: Hinchman 

[Probable date, 1692. No record of an answer has been found.] 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 70, p. 168.] 

"Chelmesford November 30. 1691 

A record of the last devision of the town stock of powder 
shot and flints acording to the acount that Decan foster gave to 
the selectmen is as followeth." 

Then are given 89 names; and also these 5 under "Powder 
lent to the garasons and shott as followeth" 
Left. Barett 
Mr Adams 

Mr Haward \ 2 pond pouder & 3 punds shot each, 

insingh Stevens 
Capt Richason 

The longer list includes "Mistres Shone" and "Mistres 
Adams." 

Thomas Chamarling, the second, received three pounds of 
powder, six pounds of shot and six fiints. 



PROVINCE WARS 133 

The amounts given out varied from one to five pounds of 
powder, from one to ten pounds of shot, and from four to ten flints. 

Account of the Number of men now in pay Under Thomas 
Hinchman & where posted. 

Vizt. 

At Lancaster Six men 6 

At Groton Six men 6 

At Dunstable Town Seven men 7 

At Mr Tyng's Garrison Six men 6 

At Nath. Howards Three men 3 

At Edwd. Colbtu-ns four men 4 

At Sergt Vamimi's four men 4 

At Sam. Hunt's Two men 2 

At Chelmsford four men 4 

42 

Of wch number are out of pay, but most of them 1 -« 
ready at a days Warning for service J 

120 

Impressed at sundry times by Warr't. from 
the Governor & Council viz. Sept. 10th. '91 21 men 

Nov. 20 36 men 

Febr. 6 21 men 

July 15. '92 42 men 

In all 120 

They were lately dismissed to ease charges, till futher Orders 
from His Excellency & ordered to be in readiness for service as 
above said. 
Novembr 17th Tho, Hinchman. 

1692 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 70, p. 184.] 

David Jeffries, writing from Boston, Sept : 16, 1692, to Lieut. 
Gov. John Usher, says: — 

* * * ye 14th Inst, at night a Post came to towne fro 
Major. Hinksman wch. gave an acott. of about 80 or 100 Indians, 
yt our scouts, had made discovery of in ye night siting per theire 
fires hammering of slugs for theire gunns — our scouts was soe 
neare them yt they could see ye Indians & heare them talke, 
yesterday morning we had news yt ye Indians had Killed two men 
at Groton. Jera: Bowers is gone out wth about 100 men after 
them * * * 

[Groton in the Indian Wars.] 



134 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



There were nineteen garrisons at Chelmsford, as shown by the 
following Hst : 

SETTLEMENT OF THE GARRISON IN THE WEST REGIMENT OF 
MIDDLESEX. 

Chelmsford, March 16th. 169i 



Jerathmiel Bowers & with him 
J no. Wright 
Ebenezer Wright 
Joseph Wright 
J no. Shipley 
Joseph Parker and 
their familys 

Samuel Butterfield and with him 
Nathaniel Butterfield 
Joseph Hide 8. men 

Benjamin Bagnet 
and their familys 



Andrew Spauldin and 

Ensign Spauldin 

J no. Perrum 



Widdou Stevens 
Solomon Kye 
Solomon Kye Junr. 
Joseph Spauldins 
William Underwood 
and their familys 

Mrs. Adams and with her 
Moses Barnes 
Daniel Waldoe 
James Procter 
Two Souldiers 



15. men 



6: men. 



[Midst of Town] 

Mr. Tho; Clark and wth him 
Abraham Parker 
Moses Parker 

Stephen Peirce 6. men 

J no. Burgess, and 
their familys 



Major Thomas Hincksman 
Thomas Parker 
Benjamin Parker 
i/Daniel Gallusha 

[Great Brook.] 



7. men 



Capt. Josiah Richardson and wth him 
Jno. Spauldin | 

Josiah Richardson 11. men 

Tho; Scot born and 
their familys 

Nathaniel Hill and with him 

Sergeant Samuel Fletcher 1 ^ 
Josiah Cleaveland 7. men 

and their familys J 

[Midst of Town] 

Samuel Foster Deacon 

and his three sons. 
Jno. Parker 6. men 

Jno. Kide. and 

their familys 



13. men 



Jonathan Baratt and 

Lieut Baratt 

Jno. Baratt 
Thomas Core 
Jno. Core 
Samuel Baratt 
Zach; Fair 
Jno. More 
Ambrose Swallow 
James Harwood 



[West End, Elija Richardson place.] 



Moses Baratt, and 
Samuel Gold 
Peter Talbert 
William Power 

Joseph Baratt 9. men 

Thomas Baratt 
Thomas Reed 
Samuel Chamberlain 
& yr. familys 



Joseph Farewell and with him 
Samuel Flechers 

William Flechers 9. men 

Jno. Bates and 
their familys 



PROVINCE WARS 



135 



[Stoney Brook.] 

Jno. Spauldin and wth him 
Benjamin Spauldin 
Joshua Fletcher 
Joseph Butterfield 
Thomas Chamberlain Junr 
Arthur Crouch 
Samuel Underwood 
Joseph Parkis 
Thomas Blogett 
Edward Spauldin 
Samuel Burge 

Mr. Nathaniel Haywood 
and his Man, with 
two Souldiers there 

Posted. 4 men 



[Benj. Haywood's] 



Ephraim Hildrick and wth him 
Lieut Hildrick 



12. men 



Israel Procter 
Pellatiah Adams 
Timothy Adams 
Jonathan Adams 
Jacob Waren 
Jacob Waren Junr 



9. men 



[Nashoba] 



Joseph Hildrick and 
Peter Dill 

James Bowen or Burn (?) 
Water Bower (Power i) 
with their familys 



7. men 



Samuel Varnum and 
Jno. Whittaker 
Jno. Walker 
Ezra Colburn 

3 men (158 Men.) 



10. men 



[West End] 

Robert Proctor and with him 
Thomas Chamberlain 
Thomas Chamberlain Junr 
Abraham Byum 
Peter Procter 
Gershom Procter 

and their familys 
Edward Colburn and with him Jno. Colburn: 
[Original owned by N. H. Hist. Soc] 

In 1889 this was printed by the N. E. Hist. Gen. Society. 
The locahties as indicated within the brackets are by Mr. H. S. 
Perham, who noted on the printed copy that it had been com- 
pared with the original. [See Hinchman's letter, page 166.] 

According to an act of the General Cotirt, March 12, 1694-5, 
inhabitants of the frontier towns were prohibited from deserting 
them without permission on pain of forfeiting their property. 
This included Chelmsford. 

The people had all they could do to obtain a livelihood at 
this time with short crops and attacks by the Indians along the 
frontier near Chelmsford. 

Raids by the Indians had been made on Billerica and Tewks- 
bury, and a number of people killed. Colonel Joseph Lynde with 
three hundred horse and foot scoured the neighborhood, August 24, 
1695, but failed to secure the enemy. He is said to have fortified 
Lynde's hill in Belvidere. He had a guard of forty men at each 
of the three fords between Chelmsford and Andover, and ranged 
the woods "on the northern side of the great swamp," and 
guarded this town. He camped on Prospect hill "that lies between 
Chelmsford and the river." [See his report, Courier-Citizen Hist, 
of Lowell, p. 122.] 



136 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

LIEUT. GOV. WILLIAM STOUGHTON's ORDER TO 
CAPT. JAMES CONVERSE, SEPT. 5, 1695. 

I order That at yoiir next passing over Merrimack with your 
Company towards Dunstable &c That you advise with Maj'r. 
Henchman and Mr Jona Ting concerning the posting yor men in 
the several Frontiers of Dunstable, Bilrica, Chelmsford, Groton, 
Lancaster and Marlboro for the better enforcemt of th Garrisons 
there and maintaining a good brisk Scout for the discovery of the 
Enemy to prevent their annoying of those Towns during the 

Harvest Season 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 51, p. 44.] 

1696. November 19, £10, was granted to Jonathan Tyng 
for journeys and posts to neighboring towns (including two 
journeys to Chelmsford) to settle garrisons. 

Wannalancet died in 1696 and was buried by Jonathan Tyng 
on the Tyng estate. A memorial tablet on a granite boulder to 
mark the spot has been placed by the Massachusetts Society of 
Colonial Dames. [See Old Residents' Contributions, Vols. VI and 

in.] 

PETITION OF JONATHAN TYNG FOR AN ALLOWANCE FOR 
SUPPORTING WANNALANCET. 

To the right Honorle. Wm. Stoughton Esq Lt. Govemr. and 
Comandr In Cheife, &c: together with ye Hond Council and ye 
Representatives assembled in Genii Court, now setting in Boston 
May ye 27, 1697 

The pettetion of Jonathan Ting of Dunstable Humbley 
Sheweth, 

That some time in ye yeare (1692) Wanalanset ye Indian 
Sagamore (belonging to patucket vpon Merremack) came in to 
dunstab with some other Jndians, and a flagg of truce, and sd 
Sagamore was desirous to stay with ye English, ye other Jndians 
promised to come again, but did not, this being before Wm phipps 
his arivall, your petetetior In formed ye then Govemmt. brought 
sd Sagamore to ye Hond. Mr Danford, who ordered him to be kept 
At ye prison in Cambridge, where he remained for some time, 
ye sd Sagamore petetioned that he might be removed to your 
petetioner's hous, upon sd Wm's Arival & addressd his Excelencey 
concerning this Matter who ordered him back to Dunstable to 
your petetionrs hous and orded me to supply him with nessessary 
provisions & promised it should be payd out of ye public, your 
petetionr also pd his expenses coming to Boston and his retume, 
Kept him with food and good pt of his cloathing for almost four 
years, who then dyed. I was also at some small charge to bury 
him, he haveing shewed him selfe friendly to ye English, in the 
former warr and now, authorety would not suffer him now in his 
old age to be J 11 treated. 



PROVINCE WARS 137 

My prayer to this Hononrle Court is yt you would please 
to ordr. me out of the publick tresury of ye province some meet 
compensation for my aforsd exspence, which I dispensed pr ordr 
of Authorety. 

So shall yoiu- pettetionr pray &c. 

£20. allowed Tyng. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 426.] 

[This Petition is written in the hand of the Rev. Thomas Clarke.] 

To ye honrable ye Lft Governr. Council & 

Representatives in Generall Cort assembled. 

The hiunble petition of the Inhabitts. of Chelmsford sheweth 
That whereas yor petitioners have been ever forward to the 
paymt of all ye publiq Assesmts for the support of his majestys 
Governmt, maintenance of ye warr &c as in duty wee were bound 
but by reason of the long continuance of the warr and the Enemys 
making greater assawlts & Depredations upon these frontier pts 
& our daily fears of being Invaded wch puts us upon still greater 
charges of building and repairing oux fortifications, being also 
exposed to extream diflficultys & Hazards in managing our hus- 
bandry, it having also pleased god to cut us very short in ovir harvest 
of late years (altho thro his great compassion wee hope wee have 
this year sufficient to maintain life) having also siiffered great 
losses in Hay by fires, so that ye estate of the Town is much 
exhausted by these means & because these accumtilated calamitys 
& a prospect of greater have driven away no less than ten familys 
not onely out of the Town but most of them out of province, 
(many more being upon the wing) which weakens and much 
discourages us, wee do therefore (being desirous yet to maintain 
our station in this one flourishing Town) & not without grateful 
acknowledgmts of ye care yt hath been taken for our defence, 
(wch through gods blessing wee have found ye benefit of) presume 
to spread before your honrs our distressing circumstances; & to 
supplicate himibly yt the wisdom & clemency of this honrable 
Generll Cort shall appear meet, to whose pleasure wee humbly 
submit & upon whose fatherly compassions wee cast ourselves, 
praying God almightys presence & blessing may crown all your 
pubHqe managmts. 
Chelmsford 
12th. Oct. 1697 

Thomas Clark Nataniell Hill ) 

Thomas Hinchman Et Ceteris Joseph Farwell Senr [ Selectmen 
Samll flfoster Senr Steven Peirce J 

Edward Spaulding left 
Will, fifletcher 

We have Requested Capt Bowers or Representative humbly 
to prefer this petition for us 

Octr. 19th. 1697 Read Joseph heldreth Constable. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 70, p. 358.] 



138 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1698 various towns were reinforced for the defence of the 
frontier. Eight men were ordered to Chelmsford. The Council 
advised that there be forthwith a levy made of 150 soldiers in two 
companies, one to be posted on the frontiers about Chelmsford, 
Groton and Lancaster, the other about Andover, Haverhill and 
Amesbury. An assault was expected along the Merrimack. Jo 
English brought word that about seventy French and Indians 
were on the way from Canada, sixteen of them to attack Deerfield , 
and the rest to strike the river towns. 
[Acts and Resolves, Vol. VIII.] 

RESOLVE ALLOWING £6 TO JOSEPH ENGLISH. 

Resolved By ye House of Representatives that Joseph 
English an Indian escaping from Frentch Captivity and makeing 
his way home giveing intelligence of ye motions of the Enemy with 
intent to doe mischiefe upon ye Frontiers at this tyme that there 
be six pounds drawn out of the Publique treasurie & put into ye 
hands of Majr. James Converse & Capt. Jerathmell Bowers to 
be by ym improved for to suply sd Indian & his wife & children 
with cloathing as a Recompence for his good Seruas 

June 14. 1698 

(Council Concurred) 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 437a.] 

King William's war, called an unrighteous war, brought only 
disaster, sorrow and desolation to the English settlements. It 
came to an end in 1697 by the treaty of Ryswick, by which Acadia 
was restored to France. 

QUEEN ANNE'S WAR. 

This war began in 1702 when England declared war against 
France and Spain. The French had the sympathy of the New 
England Indians, who made constant vigilence necessary in the 
frontier settlements to guard against raids and massacres. "For 
the first time the Indians were well armed and guided by a superior 
intelligence." 

The war ended in 1713 by the treaty of Utrecht. Newfound- 
land and Acadia came into the possession of England, whose 
prestige was strengthened in North America. 

1702. November 19. A bill was passed providing snow- 
shoes for the men of the frontier towns at the charge of the 
Province. The Indians were more active and troublesome in 



PROVINCE WARS 139 

the winter, and companies were organized for service upon the 
snow. William Tyng commanded the first Massachusetts com- 
pany, and received for services from December 28 to January 25, 
1703-4, £71 .11.0, 25 shillings of which was paid toa "chyrugion." 
The company brought back five scalps and received as bounty 
£200. In the Granite State Magazine, Vol. I, is a list, with 
personal sketches, of forty-four men in this company, who, in 1735, 
with sixteen others named, were the grantees of Tyngstown, which 
included the greater part of the present Manchester, N. H. The 
adjustment of the province line in 1741 voided this charter, and 
Massachusetts gave the grantees the township now Wilton, 
Maine. The sketches of men who were born or lived in Chelms- 
ford are here given: 

1. John Shepley, son of John, was born in Chelmsford, 
Mass., in 1677. A few years later the family removed to Groton, 
Mass., where the father, mother and all the children except 
John were killed by the Indians, July 27, 1694. John, then 
seventeen years of age, was carried into captivity where he re- 
mained three and one-half years, when he returned to Groton. 
In memory of the massacre of his kindred, undoubtedly he was 
a willing recruit in Captain Tyng's company. Subsequently he 
was prominent in the town and church affairs of Groton. He was 
a representative nine years. He died September 14, 1736. Among 
his descendants is the late Ether Shepley, a former United States 
Senator and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maine. 

2. Joseph Parker, Groton, son of Capt. Joseph and Margaret 
Parker, was born in Chelmsford, March 30, 1653. The family 
removed to Dunstable in 1675, where Joseph, Sr., was a constable 
seven years. Joseph, Jr., had considerable experience in Indian 
warfare. He removed from Dunstable to Groton and there 
died about 1725, leaving a large estate. 

10. Joseph Perham, Groton, son of John and Lydia (Shepley) 
Perham, was born in Chelmsford, December 22, 1669. He lived 
in Dunstable and, by revision of town lines, in Nottingham West, 
now Hudson. At the time of his service in Captain Tyng's 
company he was a resident of Groton. 

11. Joseph Butterfield, Dunstable, son of Joseph and 
Lydia (Ballard) Butterfield, was born in Chelmsford, June 6, 1680. 
He removed early in life to Dunstable, living in the section of the 
town now Tyngsborough, where he died in 1757. His daughter, 
Deborah, was the wife of Col. Samuel Moor of Litchfield. 



140 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

12. John Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Andrew and Hannah 
(Jefts) Spalding, was bom August 20, 1682. He lived through 
life in Chelmsford. He died March 7, 1760. 

13. John Spalding, Jr., Chelmsford, son of John and Hannah 
(Hale) Spalding, was born in Chelmsford, February 15, 1659. 
Late in life he removed to Plainfield, Conn. His son, Samuel, 
born August 5, 1686, represented his father's interests in Tyngs- 
town. 

14. Henry Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Andrew and 
Hannah (Jefts) Spalding, was born November 2, 1680. He was 
a brother of No. 12. He married a daughter of Thomas Lund, Sr. 

16. Ebenezer Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Lieut. Edward 
and Margaret (Barrett) Spalding, was bom January 13, 1683. 
He lived in Chelmsford and later in Nottingham West, now 
Hudson. 

17. Samuel Davis, Groton, son of Samuel and Mary Davis, 
was bom in Groton, January 8, 1669-70. He removed from 
Groton to Chelmsford in 1707. Many of his descendants have 
resided in New Hampshire. 

22. Nathaniel Butterfield, Chelmsford, son of Nathaniel 
and Deborah (Underwood) Butterfield, was born about 1676 
[1673]. He lived in Chelmsford, where he died in 1749. 

23. Jonathan Butterfield, Chelmsford, was probably a 
son of Nathaniel and Deborah (Underwood) Butterfield, and a 
brother of No. 22. 

26. Jonathan Parker, Chelmsford, son of John and Mary 
Parker, was bom in Chelmsford, January 2, 1683. His right 
appears to have been improved by Thomas Parker. I do not 
find that he had a son Thomas but he had a brother of that name. 

27. Peter Talbot [or Talbird], Chelmsford, was an emigrant 
from England. He lived several years in Dorchester, but at the 
time of his service in the snow-shoe company, under Capt. William 
Tyng, he was a resident of Chelmsford. At that time he must 
have been fully fifty years of age. His right in the township 
was given to his son, George Talbot, who lived several years in 
Stoughton. 

28. Stephen Keyes, Chelmsford. There is no record of 
his birth and it has been thought that he probably was a son of 
Elias Keyes of Sudbury. He received land in Chelmsford in the 
right of Solomon Keyes, and it is possible he was a son of Solomon 



PROVINCE WARS 141 

and Frances (Grant) Keyes. He was married March 7, 1706, 
by Jonathan Tyng, Esq., to Anna Robbins. He died in 
Chelmsford, February 6, 1714. 

29. Benoni Perham, Chelmsford, lived in Chelmsford. He 
was living in 1722 and died a short time after that date [1723]. 
His son, Samuel, represented his interest in the grant of Tyngs- 
town. 

32. Josiah Richardson, Chelmsford, son of Capt. Josiah 
and Remembrance (Underwood) Richardson, was born in Chelms- 
ford May 18, 1665. He was a town clerk and selectman of Chelms- 
ford, where he died October 17, 1711. His wife was a daughter 
of Deacon John Blanchard. 

36. Henry Farwell, son of Henry Farwell of Chelmsford. 
Mass., was bom about 1665. He was one of the early settlers 
of Dunstable. In the later years of Queen Anne's war his house 
was one of the seven garrisons in Dunstable. His son, Oliver 
was one of the victims of the Indian ambush at Naticook, 
September 5, 1724. His son, Josiah, was a lieutenant in Captain 
Lovewell's Company, and was killed by the Indians in the fight 
at Pigwacket, May 8, 1725. 

38. John Richardson, Chelmsford, son of Capt. Josiah 
and Remembrance (Underwood) Richardson, was a brother of 
No. 32. Josiah Richardson was born in Chelmsford, February 14, 
1669-70, where he died September 13, 1746. 

40. Ephraim Hildreth, Chehnsford, removed from Chelms- 
ford to Dracut in 1712, and there died September 26, 1740. He 
was town clerk of Dracut, a major of the militia, and an active man 
in town and business affairs. He was one of the proprietors of 
Concord and an influential factor among the proprietors of 
T3mgstown. At one time he was the owner of the saw-mill. 

41. Samuel Chamberlain, Chelmsford, son of Thomas and 
Sarah (Proctor) Chamberlain, was born in Chelmsford, January 
11, 1679. He was a prominent citizen and styled Capt. 
Samuel Chamberlain in Chelmsford records. He died April 12, 
1767. There was a Samuel Chamberlain of about the same age, 
a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Chamberlain, who was styled in 
Chelmsford records Lieut. Samuel Chamberlain. The Tyngstown 
proprietors' records call the grantee Capt. Samuel Chamberlain, 
which makes it reasonably certain that the Samuel first named was 
the soldier and grantee. 



142 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

42. Stephen Pierce, Chelmsford, son of Stephen and Tabitha 
(Parker) Pierce and grandson of Thomas Pierce of Woburn, was 
born in Chelmsford in 1678. He lived in Chelmsford and was 
the owner of many acres of land. He died September 9, 1749- 
This Stephen Pierce was the grandfather of Gov. Benjamin Pierce 
of Hillsborough, who was the father of President Franklin Pierce. 

43. Timothy Spalding, Chelmsford, son of John and Hanna 
(Hale) Spalding, was born about 1676. He lived in the part of 
Chelmsford now Westford, where he died April 14, 1763. He 
was a brother of No. 13. 

44. Paul Fletcher, Chelmsford, was the son of Joshua. 
His father was twice married: First, in 1668, to Gussies Jewell; 
second, in 1682, to Sarah Willey. I cannot state which of the 
wives was the mother of Paul. The Fletcher genealogy states 
that Paul Fletcher was a snow-shoe man in 1724. The date is 
an error. 

45. Judge John Tyng, son of Major William and Lucy 
(Clarke) Tyng, born in Chelmsford, January 28, 1704-5, and 
graduated from Harvard University in 1725. He lived in 
Tyngsboro', where he died in 1797, aged ninety- two years. He wais 
a colonel of the militia, a representative of Dunstable, Mass., 
which then included Tyngsboro', and speaker of the house. He 
was a delegate to the convention at Boston, in 1768, "for the 
preservation of the public peace and safety," and a delegate to 
the Provincial Congress, which assembled at Cambridge and 
Watertown in 1775, but he is best known as a judge of the courts 
of Middlesex county, which office he held many years. 

46. Col. Eleazer Tyng, Dunstable, son of Col. Jonathan and 
Sarah (Usher) Tyng, was born in the part of Dunstable now called 
Tyngsboro', April 30, 1690, and graduated at Harvard University 
in 1712. He was a magistrate and a colonel; an active and useful 
man. He was buried in the Tyng burial ground, about one mile 
below Tyngsboro' Village. Upon a broad, horizontal tablet is 
inscribed, "Underneath are entombed the remains of Eleazer 
Tyng, Esq., who died May 21, 1782, aged 92; Mrs. Sarah Tyng, 
who died May 23, 1753, aged 59; John Alford Tyng, Esq., who 
died Sept. 4, 1775, aged 44." John Alford Tyng, Esq., was a son 
of Colonel Eleazer. Fox's Dunstable is in error in calling him 
Judge Tyng. The judge, John Tyng, is No. 45. 

47. Thomas Colburn, son of Edward Colbum of Chelmsford, 
was born in 1674. He lived in Dunstable, where he died Novem- 



PROVINCE WARS 143 

ber 2, 1770. The committee of the General Court were instructed 
to admit six men who served under Capt. John Lovewell and were 
omitted in the grants of Pembroke, N. H., and Petersham, Mass. 
In the same connection there appears in the Massachusetts 
Archives the petition of Zaccheus Lovewell, Thomas Colburn, 
Peter Powers, Josiah Cummings, Henry Farwell, Jr., and Nicholas 
Crosby, alleging that they served against the Indian enemy 
under Captain Lovewell, either on his first or second march, and 
that all the other soldiers of Captain Lovewell 's companies have 
been rewarded in grants of land. Thomas Colburn appears to 
have been the only one of the six petitioners who was made a 
grantee of Tyngstown. 

48. John Colburn, Dunstable, son of John and grandson 
of Edward Colburn, was born in Dunstable. John, the father 
died December 1, 1700, and John, the son, was the representative 
of his grandfather, Edward Colburn of Chelmsford, who was killed 
in an ambuscade in King Philip's war. 

51. Jonas Clark, Esq., Chelmsford, son of Rev. Thomas 
Clark of Chelmsford, was born December 20, 1684. He was a 
colonel and a magistrate. Several meetings of the proprietors 
of Tyngstown were held at his house in Chelmsford. He died 
April 8, 1770. His sister, Lucy or Lucia, was the wife of Major 
William Tyng, and his sister Elizabeth married Rev. John 
Hancock of Lexington, and was grandmother of Gov. John 
Hancock, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. 

53. Thomas Parker and William Reed. In a description 
of lands belonging to this right, the first name is written "Rev. 
Mr. Thomas Parker." He was a son of Josiah Parker of Groton, 
Woburn and Cambridge, and he was born in Cambridge, December 
7, 1700. He graduated from Harvard University in 1718. At 
nineteen years of age he was ordained and installed over the 
church in Dracut early in 1720, and there labored and preached 
until his death, March 18, 1765. He attended several of the 
meetings of the proprietors, and was moderator of one or more 
meetings. 

William Read, the joint owner of this right, without doubt, 
was William Read of Chelmsford, son of Thomas Read, and was 
bom about 1688. He married Hannah Bates and lived in 
Chelmsford. Among his children were Robert Read of Amherst 
and Col. William Read of Litchfield, in whose honor Reed's Ferry 
was named. This family generally wrote the name Read, while 
the ferry is written Reed's Ferry. 



144 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

57. Jonathan Hart well, Chelmsford, son of John and 
Elizabeth (Wright) Hartwell, was bom in Concord, February 
15, 1691-2. He lived several years in Chelmsford and, by division 
of the town, in Westford. He died in Littleton, October 18, 1778. 
The father, John, and his brother, William, were soldiers in King 
Philip's war. The heirs of William were grantees of Templeton, 
Mass. Jonathan Hartwell probably was admitted a grantee on 
account of the service of his father. See the clause in the grant 
relative to soldiers "at the Fort Fight or Long March in the 
Narragansett War." 

Col. Jonathan Tyng had three sons who grew to manhood: 

First, John, born in 1673, graduated from Harvard Universit}' 
in 1691, and immediately went to England where he soon died. 

Second, William, born April 22, 1679, was in the service 
almost continuously from 1703 until his death. He married Lucy 
Clark, a daughter of Rev. Thomas Clark, and settled in Chelms- 
ford, He was a representative to the General Court from that 
town in 1707, and in the service was promoted, 1709, to major. 
In the summer of 1710, while in command of a battalion between 
Groton and Lancaster, he was mortally wounded by the Indians. 
He was carried to Concord for medical attendance, and there 
died a few days later [Aug. 16]. This date is confinned by probate 
records, and in the will of the father. Col. Jonathan Tyng, written 
a few years later, he makes mention of his deceased sons, John and 
William. 

Third, Eleazer, born April 30, 1690, graduated from Harvard 
University in 1712 and was commissioned colonel in 1724. He 
was an influential and honored citizen of Dunstable. 

Governor Dudley wrote from Cambridge to Major Lane, 
November 5, 1702: "Sir, I desire you with two of your troops 
to repayr to the touns of Marlboro', Lancaster, Groten, Chelms- 
ford and Dunstable, and there deliver severally the letters given 
you, and encourage the officers in their duty, agreeable to the 
several directions . . Let the officers in the several towns 

use all prudence not to make the first breach 

[Hazen's Billerica, p. 136.] 




JVORTH ( IlKl.MSI OllD 1 IIU: DISTRICT, 
IVORTH ( HFJ..M8I ORl), \L\SS. 



DcccnacR , I907 



I 



PROVINCE WARS 145 

LETTER OF COLONEL TYNG. 

Capt. Lane. 

these are to order you forthwith to give out your warrant 
to your soldiers in Chebnsford to watch two in a night & the 
Day following at the wadeing place at Wamesit & to continue in 
jrt service till they have gone Round: The Soldiers are to keep 
at the said wading place till they are Relieved as the custom hath 
been by Capt. Bowers men 

Jonathan Tyng, Col. 
Dunst. 
3 Sept. 1703. 
[Original among papers of A. E. Brown, Bedford.] 

1703, November 26, £40 was allowed out of the Province 
treasury for each scalp of the Indian enemy above ten years of age. 
All Indians taken under that age were to be owned or sold by their 
captors. 

Supplies of bread were sent to Concord, Chelmsford, and 
neighboring places for the marching soldiers on the expedition 
to the north. 

In 1704 six hundred pairs of snow-shoes and "Mogginsons" 
were proxdded. Chelmsford and Captain William Tyng's company 
were the special objects of revenge on the part of the French and 
Indians. 

Dr. Green, in "Groton in the Indian Wars," quotes Pen- 
hallow's account of Butteriield's experience, among other instances 
of cruel treatment by the Indians: 

"A third was of Samuel Butterfield, who being sent to Groton 
as a soldier, was with others attackt, as they were gathering in 
the Harvest; his bravery was such, that he Kill'd one and wounded 
another, but being overpower'd by strength, was forc'd to submit; 
and it hapned that the slain Indian was a Sagamore, and of great 
dexterity in War, which caused matter of Lamentation, and 
enrag'd them to such a degree that they vow'd the utmost revenge ; 
Some were for whipping him to Death; others for burning him 
alive; but differing in their Sentiments, they submitted the Issue 
to the Squaw Widow, concluding she would determine something 
very dreadful, but when the matter was opened, and the Fact 
considered, her Spirits were so moderate as to make no other 
reply, than, "Fortune L'guare." Upon which some were uneasy; 
to whom she answered. If by Killing him, you can bring my 
Husband to life again, I beg you to study what Death you please; 
but if not let him be my Servant; which he accordingly was, 
during his Captivity, and had favour shown him." 



146 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

Dr. Green continues: The account of Butterfield's case was 
in substance originall}'^ printed in a pamphlet entitled "A Memorial 
of the Present Deplorable State of New England (1707) — now of 
great rarity, — which appeared twenty years before Judge Pen- 
hallow's History was published. This pamphlet has since been 
reprinted in the introduction to the sixth volume, fifth series, of 
the "Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society." The 
account is as follows: A man had Valiantly Killed an Indian or 
two before the Salvages took him. He was next morning to 
undergo an horrible Death, whereof the Manner and the Torture 
was to be assigned by the Widow Squa of the Dead Indian. 
The French Priests told him, they had indeavoured to direct 
the Tygres from ther bloody Intention, but could not prevail 
with them; he must prepare for the terrible Execution. His 
cries to God were hard, and heard; when the Sentence of the 
Squa, was demanded, quite contrary to Every ones Expectation, 
and the Revengeful Inclination so usual and well-Known among 
these Creatures, she only said. His Death won't fetch my Husband 
to Life; Do nothing to him ! So nothing was done to him. 

Butterfield remained a captive for more than a year. It is 
not known how he obtained his release. 

butterfield's petition. 

To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Capt General and 
Governor in Chief To the Honoble the Council and House of 
Representatives now in General Assembly convened at Boston — 
within & for her Majesties Province of the Massachuts Bay 
April 10. 1706. 

The Humble Petition of Samuel Butterfield — Sheweth 

That yor. Petitioner is an Jnhabitant of the Town of Chelms- 
ford, and in the month of August 1704, when the Enemy came 
upon Nashoway & Groton &c, yor. Petitioner (with others) was 
sent out by the Capt Jerathmel Bowers to Groton to assist Col. 
Taylor, where yor Petitioner being ordered out with some others 
to Guard a man who was going to work in the field, the Enemy 
came upon them, Killed one man and took yor. Petitioner and 
one other Prisoner, Tho yor. Petitioner made all the resistance 
possible. Killed one and Knocked down two more after they 
had seized him, for which yor Petitioner was cruelly used by 
them afterwards & threatened to be burnt, several times. May 
it please this great and Generall Assembly yor Petitioner was very 
well accoutred in all respects when he was taken. And then was 
stript of all and was between fourteen and fifteen months a Captive 
exposed to great hardships, and has sustained great loss and 
Damage. 

Yor. Petitioner therefore humbly prays the fa\'or of this great 
and General Assembly to take the premises into yor serious 



PROVINCE WARS 147 

Consideration and Grant him such recompence for his Losses 
and sufferings as a foresd, as to yor wisdom and goodness shall 
seem meet. 

And yor Petitioner (as in duty bound) shall ever pray &c 

Samuel Butterfield 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 71, p. 196.] 

Acts & Resolves. Vol. VIII. Chapter 48. 
Resolved that there be allow 'd and paid out of the publick 
treasiiry to John Shipley of Groton, and Samuel Butterfield, the 
sum of four pounds, each, for the scalp of one of the Indian enemy, 
being a man by them killed at Groton aforesaid in the summer 
past [1704] and that no other or further siun be allowed for Killing 
the said Indian. (Allowed as a special gratuity, he being not 
entitled to demand the statute bounty.) 

Chapter 107. (Taken Prisoner while in the Queen's Service.) 
Upon reading the petition of Samuel Butterfield setting forth 
his being taken Captive by the Indian enemy, cruelly used and 
strip 'd of all, having Killed one of them after they had seized him — 
Resolved that the sum of Five Pounds be Allowed, & Paid out of 
the Publick Treasury to Samuel Butterfield the Petitioner in 
Consideration of his Losse & seivice. 

In the Journal of the Rev. John Pike of Dover, N. H., is the 
following : 

1706, July 3. Captain Pearson's troops at supper were 
surprised by Indians marching to Dunstable. Jacob Galusha, 
a Dutchman, his house assaulted by Indians. The house was 
burned and some persons were killed, and some escaped. 

July 27. Lt. Butterfield and his wife, riding between 
Dunstable and some other town [returning home to Chelmsford], 
had their horse shot down by the enemy. The man escaped, 
the woman was taken, and Jo. English, a friendly Indian in 
company with them, was at the same time slain. 
[Coll. N. H. H. Soc, Vol. III.] 

In Vol. VIII of the Acts and Resolves it is stated that a band 
or bands of hostile savages, apparently those who perpetrated the 
outrages above described, infested for several days the region 
extending from Chelmsford to Exeter, N. H. 

Jo English was much distinguished for his attachment to the 
white settlers. 

Penhallow records: July 21, 1706, several strokes were 
afterwards made on Chelmsford, Sudbury and Groton. 

Chelmsford names on a list of men who went to Lancaster, 
Aug. 4, 1704, to "inforce Major Taylor," and had received nothing 
for provision. 



148 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Henery Spaldinge, Benjamin Adams, Edward Spalding, 
John Swolow. [Lane papers.] 

"The Names of the men that went the roun[d]s with Major 
Lane." No date. 

Henry Spalding, John Swolow, John Barit, also six Billerica 
men and as many officers. [Lane papers.] 

Another list headed by the name of Capt Lane, no date. 
30 Billerica men with officers. 7 Groton and Dracut men. 

Chelmsford men: Edward Spalding, Henery Spalding, John 
Swalo, Samull Chamberlain, Benoy Perham, Samull Barron, 
Samull Sady, Jonathan Hill, Roland Flechard, John Barit, Joseph 
Hilldrath. [Lane papers.] 

Another list has these names: 

Benony Perhame, Benjamin Adams, Samuell Barron, Henery 
Spalding, John Swalow. [Lane papers.] 

In the Archives, Vol. 71, page 105, is the petition of William 
Tjmg, stating that just before the mischief was done at Lancaster, 
by his Excellency's order he was going from Boston by Dunstable 
to Lancaster on his own horse which he turned into a pastiire, 
and in the morning the Indians drove the horse into the woods 
and killed and ate him. Also that John Spalding, a young man 
and good soldier, was killed and his gun taken by the Indians. 
The gun was his father's, who was very poor. (Nov. 18, 1704.) 
On page 138 Jonathan Tyng asks to be paid for 42 pair of snow- 
shoes; also 43 pair at 5 shillings a pair; also hired 12 pair at 2 
shillings a pair. He was granted £42. 9. 0. 

To his Excy ye Gouernor and Hond Councill & Reprsentatiues 
now in Generall Court Assembled in Boston: Novr. 3d. 1704. 
The humble motion of Jonathan Tynge, of Dunstable Sheweth 
That whereas yor petitionr, by vertue of an order from his Excell- 
ency ye Gournr for the takeing Care that prsuant to ye Direction 
of ye Generall Assembly there Should be Erected and built four 
Blockhouses upon Merimack River In Complyance where wth, 
he hath procured ye Same to be done and perfected, the Same 
being all in ye County of Middx — vizt one in Billerica, Two in 
Chelmsford, and one in Dunstable for ye which according to his 
agreemt wth Sundry prsons for ye same he Stands obliged to pay 
them Six pounds apeice, ye whole amounting to Twenty four 
pounds, 

Humbly prayes That yor Excelency and ye Honbl 
Councill & Reprsentatiues, would please to grant An order 
that he may be paid out of ye Province Treasury the Said 
Sum, that he may Satisfy ye Workmen there wth as he Stands 
obliged. 

And as in Duty bound Shall 
pray Jonathan Tyng : 



PROVINCE WARS 149 

In the House of Representatives 
Novr: 3: 1704 Read and Ordered That the Praier of this Petition 
be Granted, and the Sum of Twenty four Pounds be Allowed 
& Paid out of the pubhck Treasury to Jonathan Tytig Esqr. 
accordingly. 
Sent up for Concurrence. lams. Converse Speaker 

In Council. 
Read and Concurrd. 

Isa : Addington Sectry. 
[Indorsed] Jona. Tyng Esqr. Allowed 

£24. for four blockhouses 
Erected on Merrimack River 
past Novr. 1704. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 71, p. 83.] 



TYNG S LETTER. 



For Capt. William Tyng at Boston. 

Son Tyng I met ym this day at Chelmsford: I had at 
Chelmsford 30 pr : of Rackets : at my house 42 pr : at Groton 6 pr : 
beside them yt were brought there of Capt Willards providing, 
of those about 30 may be fit for a long march & 40 may be service- 
able for scouting with riging up, the rest are lost and not fit for 
any servis: 

I am yr loving ffather 



Jonath Tyng 



Jime ye 14. 1705. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 71, p. 139.] 



1706. "A list of the Names of yr. Troopers which serued 
vnder my comand to the releefe of Dunstable July the fourth 
seventeen htmdred & six: Being seventy nine men two days with 
theire sustenance." 

28 names are given; including these of Chelmsford: 
Edward Spoldin, Samll. Chamberlin, Benone Periham, John 
Colbom, James Ehitton. [Lane papers.] 



1706. "Those which served under me in my march to Groton 
& Dunstable & Drawcut from the 11th of August to the 13th by 
Command from his Exelencj'- are as followeth & served 3 days and 
found thir own sustenance." 

20 names are given : among them : 

Edward Spoldin, Benone Periham, Samll. Sady, Samll. Barren, 
Henery Spolden, Samll. Chamberlin. [Lane papers.] 



150 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



1708. 
Chelmsford names on the Muster Roll of John Lane's Com- 
pany. 24 Billerica names are followed by these : 
John Swolow Centinel Aug. 30. Sept. 4. 6 days 

Samuel Sady 

Samuel Chamberlin " " " 

Henery Spaldin " " " 

Benony Periam " «< «« 

Eephrim Hildreth " " " 

JohnBaritt " " " 

Thomas Tarbell " |' '' 

Simon Stone " 

SamuU Parker " " " 

William Nutting " .. *. 

[Lane papers. A. B. Cutler, Bedford. Copied by Henry A. Hazen 
for H. S. Perham.] 

Soldiers were "for their encouragement" paid seven shillings 
for the first cost of their snow shoes and mogginsons, and two 
shillings a year afterwards from the year ITIL 

DUMMER'S WAR. 

In August, 1723, Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, then 
acting Governor of the Province, ordered detachments of from 
three to six men from the several frontier towns to range the 
woods, as the Indians were still in a threatening attitude. Groton, 
Dunstable and Lancaster were then more on the frontier than 
Chelmsford, but this town was still necessarily watchful, and 
contributed men for the service. A number of men (some of 
them prominent) who are credited to other towns were born in 
Chelmsford. 

In Dummer's, or Lovewell's, War, snow-shoe companies were 
raised in all the towns lying upon Merrimack river, says Allen, 
page 182. These companies were minute men, equipt with snow- 
shoes and fire arms, &c., holding themselves in readiness to go on 
scouting parties in pursuit of the Indians at the moment of alarm. 

The following constituted the snow-shoe company in Chelms- 
ford in 1724; under the command of Captain Robert Richardson 
and Lieutenant Joseph Parker: 

Paul Fletcher, Samuel Fletcher, Joseph Keyes, Henry Stevens, 
Robert Peirce, Josiah Spaulding, Zacharias Richardson, Nathan 
Proctor, Matthias Cowdrey, John Proctor, Jr., Benjamin Robbins, 
John Buttcrfield, James Burn, Benjamin Chamberlain, Benjamin 
Goold, Moses Graves, Timothy Spaulding, Phineas Spaulding, v, 
Joseph Underwood, Jacob Blodget, Ebenezer Parker, Joseph 
Warren, Jr., Jonathan Parker, Joseph Fletcher, Jonathan Spauld- 



J 



PROVINCE WARS 151 

ing, James Kidder, Ezekiel Keyes, Edward Foster, Benjamin 
Parker, John Spaulding, John Corey, Jonathan Hildreth, Josiah 
Birge, Simon Rummery, Daniel Blodget, Henry Spaulding, 
Jonathan Cummings, Thomas Reed, Joseph Foster. 

JOSEPH Parker's commission. 

William Dummer, Esq., Lieut. Governor and Commander in 
Chief in and over his Majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay in 
New-England. 

To Joseph Parker, Gent: — Greeting. 

By virtue of the power and authority in and by his Majesty's 
Commission to me granted, to be Lieutenant Governor &c., I do 
by these presents, reposing especial trust and confidence in your 
loyalty, courage and good conduct, constitute and appoint you 
the said Joseph Parker to be Lieutenant of a company of snow- 
shoe-men, and of those that are appointed to be in readiness to 
issue out against the Indian enemy and rebels upon any alarm 
or attack; whereof Robert Richardson is Captain, in the regiment 
of Militia in the county of Middlesex, whereof EleazerTyng, Esq., 
is Colonel. You are therefore diligently and faithfully to dis- 
charge the duties of a Lieutenant, &c. 

Given under my hand and seal at arms at Boston, 5th day 
February, in the Eleventh year of the reign of his Majesty, King 
George. A. D. 1724. 

Wm. Dummer. 
[Allen, p. 183.] 

CAPTAIN Richardson's certificate. 

May it Please your honores By Virtue of an order from Coll. 
Eleazer Tjmg I have drawn out of my company Thirteen able 
bodyed men well fitted with snow shoes and moggasons according 
to the order of ye General Court and I desire the money may be 
paid to Robert Richardson Capt. over said snow shoemen to be 
repaid by him to his men. 

Your humble Servant 

Jonth Richardson, Capt. 
Chelmsford 
Feby. 22, 1724/5 
[Msssachusetts Archives, Vol. 72, p. 218.] 

The following rolls contain Chelmsford names : 

A Muster Roll of the Company in His Majesty's Service 

under the Command of Captain [1724?]: 

Jonathan Butterfield, Sergt., Dunstable; Joseph Richardson, 

Centinel; Joseph Bassow, Joseph Chamberlain, Wm. Chamberlain, 



152 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Benj. Blochet, Timo. Spaulding, Wm. Spaulding, Zach. Spaulding 
(servant to John Davis), David Procter, John Hildrake, Joseph 
Reed, Nath. Emerson, Benj. Smith, Henry Farwell, Heny. Wright, 
Wm. Jeffs (serv't to John Spaulding), Zach. Cobum, John Coburn, 
Thos. Coburn, Jno. Peirce, John Wright, John Procter, Thos. 
Lane, Wm. Richardson, Thos. Chamberlain, Zach. Stevens, 
Wm. Gasson (servt to Benj. Robbins). 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, pp. 66, 67.] 

Another Roll, probably 1724: 

John Foott, Capt.; Joseph Varnum, 13/4 per week; Benj. 
Kidder, Centinel, 10/ per week; Ephraim Corey; Ebenezer Frost, 
John Farmer, Wm. French, sons under age; Obediah Parker, 
Josiah Wright, Jonathan Wright, Eben Wright, James Kidder, 
Jona. Snow, John Barrot. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, pp. 66, 67.] 

Read and committed. House of Rep. June 18. 1724 : 
Jabez Fairbank, Capt.; Jona. Butterfield, Sentinel; Jno. 

Barret, Ebenr. Virgin, Benj. Chamberlain, Jona. Heldreth. 

These are all Chelmsford names. 

[Ibid, Vol. 91.] 

A list of soldiers dismissed. In Col. Tyng's Company. 
Nov. 3. 1724: 

Wm. Spaulding, Edw. Winn, Benj Baldwin, Saml. Barron, 
Nich Danforth, Wm. Jeffs, Saml. Winn, Ephraim Spaulding. 

Those who remained in ye service : 

Lt. Joseph Blanchard, En. Jonathan Butterfield, John Snow, 
Henry Keyes, Eph. Chandler, Wm. Proctor, Eph. Corey, Eph. 
Barrot, Saml. Adams, Wm. Boyd, Joshua Reed, Jona. Wright, 
John Wilson, Henry Richardson, Jos. Butterfield, Jos. Whittemore, 
Josiah Richardson. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, pp. 124, 126.] 

Sept. 13. 1724. Powder, bullets, and flints were delivered 
out by the Military officers of Chelmsford. 24 men received 
from half a jill to a pint of powder, from 6 to 18 bullets and 2 to 
4 flints 

PETITION OF CHELMSFORD CAPTAINS. 

To ye Honourable William Dimimer Esq. Lieut Govemour 
in Chief and over his Majesties province of the Massachusets 
bay in New England. The petition of us ye Subscribers Humbly 
sheweth that where as Merrymacke River is at present being 
exceeding low and thereby ye Town of Chelmsford is very 
Exceedingly endangred and we humbly pray your honour we 



PROVINCE WARS 



15S 



may be allowed a Scout of men to Scout upon said River and 
other exposed part of the Town for about ye space of Two months 
from ye date hereof as in Duty bound Your humble Petitioners 
shall ever pray. 

Chelmsford June ye 23, 1725. Jonathan Richardson Captains for 

Jonas Clark Chelmsford. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 72, p. 247.] 

Chelmsford men in the Company of Capt Joseph Blanchard 



of Dunstable. 1725: 
John Walker, 
Thomas Spaulden, 
Samuel Barron, 
Jonathan Spaulden, 
Benj Kidder, 
Wm. Spaulden, 
John Corey, 
Zechariah Emery, 
James Bum, 
James Kidder 
Benj Smith, 
Gersham Proctor, 
The Captain 

" Lieut. 

" Ensign 

" Sergt. 

" Pilot 

" Surgeon 

" Clerk 

" Centinel 



centinel receivd 28 / per week 
28/ ■ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
28/ 
50/ 
40/ 
32/6 
32/6 
32/6 
40/ 
32/6 
28/ 



[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, p. 169.] 

Chelmsford men under Capt. Eleazer Tyng of Dunstable 
from June 10 to Nov. 10, 1725: 

Jona. Butterfield, Lieut.; Eph. Cory, Corp.; Henry Keyes, 
Corp. ; Thos. Chamberlain, Jo. Chamberlain, John Bowers, 
Jona. Bowers, Aaron Hubbard, Alexander Kelsy, Josiah Cory, 
Robt. Miers, Jona. Spaulding, Benj. Blodget, Nathan Cross, 
Jabez Davis, John Usher, Benj. Chamberlain, Eph. Barrot, 
Saml. Adams, John Williams, Centinels; Robert Dickie, John 
Wright, John Kerkin, Samuel Lennox, John Kerkin, Tho. Bixby, 
Thomas Bixby, Moses Colbum, Ebr. Virgin. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, p. 193.] 



1725. Under Capt Joseph Heath, 
ford] . (Same at Richmond Fort.) 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, p. 254.^ 



James Coller [of Chelms- 



154 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

On the 8th of May, 1725, occurred the famous Lovewell's 
fight. On April 15th Capt. John Lovewell of Dunstable with 
forty-seven well-armed men (Green: Groton during the Indian 
wars, says thirty-four were in the fight) set out to travel more 
than two hundred miles to attack the Pequawkets under Paugus, 
their Sachem, whose headquarters were on the Saco river in 
what is now Fryeburg, Maine, named for the English Chaplain, 
Jonathan Frye, of Andover, one of Lovewell's men who was slain. 
Of this party Lieut. Jonathan Robbins, and Solomon Keyes were 
bom in Chelmsford, as was John Chamberlain who killed Paugus . 
(Nason: Hist.-Dunstable says, "Paugus was probably killed by 
Ensign Wyman.") The parents of Chamberlain were Thomas and 
Elizabeth ; his father was a carpenter and miller. John was born 
March 29, 1692. Solomon Keyes was born May 11, 1701, son of 
Solomon, son of Solomon. Mr. H. S. Perham quotes Parkman 
[see "The Wamesit Purchase," Old Res. Contributions] : "Solomon 
Keyes of Billerica received two wounds, but fought on till a third 
shot struck him. He then crawled up to Wyman in the heat 
of the fight, and told him that he, Keyes, was a dead man, but 
that the Indians should not get his scalp if he could help.it. 
Creeping along the sandy edge of the pond, he chanced to find a 
stranded canoe, pushed it afloat, rolled himself into it, and drifted 
away before the wind." Fortunately a favoring breeze wafted 
him across the lake, and notwithstanding his wounds, he succeeded 
in reaching the stockade. There he found several others of the 
survivers with whom he set out through the wilderness for Dun- 
stable, which they managed to reach six days later. The brave 
and hardy Keyes recovered from his wounds but was killed in 
battle thirty years later at Lake George while commanding a 
company from Western (now Warren), Mass. Why he was 
credited to Billerica does not appear. Hazen's History of 
Billerica gives no evidence of such a name there until it appeared 
upon their tax list in 1749. Hodgman, the Westford historian, 
claims him for that town. We will make the claim for Chelmsford, 
where we find his early home at Wamesit, and the name upon 
the tax list until after the date of Lovewell's fight. 

Joseph Farrar (son of George, son of Jacob, son of Jacob), 
bom Feb. 28, 1694, married in 1715, and settled in Chehnsford. 
He was in Lovewell's fight, where his cousin Jacob was killed. 
He died about 1731. [John P. Farrar, of Lynn.] 



. 



PROVINCE WARS 155 

Lieut. Jonathan Robbins was a native of Chelmsford born in 
that part of the town which was afterwards annexed to Carlisle. 
After sunset the enemy drew off and left the field to the English , 
who assembling themselves and examining their situation, about 
midnight, Robbins and Usher were found unable to travel. 
Robbins desired his companions to charge his gun and leave it 
with him, which they did; he declaring that "as the Indians will 
come in the morning to scalp me, I will kill one more of them 
if I can." [Coll. Top. Hist, and Biog., Concord, N. H., 1822.] 

"Paugus their chief and several other Indians were known 
to Lovewell's men. They frequently conversed with each other 
during the engagement. In the course of the battle Paugus and 
John Chamberlain, a native of Chelmsford, discoursed familiarly 
with each other: Their guns had become foul from frequent 
firing: they washed their guns at the pond, and the latter assured 
Paugus that he should kill him: Paugus also menaced him, and 
bid defiance to his insinuations ; *It is you or I,' he said. In loading, 
the bullet of Paugus lodged in about the center of his gun, which 
obliged him to draw his ram-rod. This gave Chamberlain the 
advantage. He fired first and Paugus fell." [Ibid.] 

Green in "Groton during the Indian Wars," says: "Paugus 
had nearly finished loading his gun, and was priming it from the 
powder-horn, when Chamberlain struck the breach of his own 
gun on the ground, causing it to prime itself, and in this way got 
the start of his Indian foe." 

The whole story of this famous battle is full of interest, and 
may be read in the Memoirs and Sermon of Rev. Thomas Symmes 
and in various histories. Several ballads on the event became 
very popular, and Captain Lovewell, who was killed, became a 
great hero. He was a brave and adventurous leader. This 
battle ended the war, and the Pequawkets removed to Canada. 

COMMISSION. 

PROVINCE OF THE \ JONATHAN BELCHER, ESQ; 

MASSACHUSETTS-BAY. / Captain General and GO VERNOUR. 

in Chief in and over His Majesty's 
Province of the Massachusetts-Bay 
in New-England, &c. 

To John Butterfield Gentleman Greeting. 

By Virtue of the Power and Authority, in and by His Majesty's 
Royal Comission to Me granted, to be Captain General &c. over 
this His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay aforesaid: 




156 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

I do (by these Presents) reposing especial Trust and Confidence 
in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, constitute and 
appoint you the said 

John Butterfield to be Capt. of a Troop of hors in the 

Rigment of hors in the County of Middlesex 

wharc of Joseph Varnum Esq. is Colonel 

this Troop was the forst Troop in Colonel 

Tyngs Rigment. 

You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty 

of a Capt in Leading, Ordering and Exercising said Troop in 

Arms, both Inferiour Officers and Soldiers; and to keep them 

in good Order and Discipline; hereby commanding them to Obey 

you as their Capt. and yourSelf to observe and follow such Orders 

and Instructions, as you shall from time to time receive from Me, 

or the Commander in Chief for the Time being, or other your 

Superiour Officers for His Majesty's Service, according to Military 

Rules and Discipline, pursuant to the Trust Reposed in you. 

Given under My Hand and Seal at Arms, 
atBOSTON,the 15 Day of November 

In the Eleventh Year of the Reign of His 
Majesty KING. GEORGE the Second. 

Annoque Domini 1737. 
J. Belcher. 
By His Excellency's 
Command, 

J. Willard Secty. 
[Original in the Adams Library.] 



SERVICE IN THE WEST INDIES. 

The war between England and Spain was declared with due 
solemnity in Boston, April 21, 1740. New England raised about 
1,000 men to join the fleet of Admiral Vernon in the West Indies. 
Winsor says scarce a hundred of them ever returned. 

1740. August 27. A list of Persons as are Entered as 
Volunteers in His Majesties Service in the West Indies under the 
Command of Capt. John Prescott. 

Time of 
Persons Names Of what Town Age Calling Enlisting 

Oliver Spaulding Chelmsford 29 Husbandman July 15. 
Ephraim Fletcher " 30 Labourer July 14. 

(Only Chelmsford names are here given.) 

Other rolls are headed "Expedition against the Spaniards in 
Cuba," or "Expedition against ye Spanish West Indies." 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 91, p. 333.] 



PROVINCE WARS 167 

1742. Names on a roll of Edward Tyng's Co.: 

Samuel Cleveland (carpenter), Eb. Howard, Joseph Glover, 

Moses Cleveland, Jona. Waldo, Robt. Moores, Eb. Moores, Saml. 

Warren, James Nutting, Richard Richardson, Peter Reed, Geo. 

Reed, Jos. Richardson. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 92, p. 5.] 

Chelmsford Men in Phineas Stevens' Company: 

Josiah Parker, Wm. Haywood, Joseph Bloggett, Danl. Crosby, 

Thos. Clark, Benj. Corey, John Fletcher, Peter Fletcher, Josiah 

Foster, Josiah Hill, Isaac Parker, Joshua Reid, Chas. Stevens, 

Moses Walker. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 92, p. 85.] 



KING GEORGE'S WAR. 

War was declared between England and France in 1744. 
Peace was again restored by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 
1748, which was really a mere truce in the long contest for 
supremacy in America. 

In 1745 about four thousand Massachusetts, New Hampshire 
and Connecticut men went against Louisburg, the French port 
on the island of Cape Breton, and captured the fortifications 
which had been twenty-five years in building, and were the 
most formidable in America. Commodore Warren, the English 
naval commander in the West Indies, furnished ships for the 
convoy of the troops. The treaty restored Louisburg to the 
French. The attack planned the next year against the French 
at Crown Point came to nothing. The mutual restoration of all 
conquests by the treaty of 1748, which meant Louisburg given 
back to the French without the consent of the Americans, was one 
of the causes of dissatisfaction on the part of the Colonists which 
led eventually to a desire for separation from the mother country . 

1748, December 24. The Commissary General was directed 
to deliver to Capt. Saml. Chamberlayne a Gun out of the Province 
store for the use of Ebenczer Foster in place of one he furnished 
his son, a soldier in the public service, and which was taken from 
him by the Indian enemy, also 

1749, January 3, a gun and £10. for the use of Henry Stevens, 
Jr. in consideration of his loss of time and sufferings occasioned 
by his being taken prisoner by the enemy, while in the Province 
service. 

[Acts and Resolves, Vol. 14, p. 199.] 



158 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"Wm. Blodget and divers others, Inhabitants of Chelmsford, 
were granted the use of an island in the Merrimack containing 
3 /8 of an acre for the privilege and conveniency of fishing. 

[Ibid, Vol. 15, p. 625.] 



Isaac Parker in service at No. 4, April, 1746, was taken captive 
and a gun taken from him. which he valued at £16. £4 was 
allowed him. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 39.] 



Zacheus Blodgett in Capt. Hartwell's Company was killed 
by the Indians in 1748. His brother Oliver asked the Province 
Treasurer to pay the wages of Zacheus to Capt. John Colbum of 
Dracut. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 405.] 



1748. Phineas Stevens' Company: 

Phineas Stevens, Capt.; Elias Alexander, Lieut.; John Burk' 
Sergt. ; Caleb Howe, Sergt. ; James Johnson, Clerk; Josiah Parker. 
Corp.; William Haywood, Corp.; Bildad Andrews, Surgeon; 
Benjamin Allen, Centinel; Nathaniel Andrews, Isaac Aplin, 
David Burr, Joseph Bloggett, Titus Belling, Robert Barber, 
Daniel Crosby, William Cranney, Thomas Carpenter, Thomas 
Clark, Benjamin Corey, Robert Campbell, Eleazor Davis, John 
Dodd, John Fletcher, Peter Fletcher, Josiah Foster, David Fams- 
worth, Joshua Gerry, Daniel Gray, Squier Goff, Jonathan Gray, 
James Cowin, Samuel Holmes, Eleazer Hotton, Isaiah Hills, 
John Henry, James Holding, Stephen Johnson, Forbes Hibble, 
John Meeden, Daniel McKinney, Isaac Parker, Joseph Perry, 
Noah Paine, Benjamin Paine, Ephraime Powers, Eleasar Priest, 
Joseph Russell, Joseph Rutlin, Peter Russell, Joshua Reid, 
Ebenezcr Scott, Charles Stevens, John Stevenson, John Summers, 
Josiah Suddock, Thomas Terry, Joshua Train, Joseph Wilson, 
Mathew Wyman, Moses Walker. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 92, p. 85.] 



1748. Elisha Hawley's Company: 

Ebenezer Gould, Corporal, Chelmsford; Oliver Barret, 
Centinel, Dracut; Thomas Blodget, Chelmsford; Nathaniel Hunt, 
Dracut; Eliseus Barron, Dracut; John Corey, Billerica; Joseph 
Bates, Dracut. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 92, p. 90^] 



PROVINCE WARS 159 

Capt. John Catlin's Co. 1748. Due to the following men 

[Scouts] for their travehng Home: 

Jonathan Farwell 80 miles 10 shillings 

Henry Snow 80 10 

John "Parker 60 7/6 

Samuel Adams 80 10 

David Bates 80 10 

Jonathan Parker 60 7/6 

Moses Parker 100 12 

Josiah Parker 60 7 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 28.] 

Capt. Eleazer Melvin's Co. : 

Thomas Byam, Nath. Butterfield, Caleb Bean, Benj. Byam, 
Andrew Hutchins, Thomas Hutchins. All Chelmsford names. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 136.] 

1748. Josiah Willard's dismissed men: 
Peter Fletcher, Eb. Fletcher, Timothy Fletcher, Benj. Barrett. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 92, p. 185.] 



ORDERS TO THE TREASURER. 

In the House of Rep'ives Jany 12, 1748 Ordered that the 
Treasurer be directed to pay Nathaniel Richardson or Order the 
Wages due upon muster Roll to his son Joseph Richardson dec'd 
who was Killed in the Service of the Province, the sd Nathaniel to 
be accountable to any admr. that shall be appted. upon the Estate 
of the Dec'd. 

Sent up for concurrence 
Attt. Roland Cotton Cler. Dom. Rep. 
In Council Jan 13, 1748. 

Read & Concurred Consented to 

J. Willard Secy. W. Shirley. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 325.] 

In the House of Reo'ives. April 7, 1749. 
In as much as Zacheus Blogget a soldier in the service of the 
Province was slain by the Indian Enemy the last summer, and He 
ha\'ing left no other Estate than the Wages due from the Province : 
Therefore Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to Pay sd. 
Wages to Capt Saml Chamberlayne to be by him paid among the 
Brethren and Sisters of the Dec'd according to Law. 

Sent up for concurrence, 

T. Hutchinson Dep. Sec. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 403.] 



160 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Lunenburg February the 8th. 1748 

These may Certify that Zacheus Blodgett was the last summer 

in His Majesties Service under my Command as he is bom upon 

my last Muster role who was Killed by the Indian Enemy the fifth 

Day of July last. 

Attest Edward Hartwell. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 404.] 



PETITION OF EBENEZER FOSTER. JR. 

To his Excellency William Shirley Esq. 
Province of the 1 Govemour and Commander in Chief — 

Massachusetts Bay j the Honble his Majesties Council and 
House of Representatives in General Court 
Assembled Nov. 1748. 
The Petition of Ebenezer Foster, Jr. of Chelmsford Himibly 
Sheweth 

That Reuben Walker a Servant to your Petitioner was 
Impressed into his majesties Service and being under the Command 
of Capt. Josiah Willard was Captivated by the Enemy and Lost 
a gim of the value of Twelve pounds and the Property of your 
Petitioner who Prays that he may be allowed for the same. 

Samll Chamberlin 
in behalf of the Petitioner 

In the House of Rep'ives Dec. 23, 1748 

Read and in answer ordered that the Commissary Genl be 
directed to deliver to Capt. Saml Chamberlayne a gun out of the 
Province Store for the Use of the Petitioner. Sent up for Con- 
currence T. Hutchinson, Spkr, 

J. Willard Secy. 
In Council Dec. 24, 1748 Consented to 

Read & Concurred. W. Thirlbey. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 267.] 

John Henry of Lawful Age Testifieth that he was Taken 
Captive in July Last by the Indian Enemy at the same time when 
Reuben Walker was Taken and that he was well Knowing that 
the said Walker lost his gun he seeing it several times after in 
the Enemies hand and further saith not. 
Concord Nov. 25th. 1748 John Henery. 

Middlesex SS Nov. 25th. 1748. 

The above named John Henry personally appearing made 
oath to the truth of what is above written before me 

James Minot Just. Peace 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 268.] 





EFFIGY OK EBENEZKK BRIDGE 



HEZEKIAH PACKARD 





WILKES ALLEN 



JOHN PARKHURST 



PROVINCE WARS 161 

PETITION OF HENRY STEVENS, JR. 

To His Honour Spencer Phips Esg. 
Province of the Lieutenant Governer, Captain General 

Massachusetts & Commander in Chief of the Province 

Bay &ca. aforesaid, the Honoble His Majesty's 

Council and House of Representatives in 

General Court Assembled at Boston 

on the Twenty second Day of November 

Anno Domini 1749. 

The Petition of Henry Stevens junr. of Chelmsford in the County 

of Middlesex, Humbly Sheweth, 

That, he on the sixteenth Day of June A. D. 1748 Then a 
Soldier in the Service of the sd. Province under the Command of 
Capt Josiah Willard, was, at Fort Dummer, captivated by the 
Indians, stripped of what he had with him, and canned to Quebec, 
where he arrived the first Da}'- of July next following, and im- 
prisoned until the 27th Day of August then next, and from thence 
taken and put on board a French Man of War, which was about 
to sail as a Flag of Truce to Cape Briton: That on his Passage 
from Quebec to Cape Briton (where he arrived about the middle 
of September following) he was taken very sick of a Fever, and 
continuing so at his arrival, was put into the Hospital, and there 
detained by his sickness until the 14th of October following, 
before he was able to take Passage for New England (being there 
sometime longer than his Fellow Captives) from thence he then 
sailed, and arrived at Home in Chelmsford aforesd. the 12th 
Day of November following. And that he while in Captivity 
aforesaid suffered great Hardships & Distresses & ca. 

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honour and 
Honours would be pleased to grant him his full Wages out of the 
Treasury of this Province from the Time he was taken until he 
arrived at Home aforesaid, and a proper allowance for his Gun 
(of the Value of Fifteen Pounds Old Tenor Bills) which the Indians 
took from him when taken. 

And also that he may be reimbursed the sum of Ten Pounds 
Old Tenor Bills, which he was obliged to pay for his Passage 
from Cape Briton (he not being able otherways to procure the 
same) who as in duty bound Shallever pray. 

Henry Steavins, Junr. 
In the House of Rep'ives. Deer. 22 1749 

Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to pay to Capt. 
Chamberlayne Rep'ive. of Chelmsford for the use of the Petr. the 
sum of ten pounds in consideration of his loss of time, sufferings &c 

Ordered also that the Commissary Genl. be directed to deliver 
said Chamberlayne for the use aforesaid a Gun out of the Province 

Sent up for Concurrence 
Attt Roland Cotton Cler. Dom. Rep. 
In Council Jan 3 1749 Read and Concurred 
Sam Holbrook Dep Sec 

Consented to S. Phips 
M assachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 565.] 



162 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 

This was the fourth intercolonial war and the last and most 
severe of the struggles between the English and French colonies. 
It began in May, 1754 and ended in February, 1763. The Indians, 
as usual, took an important part in this war. After the capture 
of Louisburg (1745), the French had become aggressive. In 
1754 they seized the English fort at the forks of the Ohio, and 
Braddock's defeat took place the following year. Besides this 
expedition against Fort Du Quesne, others were to proceed 
against Niagara and Crown Point. Lord Loudon failed to take 
Louisburg in 1757, but General Amherst succeeded in 1758, and 
the power of France in America declined rapidly. The reader 
must look elsewhere for the fate of Ticonderoga, of Fort William 
Henry, and the events which took place on our northern boundaries. 
A tragic feature of this war was the expulsion by the British of the 
Acadians from Nova Scotia, justified on the grounds of military 
necessity. More than a thousand, about one-seventh of the 
whole number carried away, were brought to Massachusetts, 
to be for years a burden on the public. [See Longfellow's 
"Evangeline," and Parkman's "Half Century of Conflict."] 

Encouraged by success the Colonists, with England, set out 
to accomplish the total reduction of Canada, which by the treaty 
of Paris was ceded to England in 1763. 

Chelmsford names on a bill for £848 : 8 : 0. 

The Province of Massachusetts Bay to John Winslow, Dr. 
To cash paid by himself and Major Frye out of his money to the 
Sundry Soldiers Inlisted in his Regiment. June, 1754. 

Of Capt. Melvin's Co. : 

Benj. Byam, Gordon Hutchins, Benj. Barrot, Joseph Butter- 
field, Simon Farrar, Caleb Bean, Thos. Byam, Andrew Hutchins, 
Solomon Kidder, Wm. Shed, Benj. Hutchins, Timothy Fletcher, 
Nat. Butterfield, Thos. Hutchins, Richard Burge. 

Of Capt. Hobb's Co. : 

Benj. Correy, Oliver Blodgctt, John Blazdell, Jonas Parker, 
Leonard Parker. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 139a.] 

1754. In defense of the Eastern Frontiers: 

Eleazer Melvin, Capt., Concord; Centinels Thos. Byam, 
Nat. Butterfield, Caleb Bean (servant to Saml. Chamberlain), 
Benj. Byam, Andrew Hutchins, Thos. Hutchins, all of Chelmsford. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, pp. 136-7.] 



PROVINCE WARS 163 

1754. Company for defence of Eastern Frontiers, Capt. 
John Fox. This roll contains the name of Charles Barron, 
Chelmsford. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 131.] 

1754. In Capt. Humphry Hobb's Co. were: 

Oliver Barron, Oliver Blodgett, Patrick Rogers, John Blazdell, 

all of Chelmsford. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 133.] 

DEPOSITION. 

The Deposition of Jonathan Butterfield and Oliver Blodget, 

both of Lawfull age Testifie & say that being in Company 

with Jonathan Snow & Samuel Butterfield on the head Branches 
of Little Androscoggin River, on Monday the nineteenth of this 
Inst. May. We the Deponts parted with ye said Jona. & Samll, 
& agreed to meet each other at ye place of our departure on ye 
Wednesday following if our business would allow of it, if not to 
meet there without fail if alive & well on Saturday following, 
accordingl}^ our business not allowing to go on Wednesday we 
went on Saturday, but on our return about three miles before 
we came to the place of meeting on a Small Brook we Trackt 
seven Indians (as we then supposed) and coming to the camp we 
found the said Jonathan (as we judged) Kill'd & Scalpt, lying 
out of ye Camp and covered with a Bark. The Deponant Jonathan 
saith as he was viewing the Dead Body (which was very much 
cut & stab'd) the Depont Oliver told me he heard some noise & 
disired I would draw of, that we might make our escape which we 
did and upon our Return to North Yarmouth when we had got 
about eight miles we Trackt about the same number which were 
travelling down towards the English settlement. The Deponts 
say that they judge the person was killed some days before they 
came to the Camp and that they found the shoes of said Snow 
and the bullet bag of the said Samuel in the Camp. And a 
wooden spit stuck in the ground, with a mogasin hung on the end 
of it pointing towards the North West. And further say not. 

Jonathan Buterfield 
Oliver Blodget. 
Sworn May 27, 1755. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 32, p. 613.] 

Sept 22 1755 Men in Expedition against Crown Point. 
Col. Eleazer Tyng's Reg't. : 

Troopers Stephen Adams, John Foster, Wm. Pirce, Peter 
Spaulding, Nathaniel Butorfield, John Foster, Joseph Barret, 
Samuel Stevens, Juner, Gideon Fletcher, Isaiah Spaulding, Samuel 
Fletcher, Joseph Done [Dtmn], Jobe Spaulding. Josiah Richard- 
son, Muster-Master. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 194.] 



164 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Jonathan Butterfields Company. 1755: 

Stephen Adams, Ensign; Saml. Stevens, Peter Spavilding, 
Edw. Spaulding, Simeon Gould, Nat. Butterfield, Joseph Dunn, 
Gideon Fletcher, Job Spaulding, Joseph Barratt, Saml. Fletcher, 
Wm. Barratt, Oliver Spaulding. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 59.] 

A Return of Gov. Shirley's Companies. Nov. 28. 1755. 
Chelmsford Names: 

Major Jedediah Preble's Company on board the Sea Flower 
and Three Friends: 

Age Born. Last Residence, occupation. 

Jona. Howard. Private .35 Chensford Berwick Tanner 



Capt Humphry Hobb's 
Phoenix : 



Co on board Three Friends and 



Capt Enoch Bayley's Co: 

Age Born. 
John Parry Private 20 Boston 



Capt Elijah Willard's Co: 
Age 



Nathl. Foster 
Saml. Foster 
Andrew Hutchins 
Eliakim Hutchins 



Corporal 25 

Private 25 

25 

22 



Born. 
Chilmsford 



Last Residence, occupation- 
Chelmsford Housewright 



Last Residence, occupation. 

Chelmsford Husbandman 
" Labourer 

" Husbandman 

" Labourer 





Age 


Born. Last Residence, occupation. 


Eleazer Stevens 


Private 24 


Chensford 


Chensford Labourer 


Patrick Rogers 


22 


Wexford 


" " 


John Warrin 


21 


Chensford 


" " 


Benj. Kemp 


22 


" 


" Cooper 


John Blasdall 


22 


" 


" " 


Jacob Farmer 


41 


Bilricka 


" Labourer 


Benja. Byam 


21 


Chelsford 


Chilsford Cooper 


Thos. Byara 


40 


" 


" Cordwainer . 


Ezekiel Davis 


18 


Newton 


Chemsford Labourer 


Jere Frost 


19 


Bilricka 


" " 


Benj Chamberlain 


18 


Chensford 


" " 


Benj Fletcher 


17 


Bilricka 


" " 


Abraham Cummings 


21 


Notingham 


" Smith 


Capt Phineas Osgood's Co on board the Sloop Swan & Jolley: 




Age 


Born. 


Last Residence, occupation. 


Nathl. Butterfield 


Private 42 


Chelmsford 


Chelmsford Husbandman 


Ebenezer Kiterage 


23 


" 


1. i< 


Zebadiah Corey 


22 


" 


Billerica Cordwainer 


Wm Correy 


22 


" 


Concord Cooper 


Lieut Col George Scott's 


Co: 






Age 


Born. 


Last Residence, occupation. 


Nehem. Varnuni 


Private 19 


Dracut 


Chelmsford Labourer 


Maj Joseph Frye's Co : 








Age 


Born. 


Last Residence, occupation- • 


Abner Keys 


Private 17 


Chelmsford 


Chelmsford Blacksmith 


Daniel Stevens 


18 


" 


" Yeoman 



I 



PROVINCE WARS 165 

Capt Ephraim Jones' Co: 

Age Born. Last Residence, occupation. 

Saml. Cowdry Private 20 Chelmsford Chelmsford Labourer 

Jona Shed " 45 " Pepperel Yeoman 

[Winslow's Journal. Mass. Hist. Soc] 

Captains Adams, Hobbs and Osgood were with Col. Winslow 
atOrandPre. SeeParkman's"Montcalmand Wolfe," Vol. l,p.270. 
Col. Edmund Goffe petitioned the Governor for compensation for 
himself and Henry Blaisdell whom he had appointed "to be 
surgeon to the said forces." 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 72, pp. 169-172.] 

In Capt. Saml. Preston's Company of Littleton. Served 
Aug 11, 1755 to Jan 1. 1756. Travel from Albany to Littleton. 
180 miles, 12 days. 

John Spaulding, Clerk; Privates Oliver Spaulding, John 
Mansfield, Henry Spaulding, all of Chelmsford. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 65.] 

Capt Jonathan Butterfield's Co. : 

Benj. Abbitt, Charles Barron, Simeon Corey, Robert Butter- 
field, Eb. Butterfield, Benj. Manning, James Button, John 
Warren, Isaac Proctor, Benj. Butterfield, Nat. Butterfield, Wm. 
Bowers. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 185.] 

Chelmsford men under command of John Reed & Beniah 
Young. Expedition to Crown Point from Mch. 30, 1755 to Jan. 
5. 1756. Travel from Albany. 20 to 30 weeks service. 

Jonathan Barron, Left.; Moses Parker, Sargt., later Ensign; 
Reuben Corey, Corp., later Sargt.; Joshua Atwood, Private, later 
Corp.; Privates Charles Barron, Isaac Warren, Elisha Procter, 
Asai Marten, Joshua Snow, John Parker, Jacob Parker, James 
Emery. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 105.] 



166 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



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PROVINCE WARS 



167 



Capt Butterfield's Company. Mustered. Oct. 11, 1756: 
Robt. Butterfield, sick, Sergt.; Benj. Hoagg, sick, Corp.; 
Benj. Butterfield, Corp.; Nat. Butterfield, dead; Wm. Bowers, 
sick; Zebulon Buttman, sick; Simeon Corey, dead; James Dutton, 
Ambross Emery, Nathaniel Langley, dead; Benj. Manning, sick; 
Isaac Procter and Simeon Roby, sick at Albany. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 458.] 

Capt Bayley's Co. : 
Jacob Blasedell and Moses Blasedell. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 458.] 



LIST OF THE ACADIANS CARED FOR IN CHELMSFORD. 

Chehnsford Oct 24, 1757. 
In obedience & pursuant to an Order of the Great and General 
Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, made & passed 
the 21st Day of January A. D. 1757 

The following is a true list of the several French Persons 
names in the Town of Chelmsford, the amount of their age sex 
& the circimistances of their Health & capacity for Labour. 

The Number of Frence are seventeen. 
Aged. 

62yrs. 
60 weekly & unable to labour 
& labouring under the misfortune 
of a broken arm & the charges 
there of now, 
22 able to Labour. 
20 Sickly & not able to Labour. 
18 able to Labour. 
16 " 

29 Sickly & not able to Labour. 
29 able to Labour 



Vizt. Names 
Jean Landrie a man 
Maudlin his wife 



Paul Landrie his son 

Charles Do Do 

Simon 

Asam 

Charles Trawhorn a man 

Tithorne his wife 

Mary their daughter 

Maudlin " 

Joseph " son 

Grigwire " " 

Margaret " Daughter 

Joseph Landrie a son of the sd 

Jean Landrie 

Maudlin his wife 

Jean their son 

Murray Maudlin their daughter 5 months 



4 sickly 

3 

: 7 months 

26 years Healthy & able to Labour. 

26 " " 

2 years sickly & weakly. 



David Spaulding 
Daniel Proctor 
Henry Spaulding 
Jonas Adams 
Andrew Fletcher 



Selectmen 

of 
Chelmsford. 



168 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

December 4, 1758, there were reported two more, Joseph and 
Paul, grandsons of Jean Landrie, twins, six weeks old, sicldy. 

The Town Records show many items of expense for the 
support of these people, such as rye and Indian meal, shuger, 
beef, mutton, salt pork, peas, syder, rhumb, biscake, fire-wood, and 
medical attendance. They were well taken care of, but of course 
suffered much from home-sickness, loss of friends and property, 
and other things incidental to their sad fate. In one instance 
one of the French is paid by the town for assistance rendered by 
him to his less fortunate companions in exile, as appears by the 
following :—" Joseph Landrie for time spent in moving Jane 
Landrie and wife with their goods from David Spaulding's to 
Ephraim Warrens and for going twice to Dunstable about a 
nurse for said Jane Landrie and wife when sick, five shillings and 
four pence," and David Spaulding is paid for his "cart and oxen 
to move the French from his own house to Ephraim Warren's." 

The Province accounts show items such as the following : 
June 14, 1758. Allowed to the Selectmen of Chelmsford for 

supporting French Neutrals, £25.2.51. 

Jan. 17, 1759. Allowed to the Selectmen of Chelmsford for 

supporting French Neutrals, £42.2.6^. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 136, p. 517.] 

An account was rendered by the Town from time to time to 
the secretary of the Province of the expense which had been 
inciured in their support. The following record shows that the 
Town was wholly, or in part, reimbursed: 

"Chelmsford, April 27, 1761. 

At a meeting of the Major part of the Selectmen it was agreed 
upon and ordered that Oliver Fletcher, Esq., pay to Mr. Samuel 
Perham, Town Treasurer for the Town of Chelmsford for the 
year A. D. 1761, the Stun of twenty nine Pounds eight shillings 
and two pence lawful money, which the sd. Oliver received of 
Harrison Gray, Esq., Province Treasurer, a Grant made to the 
Town of Chelmsford for their last account exhibited for supporting 
Jean Landrie and Family in this Town, which grant was made on 
or about the first of April currant. £29-8-2." 

The fall of Fort William Henry in 1757 occasioned great 
alarm throughout the colony, and troops were hastily organized 
in the different towns to repel the threatened invasion. In 
August the Sheriffs were ordered by the Governor "to keep 
watch over French, and not allow them too great liberty at this 
critical juncture, as in consequence of the surrender of Fort 
William Henry and the attack of Fort Edward, the issue of which 
is uncertain." 

In 1760 Charles Trawhom and family were moved from 
Chelmsford to Concord by order of a committee of the General 
Court. While in this Town they lived in the house of "John 
Blazedel." 



PROVINCE WARS 169 

In regard to the treatment of those Acadeans who "sojourned" 
in Massachusetts, Gov. Hutchinson wrote that "many of them 
went through great hardships, but in general they were treated 
with humanity." We cannot but hope that those whose lot was 
cast among the farmers of Middlesex found some loving hearts 
to help lift the burdens which man's inhumanity had heaped upon 
them. 

Of their ultimate fate much has been written. Many of 
those who had been quartered in the vSouthern States found a 
permanent home in Louisiana. 

Fifty thousand "Cajeans," as they are vulgarly called, con- 
stitute today a separate community along the "Acadean coast" 
of the Mississippi in the western part of the State. Papers on 
file among the Massachusetts archives leave no doubt that those 
in this state, at least, found homes in Canada. 

Soon after the Treaty of Paris, by which Canada was ceded 
to Great Britain, a correspondence was opened between the 
Governors of Massachusetts and Quebec in regard to their settle- 
ment in Canada. One paper bears the endorsement, "List of 
the Acadeans ready to go to Canada, amounting to 890." 

Muster Roll of The Company in His Majesty's Service under 
Command of Jonathan Butterfield of Dunstable, Captain. 
Gridley's Reg't. to Crown Point. Feb. 7. 1756 to Dec. 1756. 
Stephen Adams, Lieut. \ Broke and Cashiered [a broken man 

j for stealing old Iron, was an outlaw.] 
Robert Butterfield Dead. 

Benj Hoagg Corp. Tukesbury. Dead. 
Benj Butterfield " 
John Warren " 

Chas. Barron Drummer 
Nat Butterfield Private Dead 

Wm Bowers 
Zebulon Buttman 

Simeon Corey " Dead 

James Dutton 
Nat. Langley 
Benj Manning Billerica 
Isaac Procter 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 95, p. 84.] 

A roll of the 1st Military Co — under Capt James Minott. 
contains the names of Oliver Barron, Benj. Barrett, John (or 
Jonas) Bateman, Saml. Estabrooks. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 95, pp. 322-324.] 



170 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



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PROVINCE WARS 171 

Chelmsford names on a "Muster Roll for the Pay and Sub- 
sistence of a Troop of Horse that were ordered by Col Elcazer 
Tyng and marched for the Relief of Fort William Henry under the 

Command of Daniel Stickney [of Billerica] in August; 1757 — 
Marched to Marlboro. 56 miles. Days 

Daniel Procter Lieut. 4^ £0. 10. 10. 

John Parker " " 0. 16. 10 

Simeon Spaulding Cornet " 0. 13. 6 

Oliver Spalding " 0. 12. 

Josiah Spalding " 0. 12. 

Joseph Spalding " 0. 12. 

WilHam Peirce " 0. 12. 

Solomon Corey " 0. 12. 

Benjamin Parker " 0. 12. 

Phillips Parker " 0. 12. 

Jonathan Butterfield " 0. 12. 

Jonas Spalding " 0. 12. 

Henry Spalding " 0. 12. 

Jacob Howard " 0. 12. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 97, p. 81.] 

1758. Muster Roll of Capt Daniel Fletcher's Co. Col. Ebenezer 
Nichol's Regt. Rai.sed for the Reduction of Canada. (Chelms- 
ford names.) 
Christopher Barrat, (servant to Danl. Lock), Joseph Darling, 

Jonathan Hardwood, Ephraim Keyes, Abner Keyes, Jonas Robins, 

Job Spaulding. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 96, p. 416.] 

Jonathan Butterfields Co. in the intended Expedition against 
Canada, 1758. 

Asa Merrill, Asa Kimball, Nehemiah Blogget, Isaac Warren, 
Oliver Wright, John Taylor, Junr, Jonathan Hildreth, John Mears, 
John Warren, Junr, Simeon Goold, Isaiah Corey, John Knowlton, 
Saml. Merrill, Danl. Foster, Benj. Chamberlain, Gideon Fletcher, 
James Haywood, Saml. Danforth, John Williams, Robert 
Scott, Simeon Wood, Danl. Clough, Caleb Coburn, John Didson, 
Ebenezr. Larrance, Moses Richardson, Ambrus Emery, Saml. 
Hawood, Ebenezr. Kitterage, Robt. Giffin, Charles McLayn, 
Jonas Farmer, David Bennet, John Rollings, Elathan Sawtell, 
Wm. Needham, Jessee French, Wm. Bowers, Charles Barron, 
Peter Procter, Junr, Peter Procter, Ezekiel Kemp, Amziah 
Hildreth, Zebadiah Kyes, Edw. Spaulding, Pellitiah Whitemore, 
Abijah Goold, Rice Knowlton, Andrew Foster, Thos. Byam, 
Jacob Spaulding, Junr., Samuel Fletcher, Joel Manning, Saml. 
McClure, Joel Parkhurst, Aron Chamberlin, Zachariah Coburn, 
Danl. Clement, Jonathan Jewett, James Sawyer, Benj. Kemp, 
Josiah Hubbart, Medad Combs, John Coary, Jonathan Larrance, 
Danl. Nuting, Simeon Green, James Sunders, Jun., Nicholas 
Sprake, Thos. Kitterage, Henry Foster, Josiah Johnson, Jum-., 




172 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Robt. Morrel, Benj. Bowers, Timo. Farley, Wm. Parry, John 
Chamberlain, John Adams, Joseph Walker, Timo. Read, Junr., 
Robt. Blod, Junr., Benj. Swallow, Joseph Parkhurst, Jonas 
Spatilding, Oliver Hall, Jona. French, Thos. Peekock, Ebenezer 
Fisk, Jtm., Andrew Richardson, Jun., John Richardson, Stephen 
Wood, Saml. Crosby. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 96, p. 134-5.] 

In 1758 Stephen Pierce (aged 23), of Chelmsford, was in 
Capt. Bulkley's Company. 

COMMISSION. 

PROVINCE OF THE \ THOMAS POWNALL ESQ. 

MASSACHUSETTS-BAY. / Captain General and Governor 

in Chief, in and over His 
Majesty's Province of the 
Massachusetts-Bay in New-Eng- 
land, and Vice-Admiral of the 
same &c. 

To Jonathan Spaulding. Gentn. Greeting. 

By Virtue of the Power and Authority in and by His Majesty's 
Royal Commission to Me granted to be Captain General, &c. 
over this His Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay afore- 
said I do by these presents (reposing especial Trust and Confidence 
in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct) constitute and 
appoint You the said Jonathan Spaulding to be second Lieutenant 
of the Sotith Military Foot Company in the Town of Chelmsford 
under the Command of John Alford Tyng Esqr. in the second 
Regiment of Militia in the County of Middlesex whereof Eleazer 
Tyng Esqr. is Colonel. 

You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty 
of a Second Lieutenant in leading, ordering and exercising said 
Company in Arms both inferior Officers and Soldiers and to 
keep them in good Order and Discipline and they are hereby 
commanded to obey you as their Second Lieutenant and you are 
yourself to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions, as 
you shall from time to time receive from Me, or the Commander 
in Chief for the Time being or other your Superiour Officers for 
his Majestys Service according to Military Rules and Discipline 
pursuant to the Trust reposed in you. 

Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms at BOSTON, 
the eighteenth Day of October. In the thirty second Year 
of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE the Second, 
Annoq; Domini, 1758. 

T. Pownall 

By His Excellency's 
Command, 

Thos. Clarke Depty Secry. 

[Original in the Adams Library.] 



PROVINCE WARS 173 



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174 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Jonathan Haywood received £2. 19. for sufferings on account 
of exposure at "Green Bush" and expenses while in Captain Bent's 
Company in 1759. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 553.] 

In Jonathan Butterfield's Co. : Wm Hildreth, Phinehas 
Powers, Wm. Powers, Simeon Gould, Sergt. These served from 
April 6, to Dec. 6, 1759. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 97, p. 364.] 

1760 

A Muster Roll of the Company in his Majesty's service 
imder the command of Oliver Barron. Esq. Captain: 

Oliver Barron, Capt.; Moses Bradley, 1st Lieut.; Constantino 
Pratt, 2nd Lieut.; Wm. Brown, Lieut. ;Wm. Page, Isaac Warren, 
Eben Kitteridge, Enos Seward, Joseph Spaulding, John 
Spaulding, Peter Procter, Moses Clement, Joseph Heald, Wm. 
Blasdell, Jacob Brown, Natl. Bradley, Amos Bull, Wm. 
Butterfield, Benj. Barrett, John Cooley, Jon. Church, Jos. Clark, 
Wm. Clement, John Gillson, James Gragg, Allin Greenough, Jona. 
Gillson, Reuben Gould, Nat. Hazeltine, Joseph Haywood, Ezra 
Johnson, Benj. Leath, Jared Munson, Micajah Morrill, Samuel 
Perham, Bernard Pratt, Timothy page (?), Jacob Read, Benj. 
Reed, Jonas Robbins, Solomon Rose, Levi Spaulding, Job Spauld- 
ing, Noadiah Seward, Moses Sanborn, Ezekiel Stone, Jessee 
Saunders, Philip Tilton, Silas Wright, James Webster. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 97, p. 366.] 



Chelmsford Names on A Return of Men enlisted for His 
Majesty's service for the total Reduction of Canada. 1760. 





By whom enlisted B 


3m. 


Residence. Age. 


Charles Barron 


Wm. 


Barron 


Chelmsford 


Chelmsford 


28 


John Jewell 






Dunstable 


ti 


17 


Saml Cowdre 






Chelmsford 


" 


25 


Wm. Wright 










" 


23 


Solomon Corey 










i( 


22 


Jonas Harwood 










<< 


18 


Ebenr. Galusha 










<i 


17 


Moses Barron 










<( 


22 


James Screen 










Lancaster 


22 


Levi Spaulding 










Chelmsford 


21 


Dinnes McLanc 


Benj 


Byam 






i( 


17 


John Blassdell 










<< 


29 


Charles McLane 










(( 


17 


Joseph Dow 






Amesberry 


<( 


17 


John Porter servant to Jonah Parker Wcnham 




17 


Thomas Durant 






Bill[crica] 


<( 


21 


[Massachusetts A 


rchives, Vol. 98, p 


.93.] 









PROVINCE WARS 175 

1760. A Muster Rool of the Company in His Majesty's 
service under the Command of Moses Parker. Esq, Capt. : 

Moses Parker, Capt.; Josiah Foster, 2nd Lieut.; John Warren, 
David Barker, Wm. Butterfield, Joseph Dunn, Thos. Byam, 
Saml. Brown, Reuben Bates, OHver Corey, David Dutton, John 
Dunn, Jonas Farmer, Benj. Gould, Robt. Morrell, James Moor, 
Jonah Spaulden, Danl. Stevens, Zach Shed, OHver Wright. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 98, p. 160.] 

1760 

Chelmsford Men in Capt. Wm. Barron's Co. of Concord. 
In His Majesty's Service. Travel 90 miles. 

Benj. Byam, 1st Lieut.; Privates: Charles Baron, John 
Blasdell, Sam. Cowdre, Solo. Corey, Thos. Durant (died Aug. 26), 
James Ha>^vood (died Aug. 6), Dennis McLane, John Porter 
(Jos. Parker, Master), Elijah Richardson, Levi Spaulding (died 
June 25), Wm. Wright. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 98, pp. 254-5.] 

A Roll of Officers and men in Capt Moses Parker's Company 
and Col. Frye's Regiment, in Ser\nce in the Province of Nova 
Scotia after the 1st of January, 1760 and at the time of their 
discharge. 

Moses Parker, Capt.; 1st Lieuts. John Clap, Josiah Foster; 
Sergts. John Burrill, John Warren, David Barker, Wm. Butter- 
field; Corpls. Moses Collins, Thomas Parry, Joseph Dunn, Samuel 
Brown; Privates Zachr. Alexander, Thomas Boutell, Jeremy 
Briant, Benj. Bachelor, John Boston, John Boutell, Thomas 
Byam, Benj. Baker, Colbum Barrett, James Baker, Jr., William 
Baster, Simeon Brooks, Benj. Curtis, Oliver Corey, Job Cowins, 
William Corbett, Samuel Dammon, John Dunn, Timothy Damon, 
Charles Dwymell, Jonas Farmer, John Freelon, Samuel Farley, 
Peter Goss, Daniel Goss, Benj. Gould, Robt. Gilson, Amos Green, 
Edward Gross, John Gross, Thomas Hutchins, Ebenezer Randall, 
John Logan, Eliphalet Lewis, Isaac Lapham, Robert Morrill, 
James Moor, Alexander Orr, William Parris, Jr., Asa Pollard, 
Nehemiah Palmer, Edward Prouty, Moses Richardson, Samuel 
Sheldon, John Sentie, Daniel Stevens, Zachary Shad, Seth Silvester, 
Isaac Torrey, Jonathan Town, David Thompson, Jabez Upton, 
Isaac Walton, Eliphaz Wyman, Peletiah Whittemore, Oliver 
Wright, Nirah Wran. The whole number, 68. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 98, p. 450.] 

1760. 105 miles travel. 34 weeks, six days. 
Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, Thomas Byam, Benj. Cham- 
berlan. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, p. 136.] 



176 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1760. Aug. 26. "Orders for a ntimber of men to go on bord 
the Prize Vessals Consisting of 165 men, officers Included, to go 
Voluntiers from the Proventials, also for 41 men to List out of the 
Massachusetts Regts. To Joyne Major Roggers as Rangers in 
Lieu of that Number of the New hampshires that was not fit for 
Rangers. Thompson Maxwell, of Capt. Whitings Company 
Listed a Ranger — & Sergt. [Jonas] Parker [of Chelmsford], Samll. 
Treadwell [of Littleton] Thaddeus Read [of Westford] & John 
Robinson [of Dunstable] wint on Board the Prizes." 
["Three Military Diaries." S. A. Green, p. 61.] 

NOTE BOOK OF OLIVER COREY — IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DADMUN 

FAMILY. 

Oliver Cory his book June the 12d. 1759. 

This day a sloop came in fort fradrek [Frederick] from boston 
and brot Rum and syder and clo[th]ing for us Shuger and all 
sorts of things for us and we had nuws that all Chelmsford pepel 
was well that day 

August the 15d. 1759 then there came in a slop and a skonoer 
and borot sum stores in to fort fradrek at sant John river. 

Aparl the 24d. 1759 then we wnt aboard of a brig whec was 
[ ] upon water then we ariued sant iohns is fort. Sant John 

reur at fort fradrek. 

And I listed the 23d of March and that is now leuen weks 
and three days 

May ye 14d 1759. then [we] spied three french and ingings 
and sent sixteen men besides officers after them and tha spied 
them and chased them but tha culd not git them and the 15d we 
sent thurty men beside and the 18 of May then whe went 13 men 
and I was won of them and they all askered [scared] but one and 
that was Dutton of birikey and we was a fishing at the wars [wiers] 
in the euing 

Wen the ingens shot on us six guns and whe run and we had 
no gon waith os 

June the 15d 1759 in the moring about ten men went 
down to fishing and then the frinch fired at our men and tha cilled 
one and wound one more 

and there was about twenty french and our men run to help them 
and our ofes [officers] called them back all but three or four and 
then run and shot at them and then hailed the wounded men away 
and they retreted and whe sent fiftey five men after them but they 
could not ove tack them. 

September the 6d 1759. then we sent up Sant John riuer 
a bout a hondred men and a skone[r] with two suels [swivel] gons 
in the skoner and they had fight with the french and we lost five 
men that was cilled there and seuen wound all in Ca[pt] parker 
Comp'ny. and one more was wound septemder the 12d 1759 the 
scout came in. 




GRAVESTONES OF COL. JONAS CLARK AND HIS WIFE. 




A'o. /?. 



GRAVESTONES OF THE REV. EBENEZER BRIDGE AND MADAM SARAH BRIDGE. 



PROVINCE WARS 177 

September the 28d 1759. 

I have ben listed 27 weks 36 dols for 24 weks 

October the 17d 1759 

A snow a day then I and anouer man dog a grave for one 
of the wound men and berered him that day 

Otober the 18d 1759 then cam a flag a truth [truce] and three 
french for to sw're abegens [obedience] to oure King. 

Octoba the 26d 1759 then about one hundred men went up 
the river and brot down a bout one hundred and seuenty french 
and we 1[ ]e in the 8d of Novembr, 1759. 

March the 5d 1760 it was a very warn day and very wendy 
day and they gees flew breskly that day and dolk [duck] two 

August the lid 1759 then we sent eighty men up the Sant 
John r'ver in six battos 

August the 18d. 1759 then these men came in again and they 
brot in two skonos and riggins fit for sailing and more plonder 
wch is thort is woth about twoo thousand or more and they got 
one boot that they thet is woth fiftey pound and they colled it 
Moses for that was it name. 

July the 9d 1759 then whe sent forty eight men be sids ofes 
[officers] and in hoi was sixty men Capten parker and Leaften 
foster went up the riuer slant John 

July the 12d 1759 then this scout came in all well and they 
bright in too french men into fort fradrick 

July 12d 1759 then we sent up the riuer seventy men a skout 

July the 16d 1759 then the [s]cout cam in all wll and got 
nothn but sum old plonder a bout one 100 pound worth 33 dols 

June 8d 1759 I writ this and I was on gard 
this fort hes four grat gons twenty four pounders and forteen 
twelve pounders 

Capten Gavis is ouer one Compny and Capten Crits is ouer 
a nother Compny and Capten parker is ouer a nother Compny 
thes are the captens ouer three Compens 

dcember the 25d 1759 we dined with the gonars [gunners] 
and we had a god dener and then we had licker and that night and 
the 26d I went on gard and it snow hard. 

January the 5d 1760 at Sant John at fort fredrick then there 
was six men ran a way from this pis with a skoner 

January th 29d 1760 then the Curnel bur — went to half ax 
with about two hundred french and sixteen men for a gard. 

Oliver Corey made and mended shoes for the soldiers, and 
lent them money, and sold "sider," rum and "bere," and baked 
bread. He charged Jonathan Snow £0. 12. 10 for making a pair 
of shoes, and five shillings for mending "pomps." His name is 
found on .several of the preceding rolls. 

The entries in the book are given in the same order as in the 
original. 



178 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1761. Chelmsford names in Capt. Aaron Willard's Co.: 

Charles Barron, Ezra Corey (servant to John Button), 
Oliver Fletcher (son to Stephen Fletcher), Elijah Galusha, dead, 
(servant to Saml. Sureen), John Jewell, Charles McLean (son to 
Susan McLean). 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 98, pp. 228 and 389.] 

1762 — Capt William Baldwin, Col. Hoar's Regt. marched from 
Chelmsford to Boston, shipped to Halifax & then sailed to 
aid in the reduction of some French ports in the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence 

Officers of the South Company in Chelmsford; 

Daniel Proctor, Capt., 1762; Jonathan Harwood, Lieut., 
Jona. Robbins, Ensign. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 99, p. 35.] 

Thomas Fan-ington's Co. 1762: 

Ephraim Corey, son of Oliver Corey, Littleton; William 
Barrett, Chelmsford; Ezra Corey, Westford; Levi Fletcher, 
Chelmsford. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 99, p. 120.] 

Chelmsford Names in Capt Moses Parker's Company, 1762: 
Moses Parker, Capt.; Jonas Parker, Sergt.; Corpls, Leon 
Butterfield, John Senter, Rice Knowlton, Saml. Cowdry; Privates, 
Joseph Barrett, Jerh. Butterfield, Thos. Byam, Solomon Crosby, 
Ebenr. Foster (son of E. Foster), John Freeland, Benj. Gould, Jr. 
(son of A. Gould), Jona. Harwood, John Jewell (son of N. Jewell), 
Daniel Keyes (ser\'ant to Jos. Moores), Chas. McLain (servant 
to J. Dun), Willm. Perry, Saml. Stratton (servant to A. Spaulding), 
John Stephens. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 99, pp. 153 and 158.] 

Chelmsford Names in Capt. Jonathan Carver's Company, 
1763: 

Daniel Keyes, Sergt., servt. to Jos. Moors; Jeremiah Butter- 
field, Privates; Luke Bowers (S. of Bowers), Charles 

Barron, Joseph Barrett, Joseph Butterfield (s. of Wm. Butterfield), 
Uriah Fletcher (s. of Ste. Fletcher), Robert Fletcher (s. of Robt. 
Fletcher, Benj. Fletcher (s. of Jos. Fletcher), Benja. Gould. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 99, p. 245.] 

Capt. Benjamin Edward's Co.: 

Luke Richardson (son of Henry Richardson). Ebenr. Foster 
(c. of Ebenr. Foster). 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 99, p. 256.] 



PROVINCE WARS 179 

Thursday July 1, 175G. 

The Petition of OHver Adams of Chelmsford in the County of 
Middlesex Executor of the last Will and Testament of Benjamin 
Adams junr. late of Chelmsford aforesd, Housewright, deceased, 
humbly sheweth that the said Benjamin Adams, on the twenty 
seventh Day of September last being Saturday at evening was 
impressed into His Majestys service for the Crown Point 
Expedition then carrying on by Capt Ephraim Spaulding by order 
from Colo. Eleazer Tyng, to compleat a deficiency of Men in his 
Regiment: that on the next Day being Sabbath Day, the sd 
Benjamin received Orders from the said Colo. Eleazer Tyng to 
march the next Day morning for Worcester in the County of 
Worcester & there wait for further orders. And accordingly he 
did the next morning, being Monday, set out for Worcester 
aforesaid not having any Opportunity to settle any of his Affairs 
or even so much as to make any Charges for his Labour against 
those People whom he had then lately laboured for; to the great 
injury of the Heirs at Law of the sd. Benjamin; and that the sd 
Benjamin arrived at Worcester aforesd. the thirtieth Day of 
September last & there Tarryed nine Days and Billetted himself 
at his own Costs from the time that he marched from Chelmsford 
aforesd. eleven Days, at one shilling & six pence per Day — 
before he received, or there was any Provision made for his sub- 
sistance, by the Government; that the sd. Benjamin at Worcester 
aforesd. was put under the Command of Capt Henry Ingalls & 
with him from thence proceeded to Albany, & was employed 
from thence to Lake George as a Guard to the Waggoners Carrying 
Provisions for the Army untill the twenty fourth Day of November 
last, when through the great fatigues of his marches & the Duty 
he was ordered to perform & the very bad and unholesome 
Provisions he did receive & was obliged to eat (or else to starve) 
he was reduced to a low & bad state of health, and thereby rendered 
unable to do any further Duty; he on the twenty fourth Day 
of November aforesd Obtained dismission from the Service under 
the Hand of Colo. John Hazeltine to return Home to Chelmsford 
aforesd.; that in his journey & return his illness & weakness 
increased so upon him that he was unable to travel on foot the 
greater Part of the way & necessarily put the charged Eight 
shillings Lawful money for the hire of Horses from Town to 
Town and assistance therein, as also the expence of one shilling 
& six pence per Day for his subsistance for eleven Days in his 
return to Chelmsford aforesd.; being sixteen shillings & six pence 
Lawful Money, that the said Benjamin on the fourth Day of 
December last got to Chelmsford aforesd. to the House of one 
Peter Procter, within about three miles of his own Lodging, and 
then was taken so very sick of a Fever that he could not hold out 
to be moved to his own Lodging, & continued so at the sd Peter 
Procter's until the eighteenth Day of December aforesd. when 
he died; That thesd. Oliver Adams Executor as aforesd. hath 



180 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

been Obliged to pay to the sd. Peter Proctor for the nursing of 
the sd. Benjamin & providing for the nurses & watchers & trouble 
about the same the sum of one Pound sixteen Shillings Lawful 
money, as per said Procter's receipt. 



Oliver Adams Executor 
July 3, 1756. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. G83.] 

£2. 9. Allowed 

Deacon Spaulding was reported among the sick & wounded. 

The Petitition of William Bowers of Chelmsford in the 
County of Middlesex; Humbly Sheweth that he in the month of 
March Anno Domini 1756 inlisted in His Majesty's Service in 
the Crown Point Expedition then carrying on in a Company 
under the Command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo. 
Gridley's Regiment and proceeded to Lake George & there did 
perform Duty until on or about the Middle of October last & 
then was taken Sick of a Fever & thereby rendered wholly unable 
to perform any further Duty, and on or about the first of November 
last continuing unable to perform Duty was removed from thence 
Homeward to a place called the Half Moon, & was there obliged 
to tarry about six Weeks by reason of his Sickness, not being 
able to proceed any further homeward for that term of time, 
that on the 12th Day of December last he got to Capt Brewers 
at a place called Number one, on his Way Homeward & then not 
being able to travel any further by reason of his Great Weakness 
& Sickness & he having before that time sent home to Chelmsford 
for a man & Horse to assist him in the remaining Part of the Way 
Home, & that a man and Horse did come thither to him from 
Chelmsford aforesd. and assisted him Home to Chelmsford 
aforesd. where he arrived on or about the first Day of January 
last, that he was necessarily put to the expence of one Pound 
thirteen shillings and four pence Lawfull Money for the Expence 
of providing for the Man & Horse on the Road, while performing 
the sd. Journey being thirteen Days 
Chelmsford May 23 1757 William Bowers. 

Affidavit signed by Oliver Fletcher Just. Pac. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 77, p. 13.] 

£3.3.6. 
Asked J £0.15.2. for man's time. 1/2 per day. £0.15.0. 
hire of horse. 
Remained sick two months. 

£3. allowed. 



PROVINCE WARS 181 

Province of the Massachusetts Bay &c 

To His Honour Spencer Phips Esq &c 

The Petition of Zacheriah Emmery of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex Humbly Sheweth — 

That he in the month of June A. D. 1745 inlisted into His 
Majesty's Service in the Expedition against Cape Breton under 
the Command of Gershom Davis, Captain, & that he proceeded 
thither, & that in the month of October then next following; the 
General having given Orders for Each Company to choose an 
Agent to send to Boston, in New England, to make up the Muster- 
Roil of Each Company, he was then made choice of by the sd. 
Davis's Company for the same service and accordingly proceeded 
to Boston aforesd. & EtTected the same Business: & that he was 
to have returned again to Cape Breton, but was prevented by 
the Providence of God, being taken sick and continuing so for 
along time; that when he left Cape Breton, he left his Gun with 
& under the care of his son Samuel Emmery who was in the 
same service under the command of Captain Peter Hunt. & that 
the said son afterw^ard died at Cape Breton, aforesaid, & that 
thesd Petitioners own Gun and his sons Gun were sent in a Chest 
with other Guns to Zeuberbukler Commisary to Briggadr. 
Dwights Regmt. to his Agent or Attorney Mr Jarvis of Boston 
mercht. tobe delivered to the owners, but it happened through 
mistake that the sd Chest of Guns was delivered by the sd. Mr 
Jarvis to Mr. Wheelwright Commisary General of said Province 
whereby the said Petitioner hath been Prevented receiving his 
own Gun & the Gun of his son aforesaid, as he ought to have 
done, they being his & his son's own property. 

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honour & 
Honours would be pleased to make an order that he may be 
allowed out of the publick Treasury of this Province in con- 
sideration of the loss of his own Gun, the sum of ten Pounds ten 
Shillings Old Tenor Bills and of his Sons Gun the Sum of fifteen 
Pounds Old Tenor Bills being the true value of the sd Guns and 
your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray, &ca. 

Zechariah Emery 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 74, p. 103.] 

Allowed £3. 18.0 in full consideration for the loss of the two 
guns. 

Province of the Massachusetts Bay 

in New England. 

To His Honour Spencer Phips Captain General & Commander 
in Chief of the Province aforcfaid. The Honourable His Majestys 
Council & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled 
at Boston on Wednesday the second Day of October Anno Domini 
1751. 

The Petition of Oliver Blodget of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex humbly Showeth, that his Brother Zacheus Blodget 



182 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

was a soldier in His Majestj^s Service under the Command of 
Capt. Edward Hartwell of Lunenburgh in the year 1748 and that 
about the middle of July the same year he was Killed by the 
Indians at Lunenburgh aforesd & Striped of his Cloths & Gun 
which the Indians carried away with them. 

Your Petitioner therefore humbly moves your Honour & 
Honours would be pleased to give Order that he & his Brother 
Nehemiah Blodget (a minor) the only Heirs may be reimbursed 
the Sum of Two pounds thirteen shillings & fom* pence Lawful 
Money the value of the sd. Gun out of the Treasury of the Province 
aforesaid 

Who as in duty bound shall every pray &c. 

Oliver Blodget. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 74, p. 40.] 

The simi of £2. was allowed the petitioner. 

Province of the \ To His Honour Spencer Phips Esq 

Massachusetts Bay j Lieutenant Governour and Commander 

in Chief of the Province aforesaid, the 
Honourable His Majesty's Council & 
House of Representatives in General 
Court Assembled, at Boston on Wed- 
nesday the twenty sixth Day of May, 
Anno Domini 1756. 
The Petition of Asa Martin of Chelmsford in the County of 
Middlesex, Husbandman, Humbly sheweth— That he on or about 
the fifth Day of April Anno Domini. 1755. inlisted into His 
Majesty's Service, in the then intended Expedition against 
Crown Point, in a company under the Command of Captain John 
Read of Woburn in the same County, & proceeded in the same 
Company to Lake George and that he on the fourth Day of 
October last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, 
obtained a dismission from thesd. Senace, under the Hand of 
Colo. Jonathan Bagley and the Hand of Amos Putnam, Surgeon, 
to return Home to Chelmsford. Where he arrived on or about 
the twenty first Day of October last, quite in a weak and low 
state of Health, after which in about six or seven Days he was 
taken Sick of a grievous Fever & continued so for a month, & 
there by was rendered unable to do anything for his Sz his Famil5'''s 
Support for the space of twelve weeks, and put to the Charge of 
two Pounds eight Shillings Lawful Money for Doctoring, as b}'- 
the Account of Doctor Samuel King, charged against him herewith 
exhibited may appear, and also to the further charge of the Sum 
of three Pounds twelve Shillings Lawful Mone}' for twelve weeks 
Nursing of him &ca. as per his account for the same herewith 
also exhibited may appear. 

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays &c 

Asa Martin 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 595.] 
£3. was allowed the Petitioner. 



PROVINCE WARS 183 

May 26 1756 [Heading omitted] 

The Petition of Benja Warren of Chelmsford in the County 

of Middlesex, Saddler— Humbly sheweth that his servant Isaac 

Warren did in the month of April Anno Dom 1755 inlist into His 

Majesty's Ser^ace in the Expedition then carrying on against 

Crown Point, in a Company under the Command of Captain 

John Read of Wobura in the same County & proceeded in the 

same Company to Lake George, and was in the morning of the 

Eight Day of September last in the Engagement with the French 

and Indians in the Detachment under the Command of Colo. 

Williams, & then & there lost his Blanket, which he received as 

Part of his Bounty — that he on the thirteenth Day of October 

last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, obtained 

a furlough to return home till further order under the Hand of 

Colo. Jonathan Bagley and two Surgeons, and accordingly arrived 

At Home in Chelmsford the twenty seventh Day of October 

aforesd. and on or about the Second Day of November last was 

taken sick of a bad Fevour and Confined to his Bed three weeks, 

& needed nursing five weeks where by your Petitioner was put to 

Considerable Cost & Charge for nursing & watchers, vizt. to the 

charge of the sum of one Pound ten Shillings Lawful Money 
* * * 

[He asks for this amount & a blanket] 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 603.] 
£0. 18. 0. allowed. 



Province of the 
Massachusetts Bay 



To His Excellency William Shirley Esq. 
Governotir of sd. Province and the Honble. 
Council with the House of Representa- 
tives. 



The Petition of David Keyes 
Humbly Sheweth that his Father Solomon Keyes, Commander of 
a Company, on the late Crown Point Expedition, in Colo. Ruggles 
Regiment, who was on the Eighth of Septemr. Killed, on a Scout 
AA'th Colo. Williams on said day, and was Entirely Stript of 
Everything 

And likewise your Petitioners brother Solomon Keyes Jr. 
had a Mare Imprest from Him, by Major Genl. Johnsons Order 
to Col Gilbert at Albany for the Use of the Waggoners. Your 
Petitioner nor His decest brother, not Having any account of 
Her nor Allowance for said Mare Humbly begs your Honours 
would tal<e it under your Serious Consideration, and allow the 
Account annext — 

And your Petitioner as in duty bound Shall Ever Pray. 
April 9, 1756. David Keyes. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 467.] 
Warrant issued July 31, 1756. 
£3. for Gun and £10. for horse allowed. 



184 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

May 6, 1756. 

The Petition of Rachel Parker of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex widow, humbly Sheweth. That her late Husband 
Jacob Parker, of Chelmsford aforesd. in the Month of April A. D. 
1755 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition then 
carrying on against Crown Point, in a company under the Com- 
mand of Capt. John Read of Woburn in Said County & proceeded 
to Lake George, & on the Eighth Day of September last in the 
forenoon was in the Engagement with the French & Indians in 
the Detachment under the Command of Colo. Williams & then 
Killed in the same Engagement before he returned to the Army 
at their incampment at Lake George, and in the same Engagement 
lost the Gun he had with him, being his own Property of the Value 
of one Pound Six Shillings, & eight pence Lawful money and also 
the Blanket which he received as Part of his Bounty (besides all 
the Clothing he had then with him.) 

Rachel Parker 
June 14, 1757. Executrix 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 544.] 
[£1.6.8 and a blanket asked. Nothing granted.] 

May 25 1757. 
The Petition of Ebenezer Goold of Chelmsford, &c. Humbly 
shev^'Cth that his indented servant Zebulon Bootnam in the month 
of April, Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted in his Majesty's Service in the 
Crown Point Expedition under the command of Capt Jonathan 
Butterfield of Colo. Gridley's Regt & marched to Lake George 
& there performed Duty until a little time before the Campain 
finished the same year, when he was taken sick & when the Army 
returned homeward he was brought to Fort Edward, and after 
a considerable time made his way homeward as far as a place 
called Green Bush, and sent home to his Master for a man & horse 
who met him at Springfield. [Sick 8 weeks at home.] 

Ebenezer Goold 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 77, p. 40.] 

£4. 7. 4. asked & a grant for loss of Servant's time 
£4. 10. 0. allowed. 

March 13, 1757. 
The Petition of Benjamin Butterfield of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex Humbly sheweth that he in the month of March 
Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Crown- 
Point Expedition then carrying on in the Company under the 
Command of Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Colo. Gridley's 
Regiment & proceeded to Lake George and performed Duty there 
until sometime in October last, when he was taken sick and ren- 
dered utterly unable to perform Duty, and as soon after as he was 



PROVINCE WARS 185 

able he proceeded from thence to a place call'd the half Moon, 
and on the twenty fifth of the same October, at the half Moon 
aforesd. he obtained a certificate under the hand of James Otis, 
Surgeon, that by Reason of indisposition of Body he was unfit 
for Duty, & so suffered to return home, that he got homeward 
as far as to Capt Brewers at a place called Number one where he 
was taken sick of a Fever & not able to travel any further on foot 
for some time, that he sent Home to Chelmsford from thence 
for a man & Horse to meet him and assist him the remaining Part 
of the Way Home, & afterward when he was able to proceed 
from thence homeward to Spring Field, where a man & Horse 
met him from Chelmsford aforesd. at his Request; and did assist 
him thence home to Chelmsford aforesaid, he not being able to 
travel any further on foot, but must have remained there at the 
Charge of the Province, that he got Home to Chelmsford aforesd. 
on the eighteenth Day of November last, that he was necessarily 
put to the Expence of twenty four shillings in providing for the 
sd. Man & Horse on the Road while performing this Journey 
being eight Days, and also the Charge of nine shillings & four 
pence to pay the sd. man for his time therein expended, being 
eight Days at one shilling & two pence per Day; and also to the 
Charge of twelve shillings for the hire of the sd. Horse for the 
Journey aforesd. and that he was sick and Nursed for the space 
of a month after his return Home, and put to the Charge of twenty 
four shillings for nursing four weeks at six shillings per week & 
that he remained utterly unable to perform labour to support 
himself for the space of two months next after his return home as 
aforesaid. 

Your Petitioner therefore &c. 

Benjamin Butterfield. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 76, p. 485.] 

The Committee reported two pounds eight shillings in full. 



Wednesday Oct. 1 1759. 
The Petition of Mary Keyes of Chelmsford, Administratrix 
on the Estate of her late Husband Zebadiah Keyes of Chelmsford 
deceased— Humbly Sheweth that the sd Zebadiah on or about 
the last of March A. D. 1758 inlisted into His Majesty's Service 
in the pay of this Province in an Expedition carrying on against 
Canada in a company under the command of Capt Jonathan 
Butterfield of Colo Joseph Williams Regiment and marched with 
thesd. Company to Fort Stanwix, at the Great Carrying Place 
& then faithfully perfonned his duty until about the beginning 
of August then next & there was taken sick & thereby, about the 
last of August he was sent in a "Battoe" to Schcnectada & there 
put into the Hospital. He wrote home for a man & a horse which 
the petitioner sent & met him at Canterhook (Kinderhook) 180 



186 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

miles distant from Chelmsford. He amved home about Oct. 
23, & there languished until the 4th Day of Nov. following & then 
died : That Benj Butterfield the man who went to assist him home 
was 15 days in perfonning the said Journey 

her 
Mary X Keyes Admx 
Mark 
Test Oliver Fletcher 
Chelmsford Sept 13 1759. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 78, p. 578.] 

$5. for time and service. 

$7. for provisions. 

$3. used her own horse on journey. 

$2. for comfortable necessaries. 
$17 asked. £3. 6. 10. allowed. 

Affidavits of Mary Keyes & Benj Butterfield attached. 

The Petition of Abner Keyes of Chelmsford in the County of 

Middlesex : 
Humbly sheweth that in the year AD. 1758 he was a Soldier in 
the service & pay of this Province at the Westward in a Company 
Commanded by Capt. Daniel Fletcher of Colo. Nichols Regiment, 
that he was on the twentyeth day of July the same year, Captivated 
by the French & Indians near to half way Brook, when Capt. 
Jones and a ntimber of Officers and soldiers were Killed and taken, 
that he was carryed by the way of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, 
St. Johns and Montreal to Quebeck and there confined in Goal 
(sic) about two months, that he suffered many hardships there 8c 
whilest he was with the Indians in travelling thither, that he was 
sent from there to England where he arrived the twenty eighth Day 
of October the same year, and tarried there until the twenty 
second Day of January following and then was with a number 
of Prisoners shipped on Board a Transport bound for New York, 
where he arrived the fourth Day of May last ; but the Kings Agent 
of the Transports one Capt. Price refused to put him & the other 
Prisoners on shore, and told them that if they would not go into 
His Majesty's Regular Sendee on shore that he would put them on 
board the men of war, upon which some of the Prisoners told the 
Agent that if they must do one or the other they choose to go 
on Shore, & he amongst the rest, & that he with a number were 
directly put on board a Schooner with a number of Regular Officers 
& sent to Albani ; and some that refused to go with the sd Officers 
were put on Men of War; and when he & the rest landed at 
Albani the sd Officers compelled him & the others with him to 
march into the Town & immediately clothed them with the 
King's Cloathing & marched them forthwith to Fort Edward & 
compelled them to serve in the same Service without signing any 
inlistment, & that he serv-ed in the fifty fifth Regiment under the 



PROVINCE WARS 187 

Command of Lieut Colo. Aives in Colo. Prideaux Company, until 
about the twenty ninth Day of December last, when he obtained 
a furlough to return Home for a while, not being discharged from 
the Service. 

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays your Excellency & 
Honours to take his sufferings and hard usages into consideration, 
and Order that he may receive out of the Publick Treasury of 
this Province a sum equal to what others have received for the 
like sufferings & loss of time &c. * * * 

Abner Keyes. 

Chelmsford March 3, 1760 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 29, p. 30.] 
£8. Allowed March 29, 1760. 



The Petition of John Spaulding of Chelmsford in the Co. of 
Mddlesex humbly sheweth that his son Jonas Spaulding, a single 
person in the Spring of the year AD. 1758 was impressed & 
compelled into his Majesty's service in the pay of this Province, 
without receiving the Bounty of the said Province, and proceeded 
to the Great — Carrying Place, so called, and then performed his 
Duty faithfully in a Company under the Command of Capt 
Jonathan Butterfield, of Col Joseph Williams's Regiment, until 
about the middle of September then next, when he was taken 
sick and rendered unable for further service and there upon was 
conveyed from thence with others by order of the Commanding 
Officer to the Barracks at Schenectada, in Order to return home- 
ward, as soon as able to travel, from whence the sd Jonas sent word 
to your Petitioner to come and fetch him home, pursuant to which 
your Petitioner on the seventh Day of October following sent his 
son Peter vSpaulding with a Horse to assist the sd. Jonas home, 
that the sd. Peter Spaulding proceeded to Schenectada about two 
hundred and eighteen miles and there found the sd. Jonas sick 
in thesd Barracks — and unable to travel (the sd Peter Spaulding 
arrived at the sd Barracks the twelfth Day of the same October) 
that on the next Day he set out homeward with the sd Jonas and 
travelled with him eight Days to Spencer-Town, so called beyond 
Sheffield and the sd Jonas then being unable to be removed any 
further homeward by reason of his sickness & weakness having 
increased uyjon him, the sd. Peter left the sd. Jonas at Spencer- 
Town aforesd. Where he died the twenty-seventh Day of the 
same October; and that your Petitioner neccssarilay expended 
in performing that journey, in expences paid three Pounds, seven 
shillings & eleven pence lawful money, and paid for the Journey 
of the sd Horse eighteen shillings lawful money, besides the sd. 
Peters time being twenty days performing the same Journey; 
and that Truman Powell, the man with whom the sd. Jonas was 



188 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

left at Spencer Town aforesd. retained and kept all the sd Jonas 's 
cloathing and blankett of the value of three Pounds lawful money, 
for nursing and burying the sd. Jonas. -^^-^^ Spaulding. 

Chelmsford, Oct. 10, 1763. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 80, p. 387.] 

£5. 10. to be paid to Sampson Stoddard Esq. for the use of the 
Petitioner — 

The petition of Josiah Parkhurst of Chelmsford in the Co. 
of Middlesex humbly shews that his Apprentice John Porter in 
the year A. D 1760, inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the pay 
of this Province in an Expedition against Montreal under the 
Command of Capt. William Barron and proceeded to Crown Point 
8c from, thence to Montreal, & back again to Crown Point, & did 
his duty faithfully until about the tenth Day of November the 
same year, when he was taken sick of small pox, and put into the 
Hospital with a number of others, that when the Army was 
dismissed & returned home, Lieut Wesson was left to take care of 
them, and after some considerable Time all of the sd sick soldiers 
but four, who lived, having recovered so far as to be able to travel, 
Lieut Wesson & those able to travel came off from Crown Point 
homeward, and left the sd. Porter and three others, sick & unable 
to travel; with the regulars in a Hospital, that after some time 
the others left as aforesd recovered their Health so far as to set 
out Homeward and left the sd John Porter the only Provincial 
Soldier — that the sd John after he was somewhat recovered he 
broke out with greivous running sores and Ulcers which greatly 
affected him, and some of which run to this Day; and that he 
tarried at Crown-Point sick and utterly unable to travel until the 
fourteenth of May A. D. 1761. When he proceeded from thence 
to Albany about the last of the same May almost naked not 
having any stockings shoes or cloathing fit for his circumstances 
nor any but what the Charity of the People supplied him with, 
and destitute of any money to procure the Necessaries of life to 
support him home; and to prevent starving inlisted himself at 
Albani into one of the New York Batalions, and proceeded with 
them the last year to Osswago & Niagara in their service, and 
was obliged to make use of all his wages not having recovered his 
Health well, that he received for the same service, that he was 
dismissed from the service the first of November, 1761. and 
returned home to Chelmsford about the first of December last, 
and that the sd John was not made up on the Muster Roll of the 
sd Capt Barron for any longer Time than the rest of the Soldiers, 
who returned home at the Time when the Army was dismissed, 
although he was confined at Crown Point until May 1761 as 
aforesd. Where he suffered much, and that there was stopped 
out of his Wages on the Muster Roll six Dollars, for Hospital 
Charges, while he had the Small Pox, that the sd Josiah Parkhurst 
was at the Charge of Six Dollars besides Provisions in sending 



PROVINCE WARS 189 

a Horse and Man, one David Nevens, in May A. D. 1761, to assist 
the sd John Porter home, who proceeded as far as Ticonderoga 
& who missed of the sd John, & could hear nothing about him 
only that he was dead, & so returned home without finding him — 

Chelmsford May 1762 Josiah Parkhurst. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 80, p. 209.] 

$12 and pay for loss of time asked. 
£3. 12. 0— allowed 

The greater number of these petitions are written in the 
hand of Oliver Fletcher. They give as perhaps nothing else 
could, at this day, the sufferings and losses which these men were 
obliged to meet in the service of the Province. 

The lists of names on the rolls here printed show that Chelms- 
ford was called upon to make a large contribution of men to these 
wars, and many lives were sacrificed. 

Lieut. Jona. Barron was in the successful siege of Quebec. 
Upon his return he presented Parson Bridge with a silver cup 
taken there. Lieut. Barron afterwards lost his life in the cam- 
paign against Crown Point in 1755, as did three other Chelmsford 
soldiers, viz.: Jacob Parker, James Emery and Solomon Keyes. 

In the unsuccessful campaign of 1756, undertaken against 
the same point, of twelve Chelmsford men in the company of 
Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Dunstable (a native of Chelmsford), 
five lost their lives, viz.: Nathaniel Butterfield, Simeon Corey, 
James Dutton, Isaac Proctor, and Nathaniel Langley. John 
Barrett died at Lake George. 

Joseph Richardson, Elija Galusha and Zebediah Keyes lost 
their lives. Samuel Emery died at Cape Breton. Jonas Spaulding 
died after reaching home in 1758. 

The fall of Fort William Henry, at the head of Lake George, 
in 1757, occasioned great alarm, and troops were hastily sum- 
moned to repel a threatened invasion. 

Among the certificates relating to captives taken at Lake 
George is this: "Elijah Butterfield taken at Lake George, A. D. 
1757, being one included in the capitulation. 

Chelmsford, Sept. 29, 1758. Nathaniel Buttei-field." 

Others who gave their lives in these wars were: William 
Martin, at Cape Breton, 1745; Zacheus Blodgett, 1748; Timothy 
Howard, at Halifax, 1749; James Emery, at Fort Edward, 1755; 
Samuel Foster, of a fever, at Schenectady, and Robert Butterfield 
at Crown Point, 1756; Leonard Emery, at Louisburg, 1759; 
Zechariah Keyes, a ranger at Quebec, 1759. These in 1760: 
A son of Jonathan Harwood, Levi Spaulding (son of Lt. Jonathan) , 
Thomas Durant and James Haysvood. Eben Lyon and Abraham 
Comings died here in 1756, "lately returned from Nova Scotia." 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION. 

AMONG the causes of irritation which led to the feeling against 
England were the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Quartering Act, 
which required the colonists to find lodging and provisions for 
British troops. 

In 1740 the General Court in Massachusetts had authorized 
a Land Bank "to issue notes based upon nothing but mortgages 
on land & personal bonds, with surety, given by those who sub- 
scribed to its support, and Parliament at the solicitation of Boston 
men who knew what certain disaster such a bank would bring 
upon the business of the colony, had * * * suppressed it. 
The scheme had been in great favor among the men of the country 
districts," and John Adams said this Act caused a greater ferment 
than the Stamp Act did. 
[Woodrow Wilson: Hist. Am. People.] 

Among the partners or subscribers were Joseph Barrett and 
Gershom Procter of Chelmsford. 

The riotous opposition excited by the passage of the Stamp 
Act by Parliament is thus alluded to in Parson Bridge's diary: 

August 30, 1765. — "Every day we hear ye news from Boston 
of ye mobish doings there in which first insurrection they hanged 
Secretary Oliver in effigy, and then burned him; burned the 
stamp-office, etc., rifled his dwelling. . . All this is owing 
to ye stamp act." 

The house of Lieut. Governor Hutchinson was sacked and 
valuable property and records destroyed. 

When, upon the accession of Pitt to the ministr)^ in England, 
the Stamp Act was repealed, hope again revived in the Colonies, 
and there was much rejoicing. Colonel Stoddard's house was 
illuminated in honor of the event. Bridge writes, "May 22, 1766. 
Spent the evening at Col. Stoddard's, with abundance of other 
company. His house being illuminated, &c., on acct of the news 
of the repeal of the Stamp Act." It proved, however, that the 
hope was not well founded. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 191 

When, in consequence of the dissolution of the General Court 
by Governor Bernard, the convention of September 22, 1768, 
was called by the Committee of Safety of Boston to deliberate 
on measures to obtain redress of grievances, this town was one of 
the ninety-six there represented, Colonel Samson vStoddard being 
the delegate. 

Colonel Stoddard asked for instructions from the town as 
to how he should act in the General Court. 

Oct. 21, 1765 The Town "voted to give Instructions to 
Sampson Stoddard Esqr. Representative for sd Town [Chelmsford] 
how to act in the Great and General Court. Respecting the Act 
of Parliament called the Stamp act. 

Voted to chuse a committee to i^repare Instructions for that 
purpose. Voted that Ephraim Spaulding, Aaron Chamberlin and 
Timothy Clark be the Committee for that purpose. The Com- 
mittee reported as follows: 

This being a time when by reason of Several Acts of Parlement 
not only this Province but all the English Collonies on this Conte- 
nent are thrown into the utmost Confusion and perplexety: the 
Stamp act, as we apprehend, will not only Lay an unconstitutional, 
but an Unsupportable Tax upon us; and deprive us, as we humbly 
conceive, of our Rights and priviledges that we are Intitualed to, 
as being free born Subjects of Great Brittan, by Vertue of the 
Royal Charter ; and will also Strip us of one of our most valuable 
priviledges, for it admits of our being tryed by a Court of Admiralty 
without the priviled[ge] of a Jury in such contreversies as arises 
from Internal concerns. 

Wherefore we think it our Duty and Interest, at this Critical 

Conjuncture of our publick affairs, and when in Danger of being 

deprived our Liberties and priviledges most valuable and precious 

unto us. To direct you Sr. our Representative to be so far from 

countenanceing or assisting in the Execution of the aforesd Stamp 

act, that you Use your Best Endeavors that such measures may 

be taken and Remonstrances made to the King And Parlement, 

as may obtain a Speedy Repeal of the aforesaid act, and that 

you use your Utmost Endeavours to remove the heavy burthen 

on Trade — and as the Province is greatly Impovershed by Reason 

of the late war, and the Great decay of Trade, we desire you to 

use your Best Endeavours that the publick monies be used with 

the utmost Frugality, and that no money be Drawn out of the 

Treasury, but what shall be applied to such Uses only as shall 

have a tendancy to promote the Interest of the Inhabitants in 

General. As to any other matters, tho of less Importance, that 

may come before the Honble house of Representatives we Doubt 

not, Sr., but you will conduct yom-self in such a manner as shall 

tend to promote the best Interest of the province in General, 

and this Town in perticular. ^ , „ , ,. >. 

Ephm bpauldmg 

Aaron Chamberlin [ Committee 

Timothy Clark J 



192 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

WARRANT FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING. 

Middlesex S.S. To Andrew Battles one of the Constables of the 
Town of Chelmsford in the said County of Middlesex 

] In his Majesties Name You are hereby Required forth- 
SEAL !■ with to warn all the freeholders and other Inhabitants 
[ ] of the Said Town (in your ward) Qualified by Law to 

Vote in Town Affairs; to Assemble at th Meeting house in Sd. 
Chelmsford on Monday the first day of September next: at three 
of the Clock in the afternoon, then and there (if they see cause) 
to give their Representative Instructions how to act in the General 
Court with respect to making good the Damages to [those] that 
ware Sufferers in the late affairs that happened by reason of the 
Stamp Act; and to act anything in that affair that they shall 
think proper. 

2dly To Give in to the Selectmen of sd Town a true Invoice of 
the Number of their Rateable Polls, and all their other Rateable 
Estate in order to make the Town and Province Taxes for the 
present Year; hereof fail not: and make Return of this warrant 
with your Doings thereon unto the Town Clerk some time before 
the time appointed for sd Meeting; Dated at Chelmsford afore- 
said the twenty fifth day of August in the sixth year of his 
Majesties Reign. Anno domini, 1766. 

By order of the Selectmen of Said Chelmsford. 

Ephraim Spaulding. Town Clerk. 

On the question whether the Town was willing that the 
Damages resulting from the tumults that happened by reason 
of the Stamp Act should be paid out of the public Treasury the 
vote was in the negative. 

An article in the warrant for a special Town Meeting in 
December, 1767, reads To see if the Town will come in with the 
Proposals of the town of Boston that some prudent and legal 
measures may be taken to encourage the produce and manu- 
facturies of this Province and to lessen the use of superfluities, 
&c. 

Voted: to encourage the manufacturies of this Province and to 
discourage the importation of foreign superfluities. 
1768 Sept 19 A warrant was issued for a town meeting to choose 
a person or persons to join with the Committee of Boston & other 
towns to meet in Faneuil Hall Sept 22. "to consult what measures 
may be taken for The Real Service of our Gracious Sovereign and 
the welfare of his Subjects in this Province under the distressing 
Circumstances of the Present Day. 

Sampson Stoddard Esq was chosen a Committee man for that 
Purpos. 




GRAVESTONE OF THE REV. THOMAS CLARKE 



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OLD SCHOOL HOUSE 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 193 

The "Boston Massacre" occurred in 1770. 

The "Boston Tea Party" took place in December, 1773, 
when fifty or sixty men, disguised as Indians, Mohawks, boarded 
two vessels laden with tea, tore open the hatches, and threw 340 
chests overboard, as a protest against the levy of taxes by the 
British government without the consent of the people. The 
populace had previously refused to pennit any cargo of tea to 
be landed, and a number of ships had been obliged to leave port 
with their cargoes untouched. The British Parliament passed a 
bill closing the port of Boston until the city should indemnify 
the owners of the £15,000 worth of tea destroyed, and transferring 
the seat of government to Salem. The bill became a law on 
March 31, 1774, and its effect so exasperated the people that 
Gen. Gage, the British Commander, began to fortify Boston 
Neck, the only approach to the city by land. A regular siege 
was maintained by the Americans from July 3, 1775, when Wash- 
ington took command, to March 17, 1776, when the British 
evacuated the city and went to Halifax. 

Some of the Pitts family, members of which afterwards 
resided in Chelmsford, participated in throwing overboard the 
tea. James Pitts and his sons John, Samuel and Lendall, were 
all associated with the Tea Party. 

Jan. 11, 1773 at a meeting of Freeholders and other Inhabi- 
tants. In consequence of some papers sent up by the Town of 
Boston enumerating sundry grievances, and Particularly the 
stipend annexed to the offices of the Judges of the Superior Court. 

Voted to Chuse a Committee of five Gentlemen to make 
Report to the adjournment viz. David Spaulding, Mr Jonathan 
Williams Austin, Capt. Oliver Barron, Mr Samuel Perham and 
Mr Benjamin Walker. 

On Jan. 21, the Committee Reported the following Draft 
which was uninamously agreed to: 

We are fully of oppinion, that the Inhabitants of this province 
are Justly entituled to all the Priviliges of Englishmen, & to all 
those Rieghts, inseperable from them as members of a free Com- 
munity. We are also Sensible that Some of those Rights are 
at present endangered. In such unhappy Circimistances, the 
only Question that can be made is this, what method is most 
suitable to obtain a Redress. Whatever Doubts may arise about 
the perticular mode, this we are clear in, that all Rash, Unmeaning 
passionate Proceeduers are by no means Justifiable in So Delicate 
a Crisis, when a Community thinks any of its Rights endangered, 
they should always weigh Consequences, and be very Cautious 
least they Run into a Step, that may be attended with the most 



194 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

deplorable Effects. The Cause of Liberty, says a very fine 
Writer, is a Cause of too much Dignity, to be sullied by Turbulance 
and Timiults. "When the Passions of a People are Inflamed, 
Reason is too often Silenced, and they soon forgit the Cause they 
originally iinbarked in. Whereas the Patriot on true principles, 
always endeavours to Keep those Principles in View, conscious 
that he is a member of a Community he will endeavour to come 
up to all the obligations. Resulting therefrom, & to keep every 
part of it entire. Therefore while he cooly, but firmly pleads his 
own Right, he will never forget those of his Sovereign; but is always 
sensible. Loyalty to the prince & a Regard to the Liberties of the 
Subject are very Consistant things. These are Sentiments we 
are very full and Clear in, and by them we hope to Regulate our 
present Conduct. Greevencies we at present Labour under: 
But we can by no means think the Resolves of a Single Town Can be 
any Renioveal. We hartily concur with owe Brethren of Boston, 
that it is high Time, these Greevencies be Redressed; but then 
we think the general Court who Represent the province is the only 
Proper body to Preform this Task. The Cause of Liberty never 
more suffers, then when measures are pursued for its Defence, 
that can Never answer the end proposed. We are therefore of 
opinion that we can do nothing. Consistent with that Wisdom 
which will ever govern a free people. But Prepair the following 
Instructions to our Representative, which we heartily and 
unanimously concur in: 

To Mr. Simeon Spaulding, Representative of the Town of Chelms- 
ford in the General Court of this Province. 

"Sir, as the Present aspect of the Times is Dark and Difficult, 
we Do not Doubt but you will chearfully know the sentiments and 
receive the assistance of those you Represent. The matters that 
may now come under you Cognizance are of great Importance. 

The highest Wisdoin, therefore, Prudence and t)e[s]cresion 
is evidently necessary-. We would earnestly caution you and 
yom* own good sense will easily see the propriety of it; by no 
means to consent to any Rash, Passionate Plan of Action, wliich 
will not only sully the Dignity, but finally prove the utter Destruc- 
tion of the cause we pretend to support. We hope those little 
animosities that involve persons, not things, and which have been 
too frequently used may be utterly banished, we hope every 
Determination will founded in the nature of a free State, and that 
therefore every Privilege annexed to each part may be Religiously 
Preserved. Of Consequence, you will be Careful not to trample 
on Majesty, while you are firmly but Decently Pleading the 
Liberties of the Subject. In fine, wc wish you that wisdom which 
is from above, and we pray God that your conduct is this Important 
Crisis may be such as the coolest Reflection will ever after justifie." 

When the news of the Act closing the port of Boston and 
transferring the seat of government to Salem was received, "At 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 195 

a very full meeting of the freeholders and other Inhabitants of 
the town of Chelmsford May 30, 1774, in Consequence of Letters 
sent to the Committee of Correspondence of this Town by the 
Committee of Correspondence of the town of Boston, containing 
matters of as great Importance as ever came before a Town- 
meeting," a Committee of Correspondence was chosen, consisting 
of Jonathan Williams Austin, Captain Oliver Barron, Mr. Samuel 
Perham. David Spaulding, Mr. Benjamin Walker, Deacon Aaron 
Chamberlin, Captain Moses Parker, Mr. Samuel Stevens, Jr., 
and Mr. Simeon Spaulding, and the town expressed the following 
sentiinents : 

It is the opinion of this Town that the present Day is as 
Dark and Distressing a Day as this Country ever experienced, 
perhaps the Liberties of the Land, in no period, from the first 
Settlement of our Fathers, were ever as endangered as of present, 
and when we consider the aspect of the times, not only what has 
actually taken place, but what we are Immediately threatened 
with, we must think that the Question is, whether we submit to 
the arbitrary, lawless, tyrannical will of a minister, or by using 
those Powers given us by the God of nature, and which it were 
sacrilege to surrender, prevent so awful a Catastrophe; and it is 
extremely afflicting to us to Consider that, if we are made Slaves, 
we are so made by a nation whom we ever gloried in as a parant 
State, whose Honor was Dear to us, and to secure whose reputation 
the best, the Richest Blood of this Country has been Spilt, and 
who ever is acquainted with the Annals of America must know 
that their never was a time when it was not our ambition to expend 
Life 8c Treasure for the Service of great Britain. And after all 
this waste of Blood & Treasure we found acts taking Place for the 
Purpose of Raising a Revenue, the Direct Tendency of which was 
to entail Slavery on us and our Posterity, we were willing to 
impute it to any other Cause, than a Direct Intention to enslave. 
And it has been to the Honour of the several towns of this 
Province, in their Instructions, and of the House of Representatives 
in their proceedings, that they have remonstrated & reasoned on 
the nature. Tendency and unhappy consequences of such acts. 
But these Remonstrances, these argimients have been totally 
Disregarded. And as if this was not sufficiently afflicting to vs, 
the Capital of the Province is actually ruined, by an act of 
Parliament, which we must say is as Cruel, and Severe an act as 
ever originated in the Breast of any minister in the worst of times, 
an Act, that not only ruins that Town, but must in the end prove 
the Destruction of us all. And when we consider the Temper of 
the Present minister, his Influence in the Present Parliament, 
and the Bill he has brought in to alter our civil Government, we 
justly fear as Compleat a System of Slavery is forming for this 
Province, as any People unhappily experienced. 

In this Dangerous and critical Situation, after cool and 
serious Thought, these are our Sentiments, that the notion of the 



196 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Right of the ParHament of great Britain, their taxing this People 
for the purpose of raising a Revenue is utterly unconstitutional 
and which we never will concede to. Taxation without Repre- 
sentation we have no Conception of, and as we suppose it to be 
productive of absolute Slavery, so we must be Justified in never 
submitting to it. We have too many Instances in the History 
of mankind of the unhappy consequences that attend a Contrary 
Doctrine. When once a people have yielded the Right of granting 
their own monies, and permitted the King to exercise this power, 
when and in what manner he pleases, that mom^ent they become 
Slaves. France was once free, but in Consequence of such 
Behaviour, their Estates and Lives are at the absolute Disposal 
of the monarch. The Cortes of Spain had once the same Rights 
with our parliament. But having allowed the King on a Particular 
occasion to raise monies without their interposition, they lost 
their Authority, and the People their freedom. 

The present act respecting the blocking up the port of Boston, 
we esteem dangerous and Destructive. If the head of the province 
is Demolished, we look upon the Consequences in a political 
sense, as ruinous as in a natural. In both cases the members must 
suffer with it. And considering the Bills which are now in agita- 
tion, we are of oppinion, the Present act is Like the Bird of Noah, 
Sent over the Waters: if it find footing here, every other Evile 
will certainly follow. 

"We are not so lost to every generous principle of the human 
mind as not to sympathize with our Brethren of Boston, who have 
in a more peculiar sense been struggling in our Common Cause 
and are now suffering for our Common Liberties; and we think 
the act so very Severe and Cruel and consider at the same time the 
principle on which it was sent, so we are Determined to Support 
with all our power the town of Boston, in Defense of Rights 
Common to us all. And while we are sensible our Cause is Right, 
we are Resolved never to submit to the Iron hand of Despotism 
and oppression. 

It is with Greef we find the House of Representatives removed 
from their ancient Seat in Boston. We shall not examine into the 
particular causes of this proceedure, we hope that as former Houses 
have Resolutely protested against this Indignity, the present House 
will not tamely acquiesce in it. We submit this to the wisdom 
of the House, and have no Doubt they will act worthy the guardians 
of a free people. One thing further, we think it our Duty to 
mention in the present Emergency. We are Informed that an 
address has been prepaired to the late Governer Hutchinson, by 
Gentlemen in Different Departments on his leaving the province. 
We are of opinion that an handle may be made of this proceeding 
by our Enemies, who are numerous and Crafty, as if his adminis- 
tration had been agreeable and happy to this people. We by 
no means Intend to Question the uprightness of those Gentlemen's 
Intention, but as a Town, and as a part of the Community, we 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 197 

are obliged to ssiy that so far from thinking that the late governor 
was a friend, we cannot but look upon him to have been very- 
Inimical to the province, and we think the man, who would 
willingty "abridge english Liberties," would as willingly see the 
Town of Boston Ruined & the civil polety of the province altered. 

And we resent the base Treatment which that illustrious 
defender of american Liberty, Dr. Franklin, has received for 
Detecting such wicked Designs, but we have the pleasure to be 
assured he may be reviled, but cannot be disgraced. May he still 
live to be guardian of our Rights and the scourge to the Enemies 
of Liberty on both sides the Atlantic. 

And when he Dies, have a monument of marble erected to his 
memory. In fine, when we Consider what a melancholy Situation 
our Public affairs are in; acts of Parliament sent over to enslave, 
and because Resisted, threatned to be dragooned into obedience, 
when our Capital is ruined, and the many thousands of her poor, 
exposed to want and all the Horrors of poverty and misery and 
our other sea ports, out of a generous principle, Reducing them- 
selves to the same piteable Circumstances, our Hearts bleed within 
us. What can be thy policy, O Britain, by this Conduct, Not 
only our poor, but thousands, of thine own Subjects must suffer 
with them. Torn from the [ ] by so violent an Effort, 

Britain must bleed in every Vein. 

But in such a situation we dont think it sufficient to weep 
only at the Distresses of our Country; we think our Union is our 
Life — the contrary is Death. We mean, therefore, to preserve 
this union Inviolate at all Hazards and we are Determined in a 
manly, firm, virtuous, and joint way, neither cajoled on the one 
hand nor Intimidated on the other, to Secure and Defend our 
liberties, those Liberties purchased for us by our ancestors, at the 
expense of so much Blood and Treasure, and before they are 
wrenched from us, to struggle hard, ver}^ hard for them, con- 
sidering ourselves as the guardians of unborn millions ; and O our 
God! in the midst of this Struggle we would look up for Thy 
Direction and assistance; may the Liberties of America still 
flourish under Thy smiles as they eminently did in the Days of 
our Fathers. 

May we look up to the in every step we take, and do thou 
give us an head to Contrive and an Heart to execute, and grant 
in the most adverse Situation of our public affairs, we may trust 
in thee, and may this be the prevailing Sentiments of us all — 
IN FREEDOM WE'RE BORN AND IN FREEDOM WE'LLDIE. 

Voted, — That the foregoing Draught (after being Twice 
Read) be sent to the Committee of Correspondence of the Town 
of Boston. 

The Committee allowed an account of their proceedings to 
be printed in the Boston Gazette before it was sent to the Boston 
Committee. Today we might attribute this to the activity of 



198 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

some enterprising reporter. They took the blame upon them- 
selves, and indited the following apolog}^ to Boston. In both 
documents we recognize the hand of Jonathan Williams Austin. 

To the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston. 
Gentlemen : 

As the Representative of the Town of Chelms- 
ford has received the Votes & Instructions of the said Town, 
which Votes & Instructions have been committed to the Printers 
of the Boston Gazette, and not in the first place delivered to you, 
we take the earliest Opportunity to apologize for such a mode of 
Conduct. Situated as We are in a Corner of the Earth, which 
the particular Transactions of the Province seldom reach, We 
were utterly ignorant that the Votes of each Town, were sent 
directly to the Committee of Correspondence. But imagining 
that the Design of these Meetings, was to know the Sentiments 
of the Province, We were of Opinion that the readiest Way to 
collect these Sentiments was their Appearance in print. To this, 
and this only was owing the Conduct of the Committee of this 
Town, and not to any Disrespect to the worthy Committee of the 
Town of Boston. On the contrary We entertain the sincerest 
Affection for You, as Brethren embarked in one comman Cause, 
and heartily wish the divine Approbation on all your Endeavors. 
Difference of Sentiment in immaterial Matters will unavoidbly 
take place. It is impossible it should be otherwise, while human 
Nature is thus framed. But we hope this will never cause an 
alienation, while we fully agree in the most essential points. 
In fine., Gentlemen, as we think you are actuated by the 
purest Motives, we heartily wish Success to your Undertakings. 
And while your plan of Action is such, as will evince a true 
Magnanimity of Soul, a thorough Knowledge of the Constitution, 
Loyalty to the Prince and Affection to the Rights of the People, 
We hope almighty God will bless, & prosper You: And that all 
Manl<ind will willingly acknowledge THE only right to be the 
Metropolis of a free State, who can so well understand the true 
Nature of their Rights, and who can so cooly, dispassiofiately, 
loyally and firmly watch over, protect and defend them. — 

We are. Gentlemen, 
with much Respect, 

Your very humble Servants 

David Spaulding 
Jona. W. Austin 
Oliver Barron 
To the Committee of Samuel Perham 

Correspondence of the Benjamin Walker 

Town of Boston. The Committee of the Town of Chelmsford. 

[No date] [1774] 
[Original in the Adams Library.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 199 

The people of Chelmsford manifested their sympathy for the 
sufferers at Boston by collecting sheep and cattle and sending 
them to their relief. Samuel Howard and Captain Samuel 
Stevens drove them to Boston, for which the Town paid them at 
a later date. 

"The expressions of the Town during all this trying period 
show that the hostilities which followed were not of their seeking. 
Their language is not the language of men eager to achieve glory 
by deeds of arms; nor was their intense desire for a peaceful 
solution of the difficulties, and caution against rash measures, 
the caution of timidity, as their subsequent acts abundantly 
testify." [H. S. P.] 

They had at first no desire to sever their connection with the 
mother country. 

During the first stages of the war hardly any American of 
prominence, possibly with the exception of Samuel Adams, enter- 
tained any idea of separation. Benjamin Franklin declared that 
whatever else the Americans might desire, they did not want 
independence, and Washington asserted that at the time he took 
command of the Army (July, 1775) he abhorred the idea of 
separation. [Hist. U. S., Garner and Lodge, p. 409.] 

Middlesex S.S. To Josiah Parkhurst one of the Constables of 
the Town of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex — Greeting — 

(] In his majesties name you are hereby Required forth- 
SEAL \ with to warn all the freeholders and other Inhabitants 
J of the said Town (in your ward) Lawfully Qualified to 
vote, to assemble at the meeting House in Chelmsford aforesaid 
on monday the Twenty-seventh Day of June Instant at three 
of the Clock in the afternoon. Then and their to Consider of 
Certain papers Sent up from Boston to the Committee of Corre- 
spondence of this Town, Containing Proposals for a Plan Supposed 
to be the most Likely meathord to Prevent either absolute Slavery 
or the Troubels of a Civil War; here of fail not and make Return 
of this warrant with your Doings thereon unto the Town Clerk 
Some Time before the Time appointed for Said meeting Dated 
at Chelmsford aforeSaid the Sixteenth Day of June in the four- 
teenth year of his majesties Reign. Anno Domini 1774. 

At a Publick Town meeting of the freeholders and other 
Inhabitants of the Town of Chelmsford being Duly warned and 
Regularly Assembled at the meeting House in Said Chelmsford 
on Monday the Twenty Seventh Day of June A. D. 1774 s^-. 

Voted David Spaulding moderator for Said meeting. 

The papers being Read and Considered of Sent up from 
Boston to the Committee of Correspondence of this Town — 



200 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Voted That the papers Signed by the Inhabitants of this 
Town Shall be Kept in the Town Clerk's office of this town. 

Upon a motion made & seconded it was then put to vote to 
See if the Town would Reconsider the Last vote and it was 
accordingly Reconsidered by voting. 

Voted That the paper Signed by the Inhabitants of this 
Town Shall be Kept in the Town Clerks office of this Town untill 
Such Time as we are Informed that the Town of Boston and the 
other Towns of this Province Shall have signed Similar Papers, 
otherwise This Signing to be of none Effect. &c. &c. 

Chelmsford sent two delegates to the first Provincial meeting 
at Concord in August, 1774. They were Jonathan Williams 
Austin and Samuel Perham. A Committee of Inspection was 
chosen to prevent the purchase of any articles inported from Great 
Britain. It was voted to equip the Alarm list with the imple- 
ments of war, also to raise and equip fifty minute men. 

The Middlesex Convention met at Concord, August 30 and 31, 
1774, "to consult upon measures proper to be taken at the present 
very important crisis." Ebenezer Bridge, Jr., was clerk. Simeon 
Spaulding, Benjamin Walker, Zacheus Wright and Jonathan 
Williams Austin were present. The latter was chairman of the 
committee appointed to take into consideration the Act of Parlia- 
ment for the better regulating of the government of the Province, 
and is supposed to have drafted the resolutions adopted by the 
Convention. 

The following is from the address of Henry S. Perham at the 
Bunker Hill Day outing of the Daughters of the American Revo- 
lution, in Chelmsford, June, 1896. 

At the time of the Revolution (census of 1776, Allen, p. 184) 
the town of Chelmsford contained a popluation of 1341. It 
included within its limits the greater part of the land now occupied 
by the city of Lowell, and also a large part of Carlisle. 

A century and a quarter had elapsed since the first settlement 
of the town, and the men upon the stage were cultivating well 
tilled farms, where their great grandfathers had first felled the 
forest. Comfortable and well-built houses, many of which are 
standing today, had taken the place of the small and ruder dwell- 
ings of the early settlers. During three quarters of a century of 
the time embraced in this period, beginning with King Philip's 
war, when this was a frontier town and the people were living in 
constant apprehension of attacks by the savages, and continuing 
through the long struggle between the French and English for 
supremacy on this continent, the young men of the colonies were 
receiving a training in arms. In all the campaigns of that period 
the men of Chelmsford participated. We find the names of several 
of the natives of this town in the roll of Lovewell's devoted band. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 201 

And we find them engaged in that surprising achievement 
by the New England militia, the reduction of Louisburg. They 
took part in the conquest of Acadia, and with Wolfe at Quebec, 
they climbed the heights of Abraham. Again and again they 
marched to the support of our strongholds, which stood in the 
pathway of the enemy, between Montreal and Albany, or joined 
in movements against them when held by the enemy, losing heavily 
in the Crown Point expedition, under Gen. William Johnson. 

When important victories had been gained, there was general 
rejoicing among the people, attended with illuminations, and 
sometimes a sky rocket or two was set off. When, on the other 
hand, otu* arms met with disaster, a day of fasting was appointed, 
and we find the sympathizing pastor offering prayer and con- 
solation in those stricken homes which moiirned the loss of a 
husband, brother or son, who had fallen. 

These campaigns were attended with long and toilsome 
marches through forest pathways, sometimes in winter when 
snowshoes were a part of the equipment, and by them the men 
became inured to hardship, privation and danger. 

It was in such service that Ford, Walker, Barron and Parker 
gained the military experience that fitted them to lead in the 
Revolutionary struggle. These wars fostered the military spirit 
in the people of New England, which, together with the conditions of 
their daily life where nothing was gained except by labor and thrift, 
tended to develope a brave, hardy and self-reliant people, a people 
too confident in their own powers to submit readily to oppression. 

During the period of agitation, which preceded the Revolution, 
the attitude of the people of this town was firm and dignified, 
and apparently prompted by as deep a sense of their responsibility 
as though the action of the whole colony was to be guided by 
their course. In the instructions given to their representatives 
and the sentiments expressed in the resolutions passed in town 
meetings, nothing appears which, viewed in the light of today, 
their descendants could wish to see altered. They contain no 
suggestion of a desire to sever their connection with the mother 
country, for which they evidently felt strong attachment, and any 
rash or passionate action they strongly deprecated. But at the 
same time they firmly maintained those rights granted them as 
British subjects, by the Royal Charter, and opposed the obnoxious 
acts of the king and parliament. 

In conversation with a scholarly and thoughtful gentleman 
upon these questions, he said that he did not consider that the 
Colonies were seriously oppressed by England, and expressed the 
opinion that there would have been no war if the prople had not 
been worked up to it by the leaders. But the evidence goes to 
show, I think, that those problems were worked out slowly, 
deliberately and prayerfully in the minds of the plain people; 
people accustomed to do their own thinking, with a firmness and 
courage to enable them to face whatever might result. 



202 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In this town the leaders were not at first in sympathy with 
the popular movement. [They were Englishmen, ready to fight 
for the preservation of the rights of Englislimen.] 

The two most prominent men and the ones whose opinions 
would have the greatest weight with the people, were the minister. 
Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, and Col. Samson Stoddard. Mr. Bridge 
was then in the prime of life. Of his 50 years' pastorate here, 20 
had been spent. He was a man of strong and vigorous intellect, 
whose opinions would have had weight, even aside from the great 
influence wielded bj^ his pastoral office. 

It is not surprising that he should be inclined to look with 
disfavor upon the agitation then going on. 

The New England clergy were conservative as a class, and 
inclined to cling to existing institutions. Very many of them 
continued loyal to the English government. Mr. Bridge associated 
with the most prominent people in the Colony, and, as we learn 
from his diary, held pleasant social relations with the leaders 
upon the loyalist side. He was a friend of Governor Hutchinson 
and Secretary Oliver, and exchanged visits with them, the former 
receiving him "very graciously." The royal Governor Francis 
Bernard, (who had so much difficulty with the Massachusetts 
assembly), also visited in town and Mr. Bridge dined with .him 
at the house of his friend Col. Stoddard. [June 24, 1763. Dined 
at Col. Stoddard's with his Excellency, the Governor, and Hon. 
Mr. Bowdoin, and others, and their ladies.] 

Parson Bridge's views we find given in an election sermon 
delivered by him before the general assembly in Boston, May 27. 
1767 (two years after the passage of the Stamp Act). In 
the course of that sermon he said: "We have cause to bless God, 
that in this day and this time, we are highly favored of God with 
a king, whose throne is established by righteousness, who hath 
made the laws of the nation the rule, and the happiness of his 
people the end of his government— who hath the hearts and the 
confidence of his people at home and abroad; and upon every 
occasion hath given them the greatest cause to rejoice in his 
paternal care of and goodness to them," * * * and a parlia- 
ment which tho' liable to mistakes, has yet been attentive to the 
good of the nation and kingdom and her colonies and dependencies." 
As to the British Colonies in North America * * * "How 
happy are they, in the enjoyment of the same liberties and privi- 
leges, as our brethren in our mother country; what a lasting 
foundation is hereby laid for continual union and haiTnony, and 
a mutual dependence between the parent and her children ? May 
there never moi'e be any attempts from any quarter, or by any 
means or instruments, to divide them, who arc so nearly connected 
in affection and interest and I believe that all the people, in all 
the colonies, will heartily say amen." 

This laudation of George III and his Parliament, remember, 
was addressed to the very assembly which was prorogued and 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 203 

denounced by the royal Governor Bernard for adopting the 
circular letters of Samuel Adams, one of which was to the king 
appealing for a redress of their grievances. But, notwithstanding 
those words, the parson's heart was right, the welfare of the 
people was dear to him, and he was soon led to change his views. 
Allen dates the change from the time of the re-publication of 
Hutchinson's letters in this country. But however it was brouglit 
about his change to the patriot cause was most complete. He 
became a firm supporter of the patriot cause. He contributed 
of his substance to its support and prayed with and exhorted the 
soldiers as they went forth to battle. Two of his sons were in 
the army, one (Ebenezer, Jr.), as a colonel with Prescott at 
Bunlcer Hill. 

Colonel Stoddard, on the other hand, retained his tory 
principles. He was a son of the former minister. Rev. Samson 
»Stoddard, and a graduate of Harvard College. His house, which 
stood on the site of the Central Baptist Church, was the social 
centre. It was often illimiinated upon occasions of public rejoicing, 
and the people gathered there to celebrate, and there he enter- 
tained many distinguished guests. The town of Stoddard, in 
New Hampshire, was named in his honor. But his position upon 
the questions then uppermost cost him his influence forever. The 
people expressed their strong disapproval of his course in a 
manner more forcible than dignified. 

[His house was assailed with stones and his fence destroyed.] 
[Colonel Stoddard was the son of the Chelmsford minister of the 
same name, and was born here May 1, 1709; graduated at Harvard 
in 1730; died here, and was buried April 28, 1777.] 

Meanwhile the people were following the lead of Adams and 
Hancock, and co-operating with the committees of correspondence. 

There was at this time engaged in the practice of his profession 
in this town, a gifted young lawyer, and ardent patriot, Jonathan 
Williams Austin. [He was twenty-three years of age when 
chairman of the Chelmsford Committee of Correspondence in 
May, 1774.] He was a graduate of Harvard College, and studied 
in the office of John Adams. It was he, without doubt, who drew 
up the resolutions passed by the town meeting of May, 1774. 
He and Samuel Perham were chosen by the town as delegates to 
the Middlesex Convention held at Concord, Aug. 30, 1774, and 
Mr. Austin was chosen by the Convention as chairman of the 
committee on resolutions. These resolves, v/hich, without doubt, 
were framed by this Chelmsford delegate, took the most advanced 
ground occupied by the patriot party and were expressed in clear 
and forcible English. 

Charles H. Walcott, Esq., of Concord, says: "I feel that the 
Middlesex Resolves are infinitely superior to the much lauded 
Suffolk Resolves which were framed later by Warren. This gave 
the latter greater prominence, as well as the fact that they eman- 



204 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ated from Boston. The Middlesex Resolves have a dignity and 
force of expression, and especially (what was rare in Revolutionaiy 
manifestos) a simple, clear and direct style; sincere and bold, 
without being declamatory or bombastic. As a statement for 
all time of the grievances against the mother country, I do not 
hesitate to prefer them to the famous Declaration of Independence. 

Jonathan Williams Austin was, undoubtedly, their author. 
He was chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, which was a 
strong one, but none of them, perhaps, possessed the fine enthu- 
siasm of youth combined with a perfect knowledge of the issues 
of the day to such an extent as the young lawyer fresh from the 
office of John Adams. He was the son of Samuel Austin, a 
merchant of Boston, who died in 1792. His mother was a daughter 
of Jonathan Williams, deacon in the Brattle Street Church (died 
1788), and granddaughter of Jonathan Williams, wine-cooper, 
who died in 1737. 

Jonathan Williams Austin graduated at Harvard College in 
1769. He studied law with John Adams, afterwards President 
of the United States. He came to Chelmsford in 1773, and -was 
Captain of the first company of militia. He engaged himself to 
the country's service April 20, 1775; was promoted to the rank of 
Major, and later to Colonel; 'died in the army to the southward.' " 

His published record is as follows: 

Austin, Jonathan W[illiams], Boston. Major, Col. Paul 
Dudley Sargent's (16th) Regt; engaged April 20, 1775; roll made 
up to July 31, 1775; service, 3 mos., 18 days; also, list of field 
officers of the Continental Army stationed at Cambridge in 1776. 

In the proceedings of the Mass. Hist. Soc'y, 1878, p. 350, is 
an extract from Gen. Greene's orderly book under date of May 10, 
1776, from which it appears that Major Austin, with three com- 
panies of Colonel Sargent's Regiment, was directed to take Castle 
Island to defend, and forward the work there. There was another 
order also on the 12th. 

Austin, Jonathan W. Volunteer, brig "Hazard," commanded 
by Capt. J. F. Williams; engaged Dec. 21, 1778; discharged 
April 21, 1779; service 4 mos. Roll dated Boston. 

His Middlesex Resolutions were adopted in the Convention 
by a vote of 146 to 4. They were heartily applauded by the 
Continental Congress at Philadelphia when read to that body. 

See Journals of the Convention at Concord, Aug. 30, 1774, 
and Drake's History of Middlesex Co., Vol. I., p. 107. 

The following is an extract from the preamble of the Middlesex 
Resolutions : 

"There is a mode of conduct, which, in our very critical 
circumstances, we would wish to adopt ; a conduct, on the one hand 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 205 

never tamely submissive to tyranny and oppression, on the other 
never degenerating to rage, passion and confusion. This is a 
spirit which we revere, as we find it exhibited in former ages, 
and it will command applause to the latest posterity. The 
late acts of Parliament pervade the whole system of juris- 
prudence, by which means, we think, the fountains of justice are 
fatally corrupted. Our defence must, therefore, be immediate 
in proportion to the suddenness of the attack, and vigorous in 
proportion to the danger. 

We must now exert ourselves, or all those efforts which, for 
ten years past, have brightened the annals of this countrj'- will 
be totally frustrated. Life and death, or, what is more, freedom 
and slavery, are in a peculiar sense now before us, and the choice 
and success, under God, depend greatly upon ourselves. 

We are therefore bound, as struggling not only for ourselves, 
but futiire generations, to express our sentiments in the following 
resolves: sentiments which, we think, are founded in truth and 
justice, and therefore sentiments we are determined to abide by." 

Mr. Bowdoin's Power of Attorney 
to Mr. Austin, April 20 1773. 
Know all Men by these Presents that J James Bowdoin of Boston 
in the County of Suffolk & Province of Massachusetts Bay Esqr. 
do hereby constitute and appoint Jonathan Williams Austin of 
Chelmsford in ye County of Middlesex in ye Province aforesaid 
Gentleman my Attorney in all Causes moved and to be moved 
for me or against me, in my name to appear, plead and pursue 
to final Judgment and Execution, with power of Substitution. 
Witness my hand and Seal this 20th day of April Anno Domini 
1773. 
Signed Sealed & did. 

In Presence of James Bowdoin. 

Sampson Stoddard f ] 

Elizabeth Johnson. { seal 

[Original in the Adams Library.] [ 

Besides the sheep and cattle already mentioned, Chelmsford 
sent forty bushels of rye to Boston for the relief of the sufferers 
by the Boston Port Bill. The rye was stored in the Granary. 
This letter was sent at the same time. 

Chelmsford, 26th September 1774. 
Gentlemen, 

We, the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of 
Chelmsford, take this opportunity of transmitting a quantity of 
gi'ain, collected for the use of your poor. 

We are happy to have it in our power, by any means to show 
our affection for a Town, Who are so eminently suffering in the 
Common Cause. As we entertain the highest esteem of your 
Co^tduct, We are willing not only to sympathize but share with 
you in your troubles. 



206 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

And should you by the hand of power, be driven from your 
habitations, we welcome you to our own; and trust, that in 
these, at present, abodes of peace and liberty, you enjoy a superior 
satisfaction to those who are aiming "to raise their greatness on 
their country's ruin." 

We are, Gentlemen, with much esteem, 
Your humble ser\^ants, 
Jona. Williams Austin \ Chairman, by order 

/ of the Committee 
[Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. Fourth Series, Vol. IV. p. 92.] 

The following was received in reply : 

Boston Octo 3d 1774 
Sir. 

To commiserate the Afflicted to Sympathise with the op- 
pressed Sufferer, to reach out the bountious hand for the Comfort, 
Relief & Support and the Distressed are sacrifices well pleasing 
and acceptable to God thro' Christ our Savioui". 

Our Worthy Friends and Brethren of Chelmsford have in 
this way done honour to the Gospel of our divine Redeemer and 
by so doing have greatly honoiu-'d themselves. We have an 
evidence hereof in the very kind Donation of Forty Bushels of 
Rye from the patriotic Inhabitants of that Town; it has been 
received and housed in the Granary, and shall be disposed of 
agreeable to the benevolent Intent of the generous Donors. 

It affords us great satisfaction to find that the Conduct of 
this much abused Town meets with their approbation ; we greatly 
value it; and trust that by the same gracious directing and 
supporting Hand, which hath brought us hitherto, we shall not 
be left to do anything which may inctir a forfeiture of that 
Affection and Esteem. How can ye help us at such a time as 
this more effectually than by carrying oiu- Cause daily to the God 
of all Grace and emploring his Mercy and Favour for us — They 
are inclusive of all Good. 

Your invitation to make your Houses our Homes is very 
engaging should we at length be forced out of those once peaceful 
Habitations we think ourselves very happy that we are like to be 
so well provided for; but ehould we be obliged even to remove off 
fifteen times the distance of Chelmsford, yet the Consciousness 
of a cordial Attachment to the invaluable civil and religious 
Liberties of our Country, which we believe to be the Cause of 
Truth and Righteousness, would yield us content and Satisfaction 
far superior to that which those can experience who are ungrate- 
fully seeking to "build their Greatness on their Coimtrys Ruin." 
With grateful Acknowledgments. I am 

Sir Your truly obliged Friend & Servt. 

David Jeffries pr order 
of the Committee of Donations 
Mr. Jonathan Williams Austin 
[Original in the possession of Charles H. Dalton.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 207 

Many of the people of Boston and Charlestown fled to 
Chelmsford and other towns, as will be seen later in this Chapter. 

On Sept. 29, 1774 the Town voted the following instructions 
for Mr. Simeon Spaulding, Representative in the General Court: 

As we have now chosen you to represent us in the Great and 
General Court to be holden at Salem on Wednesday the fifth day 
of October next ensuing, We do hereby instruct you that in all 
your doings as a member of the House of Representatives you 
adhere firmly to the Charter of this Province granted by their 
Majesties K. William & Q. Mary, and that you do no act which 
can possibly be construed into an acknowledgment of the validity 
of the Act of the British Parliament for altering [the] government 
of Massachusetts Bay; more especially that you acknowledge the 
Hon. Board of Concillors elected by the General Court at their 
Sessions in May last, as the only rightful and constitutional 
Council of this Province and as we have reason to believe that a 
conscientious discharge of your duty will produce your dissolution 
as an House of Representatives, we do hereby empower & instruct 
you to join with the members who may be sent from the other 
towns in the Province, & to meet with them at a time to be agreed 
on, in a general Provincial Congress to act upon such matters as 
may come before you in such a manner as shall appear to you 
most conducive to the true interest of this town and Province, 
and most likely to preserve the liberties of all America. 

Oct. 11, 1774, the Town chose Mr. Jonathan Williams Austin 
and Mr. Samuel Perham delegates "to a Provincial meeting to 
be holden at the town of Concord upon the Eleventh Day of 
October Instant." 

Jan. 3, 1775, Simeon Spaulding was chosen to represent the 
Town in the Provincial Congress at Cambridge on Feb. 1. 

Capt. Oliver Barron, Dr. Jonas Marshall and Mr. Benjamin 
Walker were chosen a Committee of Inspection respecting pur- 
chasing or selling any goods, wares or merchandise imported from 
Great Britain or Ireland. 

March 6, 1775, the town voted that the Alarm list should be 
cquipt with fire arms and ammunition, and to raise fifty minute- 
men, including officers: that they be disciplined one half day in 
a week for eight weeks ensuing, and that they be paid eight pence 
per each half day they are disciplined over and more than the 
militia are disciplined. 

Voted to defend the constables and assessors of this town for 
the year 1774 for not obeying Harrison Gray's warrant for the 
Province Tax that year. 

Captain Oliver Barron was chosen muster-master. 

Colonel Simeon Spaulding was chosen to represent the town 
in the Provincial Congress. 

William Pierce of Chelmsford was a deputy sheriff at this 
period. 



208 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The fighting at Lexington and Concord took place on April 
19, 1775. An account of the part which Chelmsford men played 
at Concord and Bunker Hill will be given further on. 

The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775. 

1775, May 15, the Committee of Safety ordered an inspection 
of town and district stocks of powder. Chelmsford was found to 
have one and one-half barrels. In all the towns of the Common- 
wealth together there were sixty-seven and three-fourths barrels. 
It was found that on June 17 Chelmsford had seven firelocks. 
There were 102 in the County and 1,065 in the Commonwealth. 
July 5, Chelmsford was apportioned fifty-five coats. 13,000 were 
apportioned to the whole Commonwealth. 

In 1777, the Town voted that all powder and balls taken out 
of the Town Stock at the time of the engagement with the King's 
troops at Concord or the Battle of Bunker Hill should be returned 
or paid for. 

1775, May 19, the selectmen voted £35: 0:0 for the use of 
this province. 

CHELMSFORD COMMITTEE TO THE MIDDLESEX COMMITTEE 

Whereas the Honorable the Provincial Congress Dated April 
12th 1775 Resolved and Recomended to the Committees of Corre- 
spondence of the Several Towns & Districts in this CoUoney, To 
render to the Committies of their Respective Countyes appointed 
by sd Congress, a True State of the Conduct of their Respective 
Towns & Districts with Respect to their Haveing Executed each 
Plan, Recomended by the Continential, & Provincial Congresses. 
These therefore may Inform the Honorable Committee of the 
County of Middlesex that the Town of Chelmsford have voted 
To Conform to the Resolves of the said Continential, & Provincial 
Congresses. The sd. Town have also Granted by vote the Sum 
of Fifty nine Pounds Seventeen Shillings & three pence which is 
assessed on the Inhabitants of sd. Town: we are also Informed 
by the Constables of sd. Town for the year 1773 that there 
Remaineth in their hands of the Province Tax, for the Same 
Year, the Stun of Fifty Two Pounds, nineteen Shillings & three 
pence. Each of the Said Sums are by a vote of sd. Town, to be 
paid in unto Capt. Oliver Barron Treasurer of sd. Town, the Said 
Treasurer being Directed to pay out the Sumes. which he Shall 
So Receive To Henry Gradner Esq. at Stoe, as he Shall Receive 
orders from the Selectmen for the use of this Province. Thirty 
five pounds of which is already ordered by the sd. Selectmen to 
be paid for the use aforesd. and the Residue thereof we hope & 
Trust will be Collected & paid in Due Time — 
Chelmsford May 20th 1775 Signed by order & in behalf of the 

Committee of Correspondence of 

Chelmsford 

Simeon Spaulding Chairman 
of the Comet 
[Original in the possession of Charles H. Dalton.] 



i 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION. 209 

July 3, 1775, voted that 300 bushels of salt and 400 weight 
of sugar provided by the selectmen for the use of the Town should 
be paid for by the Town Treasurer. Thirty-five hogsheads of 
salt were carted from Salem for the Town's use. Sugar and salt 
were chiefly articles of import, and this was a precaution in case 
the war put an end to importation. 

An item in the town records reads: 
To Mr Crownshell [Crowinshield ?] of Salem 

for a quantity of Salt & Shugar for the Town's use. £38: 1:0:0 

Three years later it was voted to sell the Town's stock of 
salt and sugar and "convert the money to the yuse of paying the 
Continental soldiers * * *" The Salt was sold to the people 
of the Town for £3 per bushel. The sugar was sold at four 
shillings per pound. These articles were apportioned among the 

families of the Town according to the number in each family, and 
were sold on each Monday of July, 1778. For selling the salt 
and sugar the Committee received £168: 0: 0. 

The Town voted to Captain Oliver Barron for money delivered 
to Colonel Simeon Spaulding for this Town's part of the cost of 
the Delegates to the Continental Congress, £1: 17: 6: 0. 

Thomas Byam loaned the Town £103:11:6:3, which was 
repaid April 23, 1776. Joseph, Abel and Solomon Adams also 
loaned money to the Town, as did Jacob and Samuel Howard and 
Ephraim Parkhurst. 

March 4, 1776, Colonel Simeon Spaulding, Captain Oliver 
Barron, Deacon Aaron Chamberlain, Mr. David Parker, Lieuten- 
ant Samuel Stevens, Captain Joseph Warren, Lieutenant John 
Minott, Mr. Benjamin Parker, Mr. Thomas Marshall, Lieutenant 
Zebulun Spaulding, Doctor Jonas Marshall, Mr. Josiah Hodgman, 
Ensign Benjamin Fletcher, Mr. Samuel Howard, Mr. William 
Peirce and Mr. Joseph Emerson were chosen a Committee of 
Correspondence, Inspection and Safety. 

May 13, Oliver Barron, Simeon Spaulding, Samuel Perham 
and Zebulun Spaulding were consecutively chosen Representative, 
and each refused to serve. At an adjoining meeting. Col. Simeon 
Spaulding was chosen and accepted. It was voted that if it 
should be the pleasure of the Honorable Continental Congress to 
declare an Independent State with Great Britain that this Town 
will stand by them to the expense of life and fortunes. Voted 
to provide spades or iron shovels and pickaxes and narrow axes, 
agreeable to a late act of the Great and General Court, and that 
fifes and drums be provided also, agreeable to said act. 

The town paid, June 13, to Mr. Joseph Emerson, for one dnmi 
for the use of the Town, £1 : 16: 0. 

In the warrant for this meeting there was an article: "At 
the desire of Samuel Perham and others to enquire into and con- 
sider of some things which has been done of late by the Selectmen 
respecting the recommendation and approbation of Col. vSampson 
Stoddard and Sampson Stoddai'd Junr. Esq. for to be true and 



210 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

faithful men to the interest of their Country that we are now 
Contending for, as well as to sell liquors at their houses in said 
Chelmsford &c" Voted, Dissatisfied with the conduct of the 
selectmen in recommending and approbating Col. Sampson 
Stoddard and Sampson Stoddard, Junr., Esq. 

The following contains the names of two prominent Chelmsford 
men — Col. Spaulding and Capt. Ford. 

Delivered to Capt Zachariah Fitch of Groaton 1 Lt and 
1 Ens. and 25 privats, and one privat to Capt Nathan Seargent 
of Maiden all Inlisted mustered and paid by Simeon Spaulding 
and William Tompson Two of the Committee Appointed for that 
purpose 

Capt Fitchs Company marched August 28: 1776. 

In Obedience to an order of Council of the 21st. of august we 
Present the following acct. 

(Indorsed) Return men in Middlesex when the Rolls are 
Deficient. 

Towns Sam. Fay Woburn Jas Bancroft Reading Jno Ford 
Cheknsford Zac Fitch Groton Nath Sargent Maiden July, 1776, & 
aug 

Ace muster rolls by Simeon Spalding & Wm Thompson 

The inclos'd is evidence for Absent Rolls. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 41, p. 103.] 

Groton Septr. 14th 1776. 
wSir, 

In pursuance of ordors this Day received from General 
Warren, you are hereby required & ordored, to Cause the militia 
as well of the Alarm as the Training Band of your Regt. to be 
mustered without the least delay and that you cause to be Drafted 
there from when so mustered, ever}'' fifth man, able bodied & 
Effective, under fifty years of age, in manner as is directed, & 
subject to such Exceptions as are ordered and made by the 
Resolves of the General Assembly of this State, of the 12th instant. 

And you arc to make return of the men so Drafted from your 
Regt. to me, as soon as may be, that they may be formed into 
Companies and Regiments to be officered and accoutered agreeable 
to the sd. Resolves, and caused to march according to the directions 
and for the purposes therein Expressed, as soon as possible. You 
are in all things to confonn yourself to the sd. Resolves, Coppies 
of which I herewith send you for the Government of your own 
Conduct & that of the officers and men in your Regiment. 

I am yr. hb. Sert. 

Oliver Prescott. 
P. S. The Service requires the 
utmost Dispatch 

Colo. Spaulding. 
[Original in the possession of Charles H. Dalton, Boston, January, 

1895.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



211 



A "letter written by Dr. Prescott, who at this time was a 
Brigadier General, is preserved among the Shattuck Manuscripts 
of the New England Historic, Genealogical Society. It gives 
some interesting facts concerning the Middlesex militia, and is 
as follows : — 

Sir, 

In persuance of your ordors Reed, the 14th. I have caused the 
militia of the County of middlesex to be mustered and have caused 
to be Drafted therefrom every fifth able bodied man under fifty 
years of age &c agreeable to the Resolves of the Genl. Assembly 
of this State of the 12th. instant, and formed the sd. men into 
Companies and appointed their Respective Officers in the following 
manner, viz. 

No. 1. Cambridge 33 men Capt. John Walton of Cambridge 
Charlestown 7 1st. Lt. 

Maiden 9 2d. Do. 

Medford 13 

62. 



No. 2. 



Watertown 
Newton 
Waltham 
Weston 



15 

19 
13 

18 



Capt. Edward Fuller of Newton 
1st. Lt. Josiah Capen of Watertown 
2d. Do. Isaac Hager of Waltham 



65. 



No. 3. Woburn 20 

Reading 26 

Wilmington 13 

Stoneham 4 



Capt. Samuel Belnap of Woburn 
1st. Lt. 
2d. Do. 



63. 



No. 4. Concord 23 

Lexington 16 

Acton 15 

Lincoln 12 



Capt. Simon Hunt of Acton 

1st. Lt. Samuel Heald of Concord 

2d. Do. Ebenr. White of Lexington 



66. 



No. 5. Sudbury 35 Capt. Amasa Cranson of Marlboro 

Marlboro 31 1st. Lt. Nathll. Sergeant of Stow 

Stow 16 2d. Do. Nathll. Smith of Sudburv 



82. 



212 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



No. 6. Framingham 27 
Sherbum 15 

Hopkinston 20 
Holliston 15 
Natick 9 



Capt. Aaron Gardner of Sherbum 
1st Lt. Lawssen Buckminister of 
Framingham 

2d. Do. Isaac Clark of Hopkinton 



86. 

No. 7. Groton 29 

Pepperrell 17 

Townshend 15 

Ashby 8 

69. 



Capt. Thomas Warren of Townshend 
1st Lt. James Lawrance of Pepperrell 
2d. Do. Joseph Rockwood of Groton 



No. 8. 



Chelmsford 

Dunstable 

Dracutt 



21 men Capt. Zach. Wright of Westford 



12 

18 



Westford 18 



1st Lt Nathll. Holden of Dunstable 
2d. Do. Robt. Spaulding of Chelms- 
ford 



No. 9. Billerica 

Tukesbury 
Bedford 
Littleton 
Shirley 



69. 

22 
12 
10 
12 
9 

65. 



Capt. Solomon Kidder of Billerica 
1st Lt. Daniel Kimball of Littleton 
2d. Do. Timo. Rogers of Tukesbury 



I have also formed the aforesd. Companies into one Regt. 
and appointed 

Eleazer Brooks Esqr. of Lincoln to be the Colo. 

Micah Stone Esqr. of Framingham Lt. Colo. 

Ebenr. Bancroft Esqr. of Dunstable Major 

Mr. Moses Adams of Framingham Chaplain 

Mr. Joseph Hunt of Acton Surgeon Mate 

Daniel Loring of Sudbury Adjut. 

Samuel Hartwell of Lincoln Quartermaster 

I have directed the sd. Colo. Brooks to ordor the several 
Captains aforesd. to march their Respective Companies, as soon 
as possible, in the best & most proper Road, to Horse Neck [West 
Greenwich, Connecticut], according to the Resolves of the Genl. 
Assembly of this State, & agreeable to the Directions and for the 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 213 

purposes therein Expressed. Colo. Brooks informs me this day 
that he hath given marching ordors for Saturday next for the 
whole Regt. 

I am, Sir, with the greatest Respect, your most obedient and 
very hbl Sert. 

Oliver Prescott 
Groton vSeptr. 26th. 1776. 

N. B. Colo. Thatcher & Colo. Fox Engaged to fill up their 
Companies and Return the Names of the Lieuts. before the Time 
appointed to march. 

Generall [James] Warren 

[Indorsed] Brigr Prescots return of every fifth man Drafted 
from his Brigade Scpr. 1776." 
[Groton during the Revolution, p. 240, ff.] 

Chelmsford, October 14, 1776. 
This Town having been legally warned, met together in the 
meeting house, agreeable to the Recommendations of the present 
House of Representatives of this State of Massachusetts Bay in 
New England, and having chose Oliver Barron, Esq, Moderator, 
proceeded to the consideration of the subject matter of said 
recommendation and came into the following votes: 

First that we give our consent that the present House of 
Representatives, together with the Council of said State in one 
body with the House by equal voice should constitute, and agree on 
and erect such Constitution and form of Government for this 
State, as the said House of Representatives and Council aforesaid, 
on the fullest and most mature deliberation, shall judge will most 
conduce to the safety, peace and happiness of this State in all after 
successions and generations. 

Secondly, Voted that the Constitution of government of this 
State agreed upon by said House and said Council be made public 
for the inspection and perusal of the inhabitants of said State, 
before it be ratified by said House and Council. 

Thirdly Voted, that when w^e have had opportunity to have 
considered and to have expressed our sentiments by vote on said 
Constitution of government so agreed on, we will cause our 
votes or resolution respecting the same to be certified into the 
office of the Secretary of this State. 

There follows in the Record Book the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence of July 4, 1776, copied by David Spaulding, Town 
Clerk (who received 4 shillings for doing it), as ordered by the 
Council July 17, after having been read by every Minister in the 
state to his congregation on the afternoon of the 1st Sunday after 
receipt of same. 

1777, March 3. At the Annual Town Meeting, the following 
men were chosen as a Committee of Correspondence, Inspection 
and Safety: Oliver Barron, Samuel Perham, Joseph Warren, 
David Parker, Zebulon Spaulding, John Minott, Josiah Hodgman, 
Jonathan Bigford and Benjamin Parker. 



214 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

March 19. Various matters relating to the War were acted 
on — the payment of inhabitants of the town for services rendered, 
procuring about thirty new men for the service, £20. bounty 
above that of the Continent and State to be given to each man 
enHsting for three years or during the war. 

May 21. The Town considered the Resolve of the General 
Court relating to the formation of a new Constitution, and "Voted 
that the General Court act in that affair as they think proper, etc." 

June 26 the Town chose Oliver Ban-on, Samuel Stevens, 
Aaron Chamberlin, Daniel Proctor, Joseph Emerson, Thomas 
Hutchins and William Peirce to see that the Acts of the General 
Court to prevent Monopoly and oppression be complied with. 
Voted to take the salt (80 bushels) provided by the General Court 
for the Town of Chelmsford. 

Sept. 25. Guns, locks, lead, and flints to be kept as a Town 
Store. 

Dec. 8. Voted that the State's money may not be called in 
in the manner the General Court prescribed, etc. Committees 
were appointed to petition the Coiu-t with reference to this and 
the manner of making the Province tax. Voted not to conform 
to the directions prescribed by the General Court in Taxing real 
and personal estate. Voted not to open the Town Store of 
salt [at present]. 

1778, Jan. 5. Action was taken to provide necessaries for 
the families of men in the Continental Service. 

Jan. 28 the Town voted to leave the matter relating to the 
Confederation and Perpetual Union between the United States 
of America discretionary with the Representative to act as he may 
think will be most advantageous to this and the other States. 

The Committee of Correspondence this year consisted of 
Oliver Barron, Samuel Stevens, Aaron Chamberlain, Josiah 
Hodgman and Joel Barrett. (The same men were chosen in 1779.) 

The Town voted to give £20 bounty to all who engaged in 
the Continental service before the Town voted the bounty, to 
make them equal with those who engaged afterwards. This was 
over and above what the Government paid them. In 1781, in 
consequence of the depreciation of the currency, this bounty was 
commuted to "twenty head of horned cattle, middling cattle of 
their age, to each man." If the war lasted one year, they were 
to have their cattle at one year old, if it lasted two years, then at 
two years old, and so on. Captain Oliver Barron was to keep the 
public store of arms and ammunition. 

July 10. Voted unanimously their disapprobation of the new 
proposed form of government which was sent to the Town by the 
General Court for their inspection and consideration. 

1779, Jan. 18. Voted to receive the fire arms and steel, as 
a Town store, which the selectmen procured from the Board of 
War, paying them the first cost and expenses of transporting the 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 215 

same into Town; that the fire arms and steel be sold at public 
vendue, the former at 22 dollars apiece and the latter at ten 
shillings per pound. 

March 1, Among other items in the record of Town meeting 
are these: Voted to choose one Committeeman to make sale of 
one Continental soldier who was hired by Capt. John Ford. 

Voted not to have a new Constitution or form of Government 
established the present year. 

1780, March 6. Committee of Correspondence: Oliver 
Barron, John Minott, Isaac Warren, Samuel Perham, Daniel 
Proctor. 

Two of the constables asked the Town to make them a 
consideration for a quantity of counterfeit money which they had 
collected of the inhabitants for taxes. 

In 1779 delegates were sent to the Convention in Concord, 
Quly 14) to adopt measures "to recover credit of our money, &c., 
and the Town voted (November 11) to conform to the Resolves 
passed by the Convention. In August a committee was chosen 
"to inspect into the conduct of the Inhabitants of this Town 
relative to the resolves of the Convention held at Concord, regulat- 
ing prices, &c. 

1780. Cost of making a plan of the Town, including Surveyor 
chairmen, &c., three items totaling £147. 5. 0. 

May 29. The Town voted, 92 to 8, to accept the new 
Constitution, substituting the word "Protestant" for the word 
"Christian" in the qualification of the Governor. 
1780 Sept. 4. The Inhabitants, being legally warned and regularly 
assembled gave their votes for Governor of the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts. 

The Honorable John Hancock, Esq., of Boston — The number 

of votes 102 

For Lieut. Governor, the Honorable Artemas Ward, of 

Shrewsbury — The ntunber of votes 65 

For Councillor, the Honorable Abraham Fuller of Newtown — 

The number of votes 38 

For Second Councillor, Josiah Stone, Esq., of Framingham — 

The number of votes 38 

For Third Councillor, Nathaniel Gorham, Esq., of Charles- 
town — The number of votes 38 

For Fourth Councillor, Eleazer Brooks, Esq., of Lincoln- — 

The ntmaber of votes 30 

For Fifth Councillor, Loammi Baldwin, Esq., of Woburn — 

The nmnber of votes 40 

In 1781 John Hancock received 60 votes for Governor, and 

Thomas Gushing 53 for Lieut. Governor. 
In 1782 ] John Hancock received 44 votes for Governor 
[ James Bowdoin " 7 " " 

J Artemas Ward " 6 " " 



216 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

THE CONCORD FIGHT. 

In the early days of Massachusetts people lived on the alert. 
Both men and boys were skilled in the use of firearms; and this 
of necessity. Much of their food roamed wild in the forest. The 
wolf, the bear and the Indian were wily enemies. The Indian 
wars were schools of military training. In 1645, the General 
Court ordered that all youths between the ages of ten and sixteen 
years should be instructed by competent soldiers in the exercise 
of arms, such as small guns, half-pikes, and bows and arrows, 
provided their parents were willing. And thirty men out of every 
hundred of the militia were to be ready for any service "at halfe 
an howers warning." The French and Indian war prepared 
many of the officers of the Revolution for their arduous work. 

At Cambridge, on October 26, 1774, the first Provincial 
Congress provided for the appointment of a Committee of Safety, 
with Dr. Joseph Warren at its head; who, when they judged 
occasion to require, should have power to alarm, muster, and cause 
to be assembled with the utmost expedition, such and so many 
of the militia as they might deem necessary. 

The Field Officers of the regiments were directed to endeavor 
"to enlist one quarter at ye least of the Number of the respective 
Companies" to be ready on the shortest notice to march to the 
place of rendezvous. These were called "Minute-men," and were 
organized under the resolve of the Provincial Congress above 
mentioned, which "accounts for the promptness with which they 
assembled in response to the alarm of the 19th of April, 1775." 
The actual number of those who turned out was 19,860. This 
is the number of names on the list compiled from the Archives, 
and published by the State. These men, a small part of whom 
really took part in the events at Lexington and Concord, formed 
good material for the first army organized. The authorities were 
embarrassed by their numbers, and immediately reorganized the 
military under regular enlistments. 

On April 23, the Provincial Congress then sitting at Water- 
town resolved that an army of 30,000 men must be immediately 
raised, and "That 13,000 Men be raised immediately bj-- this 
Province." All minute-men were required by the Committee 
of Safety to enlist in the anny, and orders were sent to the 
neighboring towns, requiring that one-half the militia be sent 
immediately to Roxbury and Cambridge, and that the remainder 
hold themselves in readiness to march at a minute's warning. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 217 

The following oath was to be administered to the officers and 
private soldiers of the army: "I, A. B., swear, I will truly & faith- 
fully serve in the Massachusetts army, to which I belong, for the 
defence and security of the estates, lives and liberties of the good 
people of this and the sister Colonies in America, in opposition to 
ministerial tyranny by which they are or may be oppressed, and 
to all other enemies & opposers whatsoever;" &c., &c. On May 
20, 1775, General Artemas Ward, of Shrewsbury, was sworn and 
received his commission as Commander-in-Chief. A large part 
of the officers and men had been continuously in service from their 
arrival in camp in response to the alarm sent out the 19th of 
April, and are so credited on the rolls in the State Archives. 

The Congress had provided that cannon, small arms, ammuni- 
tion and ordnance stores to cost £20,837, be purchased and 
deposited in such places as the Committee of Safety should 
direct. Concord was named as one place of storage. 

"The people of Massachusetts proceeded to organize a 
provincial government of their own with the intention of repudi- 
ating the sovereignty of Great Britain. The legislature, which 
had been dissolved by the governor, assembled at Salem upon its 
own authority and organized itself into a Provincial Congress 
under the presidency of John Hancock." 

The British General Gage had fortified Boston Neck to defend 
the only approach to the city. On April 15, he learned that 
Samuel Adams and John Hancock, the two chief arch-conspirators, 
were in Lexington, and eight hundred troops were sent to arrest 
these patriot leaders, and then proceed to Concord and seize the 
military supplies collected there by the "rebels." The signal 
lanterns having been displayed in the belfry of old Christ 
Church, Paul Revere, on his famous ride, informed the citizens 
of the approach of the regulars. 

Early on April 19, Major Pitcairn, with several companies 
of infantry, met the doughty minute-men at Lexington, seven of 
whom were killed and ten wounded; and proceeded to Concord, 
(whence the stores had been removed to a place of safety). Here, 
at the bridge, took place the renowned engagement with the 
"embattled farmers," who harassed the British on their retreat 
all the way to Boston. It has been said that Concord supplied 
the scene of action on that memorable day, but that Chelmsford, 
Acton and other towns furnished the men who did the work. 
They came from all the neighboring towns. On the approach 



218 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of the King's troops, about one hundred and fifty Concord, 
Acton and Lincoln men retired from Concord over the North 
Bridge about a mile to Punkatasset hill. Here the reinforcements 
met them, being directed to the rendezvous by men stationed along 
the roads for that purpose. They came by the roads or through 
the woods and across the fields. 

"To the hill there came from Bedford, 

And Littleton, and Carlisle, 
And Lincoln, Chelmsford, Westford, 

More men through each defile." — Raymond. 

The following quotations give the facts. 

"They thereupon proceeded over the North Bridge, and 
marched, not yet over one hundred and fifty in all, to Punkatasset 
hill, about a mile north of the meeting-house. Men were stationed 
on the several roads leading to Concord, to direct the reinforce- 
ments to the rendezvous, volunteers hastened forward. Minute- 
men and Militia * * * arrived from Bedford. Numbers 
came in from Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Westford, Billerica, 
Stow and elsewhere. Some came by the woods and some across 
the fields. Thus strengthened, this devoted band marched down 
from Punkatasset * * * " [The Story of Concord as told by 
Concord Writers. Edited by Swayne, p. 55.] 

"The British troops had been in Concord about two hours. 
During this time the minute-men from the neighboring towns 
had been constantly arriving on the high grounds, a short distance 
from the North Bridge, until they numbered about four hundred 
and fifty.* They were formed in line by Joseph Hosmer, who 
acted as adjutant. It is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain 
certainly what companies were present thus early in the day. 
They came from Carlisle, from Chelmsford, from Westford, from 
Littleton and from Acton * * * 

"It was nearly ten o'clock in the morning when the provincials, 
about three hundred in numberf arrived near the river," on their 
way to dislodge the British guard at the North Bridge. 
[Frothingham, "Siege of Boston," p. 67.] 

EUis, in his "History of the Battle of Bunker Hill," well 
describes these men : 

"The yeomen of town and village had not come together at 
the command of a commander-in-chief through adjutant, herald 

* Ripley's History, 
t Depositions of 1775. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 219 

or advertisement. They came unbidden, at an alarm from the 
bell on their meeting-house, or from a post-rider, or from the 
telegrams transmitted by tongue and ear. And they came for 
what they were, and as they were, with their light summer clothing, 
with what was left from their last meals in their pantries packed 
with a few "notions" in sack or pillow-case; and with the ducking 
guns, fowling-pieces, or shaky muskets used in old times against 
the vermin and game in the woods and the Indian skulking in the 
thicket. And for the most part they were as free to go away as 
they had been to come. They were enlisted after a fashion, some 
prime conditions of which were their own convenience or pleasure." 
[Quoted in "Groton during the Revolution," p. 6.] 

But let us come back to Chelmsford and see what was doing 
here. 

It was towards eight o'clock on the morning of April 19th, a 
day unusually warm for the time of year, when the good people 
of Chelmsford, twenty-three miles northwest of Boston and about 
nine north of Concord, were roused by the alarm of the British 
advance. A mounted messenger from Billerica dashed into the 
village proclaiming the news that the redcoats were marching 
from Boston towards Concord. Alarm bells, drum beats, and 
signal guns warned the people, as prearranged messengers spread 
the news. 

"Now Concord's bell, resounding many a mile, 
Is heard by Lincoln, Lincoln's by Carlisle, 
Carlisle's by Chelmsford, and from Chelmsford's swell 
Peals the loud clangor of the alarum bell. 
Till it o'er Bedford, Acton, Westford spreads, 
Startling the morning dreamers from their beds." 

So run the lines by Pierpont. 

The reference to "morning dreamers" must be regarded as 
poetic license, for practically all able-bodied people were up and 
at work when the word reached Chelmsford. 

The men composing the Chelmsford companies were scattered 
throughout the town, from Concord on the south to the Merrimack 
river and Dunstable on the north. 

It is stated by C. C. Chase (Vol. IV, Old Residents' Con- 
tributions) that when the messenger reached Chelmsford, the 
minute-men were already on their way to Concord. Those who 



220 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

lived nearest had, no doubt, started. The news had wings, and 
more heralds than one. John Ford, Sergeant in Captain Barron's 
Company, was one of the first in his locality to have the news. 
He immediately left his mill at Pawtucket falls and set out to 
notify the men in his part of the town, along the Merrimack. He 
hastily ate a bowl of bread and milk in his kitchen, and rode his 
horse to death; so tradition says. 

Lieutenant Colonel Simeon Spaulding, after hasty refresh- 
ment, mounted his restless horse, and as he had some difficulty 
in sectiring his gun, his wife stood on the large boulder which may 
still be seen in front of his house, and, giving him the weapon, 
waved her hand for a farewell. 

Benjamin Pierce, the father of President Franklin Pierce, 
was plowing in his field near the present Powell and B streets in 
Lowell, when he heard the alarm; he chained his steers to a tree 
and "the plow was in mid-furrow stayed." Taking his uncle's 
gun and equipment he hastened away on foot. Some of the 
others from that locality were Robert Pierce, Samuel Marshall, 
Benjamin Parker and his son Benjamin, and Henry Fletcher 
who was killed later in the war. Samuel Perham, Jr., was 
hoeing in the "lower field," still a part of the Perham estate, when 
he heard the alarm gun in the centre village nearby, and sticking 
his hoe in the ground, started to join his company, of which Moses 
Parker was in command. 

Samuel Parkhurst, a lad of sixteen, living on the west side of 
Robin's hill, called out, "Mother, I hear the shoots; I'm going"; 
and away he went. His descendents treasure a sword which he 
took from a British officer at Ticonderoga. 

Joseph Fletcher, fourteen years old, cried because he was too 
young to go with the others. 

One young man, who was not enrolled, begged and obtained 
leave to go in the place of his elderly employer, and ran all the 
way to Concord by the side of Sergeant P'ord's horse, holding on 
to the stirrup strap. 

The place of rendezvous was near the memorial boulder 
in the little park where all the streets convene at the 
Centre village. From a rock a few feet north of this spot the 
minute guns were fired by Joseph Warren. Thither the men 
hastened from the farms and work-shops. This boulder was 
placed by the Molly Vamum Chapter, Daughters of the American 
Revolution, on June 17, 1899. Mr. H. S. Perham, gave an 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 221 

historical address. Other speakers were : General F. H. Appleton, 
President of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Mrs. 
Donald McLean, regent of the N. Y. City Chapter, D. A. R. A 
collation was served in the Town hall. The boulder bears this 
inscription: Here on the 19th of April, 1775, the minute guns 
summoned the men of Chelmsford to the Concord fight. Erected 
by the Molly Vamum Chapter, D. A. R., A. D., 1899. 

The good parson. Bridge, was on the ground and requested 
the men to go into the meeting-house and have prayers before 
they went; but the impetuous Sergeant Ford, his patriotism 
getting the better of his piety, replied that they had more urgent 
business on hand, and hastened on with his men. Soon over one 
hundred men were on their way to the scene of conflict. 

Captain Oliver Barron's company numbered sixty-one, and 
Lieutenant Colonel Moses Parker's, forty-three. 

These men did not march in regular order, but hurried off in 
squads, on horseback, or on foot, as fast as they received the 
simimons. As the foremost of them neared Concord about half- 
past nine o'clock, they perhaps being thus directed, foUowed the 
road leading over Punkatasset hill on the west side of the river, 
and took some refreshments at a farm house. This road has been 
reduced in grade in front of the Rev. Dr. Hutchins's residence, 
from which point a splendid view is obtained of the river and 
valley. Here the Chelmsford men met the Americans who had 
retired from the village on the approach of the 800 British troops, 
with others from Westford, Bedford, Lincoln and neighboring 
towns, and descended to Buttrick's hill just above the bridge, 
and there was a hurried debate. Finally Col. Barrett gave the 
order to march to the bridge and pass the same, but not to fire 
on the King's troops, unless they were fired upon. Then about 
ten o'clock took place the famous fight, which cannot be here 
described, and as the British retreated through the village towards 
Merriam's corner, other Chelmsford men came up, and with their 
comrades, crossing over the great meadows, met them at the corner, 
where a sharp engagement was fought. It was a race for life 
with the British, who were chased by the Americans all the way 
to Charlestown Neck. 

At Hardy's hill they harassed them, and Sergeant Ford 
showed conspicuous activity. He had learned to handle a rifle 
in the French and Indian wars, and on this day killed five of the 
British. Among the wounded were Captain Oliver Barron and 



222 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Deacon Aaron Chamberlain of Chelmsford. [Frothingham, 
"Siegeof Boston,"p. 81.] 

Mr. Perham left the following note: 

"Wm. Fletcher went out on the 19th of April. By mistake 
his name is not on the Roll, which was not made out until 1776.'' 

He was, later, in Ford's Company. 

The family tradition repeats his words: "I was one of those 
who stepped over the body of the first British soldier killed at 
Concord Bridge." [Brown.] 

There is a William Fletcher, 3d, on the official list, who marched 
on the Alarm of April 19. There were several men of that name 
in Chelmsford. 

William Fletcher of Parker's company (Uncle Billy Fletcher, 
who lived in the old gambrel roof house recently demolished, 
which stood at North square) wrote out, late in life, an account of 
his experience. Evidently he was one of the Chelmsford men 
who arrived later on the scene than others, as the retreat of the 
British had already begun. He says : "We followed the enemy and 
came up with them somewhere in Lexington. Our company 
behaved as well as could be expected, all things considered. I 
was four times that day where the arrows of death flew thick. 
We followed the enemy more than half way over Charlestown 
Neck ♦ * * the enemy was then in plain view, rising Bunker's 
Hill." He was 19 years of age when he enlisted. 

Frederick Hudson in Harper's Monthly for May, 1875, says: 
General [Colonel] Ebenezer Bridge, of Chelmsford, with a few 
men from Bedford, was also there [at Merriam's corner]. 

James Reed of Burlington made a deposition in 1825 regarding 
some of the British who were taken prisoners on their retreat 
from Concord on the afternoon of the 19th, in which he says: 
"Towards evening it was thought best to remove them from my 
house. I, with the assistance of some others, marched them to 
one Johnson's, in Wobum Precinct, and there kept a guard over 
them during the night. The next morning we marched them to 
Billerica; but the people were so alanned, and not willing to have 
them left there, we then took them to Chelmsford, and there 
the people were much frightened; but the Committee of Safety 
consented to have them left, provided that we would leave a guard. 
Accordingly some of our men agreed to stay." [Drake, "Hist. 
Mddlsex. Co." p. 302.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 223 

"Lieutenant Colonel Campbell's letters show that officers of 
his regiment were imprisoned or on parole at Chelmsford, at 
Dunstable and at Upton." [Shawshin in the Boston Transcript.] 

Diuring the engagement and retreat at Concord the Americans 
lost forty-nine killed, thirty -nine wounded, and five missing. 

The British lost seventy-three killed, one hundred and 
seventy -four wounded, and twenty six missing — the most of whom 
were taken prisoners. Of these eighteen were officers, ten ser- 
geants, two drummers, and two hundred and forty were rank and 
file. 

The state of mind in Chelmsford is reflected in the diary of 
Parson Bridge. He records: 1775. April 10, Capt. Eben. Symmes 
came from Boston to secure a place of retreat &c in ye present 
troublesome season in Boston. [April 13, one load of the Captain's 
goods arrived. The next day some members of his family came. 
His two sisters, Betty and Sally, and boy.] 

April 18, Still hurry and confusion, in my own affairs, and 
on account of public news. 

April 19 — The Civil War was begun at Concord this morning! 
The Lord direct all things for his glory, the good of his Church and 
people, and ye preservation of ye British Colonies, and to ye 
Shame and Confusion of our Oppressors. 

April 20 — In a terrible state, by reason of ye news from our 
Army. The onset ye British forces made was begun at Lexington, 
& was carried on to Concord, where were some killed on both 
sides. They ingloriously retreated soon and were followed by our 
men down to Cambridge, before night. Heard of ye Welfare 
of my Sons in ye Army, & of my people there. 

Five captives carried through this town for Amherst. A 
constant marching of soldiers from ye towns above toward ye 
army as there was yesterday from this town and ye neighboring 
towns. We are now involved in a Warr which the Lord only 
knows what wiU be ye issue of, but I will hope in His Mercy and 
wait to see His salvation. 

April 21 — Much in ye same posture as yesterday. Forces 
still going to ye Army. I sent provisions to ye army so did many 
more. 

22. The same as yesterday in general. My Son Billy came home 
from ye Army in ye Evening. 

23. Lord's Day. I preached — O Tis a Very distressing day. 
Soldiers a passing all day & all night — but a small assembly. 

24. Things continue much in ye Same Posture. Billy went 
again P. M. to ye Army. 

25. No stir today — but little news from ye Army. Billy came 
home in evening. 

26. Billy went off again this morning after Capt Symmes' goods. 



224 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

27. Billy rettimed & ye goods came, P. M. 

28. Greatly distressed for our friends shut up in Boston from 
whom can get no news. 

29. My son John went off this morning for ye Army. 

30. Lord's Day. Read resolve of ye Provincial Congress for 
a General Fast 11th May. In ye morning Just as ye 2d. 
bell was ringing Capt. Symmes & wife arrived from Boston, 
having got out yesterday * * * 

May 1. Capt. Symmes & his wife &c with us. hurried in moving 
goods &c. 

2. Capt Symmes went off for Boston, if he might be 
be admitted there. 

3. Capt Symmes returned from Boston. 

4. A hurried life I have. O for peace and quiet. 

6. My son Ebenezer came from ye Army to Billerica 

yesterday & came over to see us. He being not well. 

Stays with us. vSaml. Bridge came also to tarry over 

Sabbath. 
9. Capt Symmes went to Boston morning. * * * 

Ebenezer — went to Billerica. 
10. Fast Day thro' Province, on acct. of ye present difficulties. 

I preached all day fm Eccl. 9. 11. Capt S3nTime.s came 

from Boston after meeting. 
12. A great deal of passing & repassing. So yt. I have no 

quiet. 
16. Capt Symmes went toward Boston * * * 
20 Capt Symmes came home. 
25 My Sister Blake & her family arrived at my house having 

escaped from Boston. 
27. Many pple passing frm Boston, &c. 

28 Lords Day. I preached at Billerica. 

Heard news at noon of a fight, begun yesterday, between 
ye regulars & our Soldiers at Chelsea, Noddle's Island 
&c, & yet going on. 

29 Rode to Cambridge — lodged at Esq. Hastings at the 
head quarters of ye Army. 

30 — * * * Visited otu- Soldiers, dined at Capt Stedman's 
pr invitation — much delighted with ye Army, their 
appearance & order &c. Saw ye spoils taken fm ye 
regulars at Chelsea &c arive at Cambridge. 

31 — went to Watertown * * * heard ye sermon preached 
before ye Congress. Addressed ye Congress abot ye 
times — offered our Service. To serve as Chaplains by 
turn in ye Army and Voted That our sermon Shod, be 
with other religs. Exercises in i)ub. on ye morrow at 
■ 8 o'clock P. M. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 225 

June 1 It rained so eould not j>o to Watertown. * * =!= 

Came home. My sons whom I saw in yc Army gave 
me pleasr. for Wm. I am thankful. 

On the day of the Concord fight some people living on the 
southerly borders of this Town removed their families to what 
they deemed a safe distance, carrying with them provisions for an 
extended absence, in case the British soldiers should overrun 
this part of the Province. A family of Proctors went over in the 
vicinity of Virginia meadow and built a place to live in for a time. 
The news of the repulse of the redcoats encouraged most of these 
people to return to their homes, and thanksgivings for their unex- 
pected deliverance were on every tongue; yet some hardly dared 
whisper opposition to the Mother Country. 

THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. 

Chelmsford men took a prominent part in the battle of 
Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. It was on the previous day that 
Captain John Ford volunteered to carr}^ from Cambridge to 
Bunker Hill a message from General Artemas Ward. It was 
necessary in accomplishing this to pass within range of the British 
guns while crossing Charlestown Neck. Realizing his peril, 
General Ward ordered him to dismount and cross on foot, thus to 
escape observation. "But he ran the risk, and passed and repassed 
on horseback. While at Bunker Hill he warned Colonel Prescott 
that from the movem^ents of the enemy it was evident that they 
were preparing to attack the Americans upon the hill, and urged the 
necessity of immediately casting up breastworks and redoubts."* 

"When the dawn of light revealed to the astonished Britishers 
the American works on Breed's Hill, Capt. Ford, who was now in 
command of the Chelmsford company, which consisted of sixty 
men, was stationed with the army at Cambridge, under Gen. Ward. 
When the preparations for the battle began, the gallant Captain, 
who had no taste for inactivity, obtained permission from the 
General to withdraw his company privately and march directly 
to the scene of action, to reinforce the troops. They marched 
across Charlestown Neck, which was being raked by cannon 
from the British ships, (a tradition given by Deacon Otis Adams 
is that some wavered and one or two turned back) and were pro- 
ceeding down Bunker Hill when they were met by Gen. Putnam, 
who ordered Capt. Ford, with his company, to draw the cannon, 
which had been deserted by Capt. Callender and left at the foot 
of the hill, into the line. The Captain at first remonstrated on the 

•Old Res. Contrib. Vol. IV. 



226 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ground that his company were ignorant of the management of 
artillery, many having never seen a cannon before, but finally 
obeyed 'and moved with the cannon and the General himself to the 
rail fence,' which they reached just before the battle began." It 
was here that Joseph Spaulding of Ford's Company, being unable to 
restrain his impetuosity, began the battle by firing the first gun. It 
was from the hand of General Putnam that he received a blow on 
the head for it, and the General threatened to cut down with his 
sword the next offender who dared to risk the waste of another 
musket charge. It is related that Spaulding always declared that 
he killed Major Pitcairn, and Farmer's Geneological Register so 
states. It is thus recorded in the Chelmsford chirrch record. He 
may have aimed at the Major, who, having been twice wounded, 
again placed himself at the head of his forces, and fell with four 
balls in his body. He did not die on the field. 

Captain Knowlton and the Connecticut troops were also 
stationed with Colonel Stark and the New Hampshire troops at 
this part of the defences. The right wing of the British army, 
under General Howe, was directed against the rail fence for the 
purpose of turning the flank of the Americans, and cutting off their 
retreat from the redoubt. As the enemy advanced to the attack, 
the artillery, manned by a portion of Captain Ford's company 
opened upon them with great effect, some of the shots being 
directed by General Putnam himself. The muskets were ordered 
to reserve their fire until the enemy were within forty yards, and 
again, until the whites of the enemies' eyes could be seen. 

It was at this time that Spaulding, and then some others fired, 
while the enemy paused to destroy the fence which obstructed their 
advance. 

When the word was given, the fowling-pieces mowed down 
their victims with fatal celerity, and the enemy was obliged to 
retreat, "leaving on the ground," as Colonel Stark related, "where 
but the day before the mowers had swung the scythe in peace, the 
dead, as thick as sheep in a fold." When upon the third assault 
of the enemy the fortunes of the day were reversed, and the 
Americans were obliged to retreat from the redoubt, the force 
at the rail fence, where some reinforcements had been received, 
maintained their ground with great firmness and intrei^idity, and 
successfully resisted every attempt to turn their flank. This 
line indeed was nobly defended. The force here did great service, 
for it saved the main body, who were retreating in disorder from the 



( 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 227 

redoubt, from being cut off by the enemy. When it was perceived 
that the force under Colonel Prescott had left the hill, these brave 
men gave ground, but with more regularity than could have been 
expected of troops who had beenno longer under discipline. Captain 
Ford behaved with great spirit in the engagement. Thirteen men 
of his company were wounded. Benj. Pierce (afterward Gen. 
Pierce, and the father of President Pierce) was a member of his 
company. He afterwards related that when Putnam ordered Ford 
to man the cannon, the latter "addressed his company in a very 
animated, patriotic and brave strain, which was characteristic 
of the man." The men then seized the drag-ropes and drew the 
cannon to the rail fence. One of these pieces burst after being 
fired eleven times. The firing continued until all the ammunition 
was spent. 

There is a tradition that, when the first man in Ford's Com- 
pany fell, his comrades, then for the first time under fire, were 
seized with panic; but thereupon one of Ford's officers began to 
sing "Old Hundred" in a firm voice, and this so reassured the men 
that they gave no further sign of panic. It is related that, just as 
the ammunition of the Americans was exhausted and orders were 
given to retreat, a British officer mounted the breastworks, and 
with a flourish of his sword, exclaimed, "Now, my boys, we have 
you." Hearing this. Captain Colburn, of Dracut, picked up a 
stone, about the size of a hen's egg, and, throwing it with all his 
might, hit the officer in the forehead, knocking him down back- 
wards. The Captain and his men then hastily retreated with the 
rest of the American forces. 

From a letter of Benjamin Pierce of Ford's Company, later of 
Hillsborough, N. H.: "I went onto the Hill about 11 o'clock, A. M. 
When I arrived at the summit of Bunker's Hill I saw two pieces 
of cannon there standing, with two or three soldiers by them, who 
observed they belonged to Capt. Callender's Company, and that 
the Captain and his officers were cowards and had run away. 
Gen. Putnam there sat upon a horse * * *" and "requested 
our company, which was commanded by Capt Ford, of Chelms- 
ford, Mass., to take these pieces and draw them down. Our men 
utterly refused, and said they had no knowledge of the use of 
artillery, and they were ready to fight with their own arms. 
Capt. Ford then addressed his company in a very animated, 
patriotic and brave strain, which is characteristic of the man. 
The company then seized the drag-ropes and drew them to the 
rail fence about half the distance from the redoubt on Breed's 
Hill to Mystic River." 



228 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

To Major Henry Dearborn. 

[Boston Patriot and Daily Chronicle, June 13, 1818.] 

Sworn Statement of Alexander Davidson [from the Columbian 

Sentinel, July 22, 1818.] 

Alexander Davidson, of Edgecomb, [given as from Tewkes- 
bury] in the district of Maine, who was a private in Capt. Ford's 
company, confirms what Gen. Pierce of New Hampshire states 
as to Putnam's ordering down the Cannon; but recollects what 
Pierce seemed to forget that Putnam accompanied them in person 
and saw to the placing of them, and until they commenced firing 
the pieces. I well recollect an expression he used at the second fire of 
one of the pieces ; it was loaded with canister, and seemed to make 
a lane through them. After firing eleven times, the piece near 
me split. What time Putnam left our company I cannot say, 
but he was with us at the rail fence, when the battle begun, 
animating the men and telling us not to fear. 

Capt. Callender afterwards fully established his character 
as a brave man and received the approval of Washington. 

Benjamin Pierce (born December 25, 1757), was 18 years 
old at the time of the Concord fight. He was in the service of 
his uncle, as his father was dead. After the fight he went to 
Cambridge by night and enlisted in Captain Ford's company of 
Colonel Bridge's regiment, and, after Bunker Hill, during the 
rest of the war was in Colonel Brook's regiment, and took part 
in many hard fought battles, especially those preceding the 
surrender of Burgoyne in 1777. At the close of the war he was 
Captain and had a noble record for bravery. He was afterwards 
promoted to the office of Brigadier General. In 1786 he went to 
Hillsborough, N. H., where he had fifty acres of wild land, which 
he cleared, living alone in a log hut. He became Governor of 
New Hampshire, and was the father of General Franklin Pierce, 
President of the United States. He died April 1, 1839, aged 81, 

In one of the battles, when the bearer of the colors was shot, 
young Pierce seized the colors and bore them to the front during 
the conflict. He remained in the army until the last troops were 
disbanded at West Point in February, 1784. 

He passed through various grades of a common soldier, 
corporal, sergeant, ensign and lieutenant, leaving the army in 
command of a company, and with the reputation of a brave soldier. 
He returned to Chelmsford after an absence of almost nine years. 
He lived where Orlando Blodgett's stable now stands, at the comer 
of Chelmsford and Midland streets. [Old Residents' Contributions, 
Vol. III.] 

COLONEL EBENEZER BRIDGE. 

"Ebenezer Bridge's regiment was commissioned May 27. 
Moses Parker was lieutenant-colonel; John Brooks, major; Joseph 
Fox, adjutant; John Bridge, quartermaster. A return, dated 
June 23. gives but nine companies belonging to it. Though the 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 229 

whole regiment was ordered to parade on the 16th of June, yet, 
it is stated that three of its companies did not go on under Colonel 
Prescott. Ford's company reached the field just before the action 
began; and a portion of this regiment,- — two companies, — under 
Major Brooks, were on the way to the hill when the Americans 
were retreating. Colonel Bridge, though wounded on the head 
and in the neck by a sword cut, and though he was one of the last 
to retreat, did not escape the scouting that took place in relation 
to the battle. It was charged against him that he kept too 
cautiously covered in the redoubt. He was tried, and acquitted 
on the ground of indisposition of body. 

Colonel Bridge was the son of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge of 
this Town, and was born here April 23, 1744. He graduated from 
Harvard at the age of twenty. He taught school for more than 
a year at Worcester, and became a dealer in "East and West 
India goods" at Billerica. In 1775 he was chosen Colonel of the 
27th Regiment of Minute-men. During the war he was chosen 
Registrar of Deeds of Middlesex County. From 1781 to 1800 
he was Senator in this state. From 1783 to 1808 he was the 
County Treasurer. In these positions of trust he served honor- 
ably. His death is recorded in the Chelmsford Church Records, 
February 22, 1814, at "Cassenobia," N. Y. Chelmsford claims 
him, although he was living in Billerica at the beginning of the 
Revolution. His record in the Revolution is given as follows; 

Bridge, Ebenezer, Billerica. Colonel, Middlesex Co. regt. 
of Minute-men; Marched April 19, 1775; service, 4 days; roll 
dated Cambridge; also, list of officers dated Cambridge, May 16, 
1775; reported field officer for the day. May 17, 1775; also, list 
of officers dated May 21, 1775; reported officer of main guard. 
May 22, 1775; also, list of officers dated Cambridge May 30, 
1775; reported field officer for May 30 and May 31, 1775; also 
order for cartridge boxes dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also 
list of officers commanding regiments, dated Headquarters, 
Cambridge, July 22, 1775; brigade under command of its senior 
officer forming part of reserve corps under Maj. Gen. Putnam for 
defense of ports north of Roxbury; also, pay roll for service from 
date of engagement, April 24, 1775 to Aug. 1, 1775, 3 mos. 15 days; 
also, certificate dated Cambridge, Nov. 30, 1775; signed by said 
Bridge as Colonel of the 27th regt., certifying to the loss of articles 
at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, also, list of officers 
who delivered firelocks Feb. 17, 1776. 

LIEUTENANT COLONEL MOSES PARKER. 

Lieutenant Colonel Moses Parker was born May 13, 1731, 
the son of Joseph, bom March 25, 1693-4, the son of Moses, born 
about the year 1658, the son of Abraham, who died August 12, 
1685. He was a skillful and brave veteran of the French wars, and 
behaved with great gallantry at Bunker Hill. A ball fractured 
his thigh and he was left in the redoubt. The British carried him 



230 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

a prisoner to Boston, and lodged him in jail, where after the 
amputation of his leg, he died on the 4th of July, aged forty-three. 
He was a good officer, much beloved by his regiment, and his loss 
was severely felt. An obituary notice of him — in the New England 
Chronicle, July 21, 1775 — says: "In him fortitude, prudence, 
himianity, and compassion, all conspired to heighten the lustre of his 
military virtues;" and it states that "through the several com- 
missions to which his merit entitled him, he had always the pleasure 
to find that be possessed the esteem and respect of his soldiers, 
and the applause of his countrymen." The notice concludes in the 
following strain: "God grant each individual that now is, or may 
be, engaged in the American army, an equal magnitude of soul; 
so shall their names, unsullied, be transmitted in the latest catalogue 
of fame; and if any vestiges of liberty shall remain, their praises 
shall be rehearsed through the earth 'till the sickle of Time shall 
crop the creation.' " 

Lieut. Col. Moses Parker was remarkable for his bravery 
and life-long love of military pursuits. From his lieutenancy in 
Capt. Jonathan Butterfield's company in the French and Indian 
war, he was in 1759 promoted to a captaincy and was at Fort 
Frederick the following year. In 1761 Colonels Thwing and 
Arbuthnot protested they would not make the campaign without 
this dauntless and skillful officer. Allen quotes a letter of Oliver 
Fletcher, Esq., to the effect that these colonels said "They would 
not go without him, that he was the only Captain they had insisted 
upon" among thirty captains the Governor was selecting from a 
multitude of applicants. So great was his popularity that his 
friends assured him that if he would accept a Captainship " fifty 
men might be immediately raised to serve under him." He was 
endeared to those under him, says Allen, by his assiduous attention 
to their wants and constant endeavors to render their situation 
as pleasant as circumstances would permit. He had won dis- 
tinguished praise for valor at the siege of Fort Frontenac. 

Colonel Parker lived at what has been known as the Driscoll 
place on the Middlesex turnpike, about one hundred and fifty 
rods south of where it crosses River Meadow brook. 

In Trumbull's painting, "The Battle of Bunker Hill," Colonel 
Parker is represented as seated on the extreme left of the canvas, 
after being wounded. 

MOSES Parker's commission. 

The Congress of the Colony of the 
Massachusetts — Bay 

To Moses Parker Esq Lt. Colo. 

Greeting. 
We, reposing especial trust and Confidence in your Courage 
and good Conduct, Do, by these presents, constitute and appoint 
you the said Moses Parker Esq to be Lt. Colo, of the Foot Regi- 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 231 

ment in the Regiment of Foot whereof Ebenezer Bridge Esq is 
Colo raised by the Congress aforeasid for the Defence of said 
Colony. You are therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge 
the duty of a Leiut Colo, in leading, ordering and exercising the 
said Regiment in Arms, both inferior Officers and Soldiers, and 
to keep them in good Order and Discipline; and they are hereby 
commanded to obey you as their Leiut. Colo, and you are yourself 
to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions as you shall, 
from Time to Time, receive from the General and Commander in 
Chief of the Forces raised in the Colony aforesaid, for the Defence 
of the same, or any other your superior Officers, according to 
military Rules and Discipline in War, in Pursuance of the Trust 
reposed in you. 

By Order of the Congress, 

Joseph Warren President P. T. 

Dated the 19th of May, A. D., 1775. 

Saml. Freeman Secretary P. T. 
[Original in the possession of Mrs. Mary A. Hatch.] 

"Captain Benjamin Walker led the second Chelmsford 
company of about fifty resolute men, sixteen of whom were from 
Chelmsford, into Charlestown before the battle commenced, to 
fire from the cover of buildings and fences, and thus to annoy 
the enemy's left flank. They did great execution and then 
abandoned their dangerous position to attack the right flank on 
Mystic river. Here the captain was wounded. 

It was probal^ly when the Americans began their retreat from 
Bunker Hill that Captain Ford found Captain Walker lying wounded 
on the field and took him upon his shoulder and carried him about 
forty rods to save him from capture by the British. Captain 
Walker, however, pursuaded his friend to drop him and save 
himself. The unfortunate man was carried to Boston and lodged 
in the jail with Lieutenant-Colonel Parker. His leg was amputated 
and, after several weeks of suffering and neglect, he died of sickness 
near the close of the month of August, 1775. 

THE FIRST SHOT. 

Joseph Spaulding, who fired the first gun at Bunker Hill, 
was born April 18, 1756, the son of Robert and Hesediah (Johnson) 
Spaulding. Lt. Robert was the son of Lt. John, a member of 
Capt. Robert Richardson's snow-shoe company in Lovewell's 
war. His brother Joseph, born 1728, died in the army in 1756. 
Lt. John was the son of Jospeh, son of John, son of Edward, one 
of the first settlers of Chelmsford. 



232 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The inscription on his tombstone reads: 

"Sacred to the memory of 

MR. JOSEPH SPALDING 

who died July 31 1820 Aet. 64. 

in hope of eternal life which God 

who cannot lie hath promised to 

believers in Christ. 

"He was among the brave asserters and defenders of the 
liberties of his country at Bunker Hill, where he opened the 
battle by firing upon the enemy before orders were given: &, 
after enjoying for many years the blessings of civil & religious 
liberty in common with others 

"He 'sunk to rest 
With all his countrys honor's blest.' " 

He is reported to have said, "I fired ahead of time, and 
Putnam rushed up and struck at me for violating orders. I 
suppose I deserved it, but I was anxious to get another good 
shot at Gage's men ever since our affair at Concord. The blow 
from "Old Put" hit me on the head, made a hole in my hat, and 
left this scar." ["Beside Old Hearthstones."] 

AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT 

things was Lost in Capt. Ford's Company belonging to Col 
Bridges Ridgmt in Bunker Hill Fight, June 17 
Francis Davisson 1 Gun boyonet Cartridge Box 3. 0. 

1 Beaver hat 12/ a good Waistcoat 12 1. 4. 

Daniel Keyes 1 Gun 

William Chambers 1 Gun 

William Campbell 1 Gun 

Jonas Spaulding 1 Stout body Coat 

£11. 9. 
[Endorsed] Cambridge March 18. 1776 

These may certify the within named men ware in My 
Company in Col Bridges Ridgtm: and that they Lost the within 
mentioned in the action at Bunkers Hill June 17 A D 1775. 

John Ford Capt. 

In the House of Representatives Watertown June 24 1776 
Resolved that there be paid out of the Publick Treasurey of this 
Colony to the persons within named the several sums hereafter 
named, viz. to Francis Davisson Three pounds eighteen shillings: 
to Daniel Keys one pound Eighteen Shillings; to William Cham- 
bers one pound eighteen shillings: to William Campbell one 
pound thirteen shillings and to Jonas Spaulding one pound in 
full of the within account by them Exhibited. Sent up for 
Concurrence Timo Danielson Sec. p. Tem. 
[Massachusetts Archives. Vol. 70, p. 114.] 



£4. 


4. 





£2. 


2. 





2. 


2. 





1. 


16. 





1. 


5. 






THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 233 

At Bunker Hill the British loss, as officially reported, was 35 
officers and 191 soldiers killed, 122 officers and 706 soldiers 
wounded. These belonged to the artillery, to the marines, and to 
the various regiments of foot. The American loss is difficult to be 
ascertained, as so little organization had been effected at that 
time. Frothingham estimates it at 140 killed, 271 wounded and 
30 captured. 

A special messenger by way of Billerica brought the news of 
the battle to Chelmsford the same evening. It caused great excite- 
ment and anxiety because of the uncertainty as to the fate of the 
Chehnsford men who participated in it. The alarm guns were 
fired, and before morning several of the wounded returned. 

Letter of Colonel Moses Parker to his wife. 

Boston 22d. June 1775. 
My Dear 

After tendering you my most Affectionate regard — I would 
inform you that in the unhappy Engagement on the 17 instant, 
I was badly wounded in one of my thighs. The bone of which 
is broke, but am as well treated as I can desire and attended with 
great care and tenderness by Doc Whitworth, as are the rest of 
the prisoners. — Must desire you would procure some Linnen, 
Stockings, and other Clothing, with some money if possible, and 
direct that they be left for the care of Major MuncrieJ at the 
Lines on Boston Neck; must entreat you to do it as soon as you 
can — 

remain your loving husband 

Mosesparker ; 



Mrs Sarahparker 

[In the possession of Mrs. Mary A. Hatch.] 

The following letter was sent to the families of the wounded 
men who signed it in Boston Prison. 

Boston Prison, July 3, 1775. 
Lieutenant CoUonel Parker & Captain Walker acquaint 
their Friends that they are well & sufficiently supply'd with all 
Necessaries but fresh Provision, which they need daily, in their 
present Condition, and which Major Moncrief has kindly promised 
to convey upon Receipt 

Moses Parker 
Benjamin Walker. 

It is written in an excellent hand, but the signatures give 
evidence of physical weakness caused by suffering. These men 
were by no means "well." Colonel Parker died the day after the 
date of the letter, and Captain Walker on August 15. 



234 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The faithful wives of these brave and sxiffering prisoners, 
in response to these requests, walked to Boston, carrying what 
they could of food and dainties and other things for their comfort, 
but were denied the privilege of seeing them, and so were obliged 
to retrace their weary steps with heavy hearts. 

"The British authorities took their packages, but heartlessly 
refused them the privilege of seeing their husbands" "who were 
dying in prison for want of the very care which they had plead in 
vain for the privilege to bestow." 
[Testimony of a son of Captain Walker to Mrs. E. H. Warren.] 

The patriotism and enthusiasm of the time moved some 
home-spun bards to express their feelings in moralizing rhymes. 
The following verses, beginning in the style of the Irish "Come 
all ye"s, are from a specimen of this kind of poetry, whose author 
is unknown. The paper on which it is written bears the name of 
Samuel Richardson, and now belongs to Edward Richardson. 
There are twenty- two verses. 

Isth Come all who have skill and Lament 
and let your hearts and eys have vent 
While you to memory do call 
The Valiant Colonel Parkers fall 

2th He bravely did with courage go 

To Charlestown fight to meet his foe 

And in his place was Valient found 

And with great boldness kept his ground 

3sth But fighting for his Countries good 
Whar danger roled like a flood 
A Wound received in his thigh 
Of which in Boston he did die 

11th His officers and soldiers all 

Who moiun their Valiant Leaders fall 
May God inquire [inspire] with courage still 
And giv Submission to his will 

12th May Gods protection them Surround 
And all their bloody foes confound 
May they possess the gates of those 
That Do our city now inclose 

13th God Sanctify this Loss to all 
Who saw this noble Hero fall 
And while his courage they relate 
May they his virtue emitate 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 235 

OPINION OF SECRETARY KNOX. 

The opinion of Henry Knox, Secretary of War, 1793, to 
whom was referred the following petition of Sarah Parker, widow 
of the late Col. Moses Parker, who was wounded and taken 
prisoner by the British troops in the action of Bunker Hill, on 
the 17th of June, 1775, and who afterwards died of his wounds in 
Boston in the month of July following. That she was left with 
a large family of young children, and has to encounter many 
difficulties in supporting and bringing them up. That she has 
not received the relief provided by the resolution of Congress 
for the widows and children of officers who died in the service 
since the month of August, 1775. That she does not apprehend 
it was the intention of Congress to make any distinction between 
the widows and children of officers who died in the service, on 
account of the time when they died. She therefore prays that the 
benefit of said resolution of Congress may be extended to her and 
her children. 

Secretary Knox's opinion was that: It may, by rigid prin- 
ciples, be questioned whether the regiments in action on that 
day prior to May 15, 1778 were in Continental service, and 
therefore, whether by any rule of Construction, the officer then 
Killed could be considered "as officers commissioned by Congress." 
But if this was a doubt on the 17th of June, it was not so on the 
27th of June, the day General Washington arrived in Cambridge, 
and assumed the command of the Army, and issued such orders 
as denominated and to all intents and purposes made it a Conti- 
nental army, and the officers were commissioned accordingly, "and 
should it be judged proper to extend the provision to any prior 
to the said 15th of May 1778, it would seem inciimbent on the 
character of the Nation to provide for the widows of those gallant 
men who nobly sacrificed their lives, by which they eminently 
contributed to establish the cause and reputation of their Country" 
[Taken from "Pay & Bounty Revolutionary Army," Washington, 

D. C, 1838.] 

Note : It will be noticed that Secretary Knox gives June 27, 
1775, as the date Washington arrived in Cambridge, whereas 
Lossing gives July 3, 1775, as the date he took command of the 
army. 

EXTRACTS FROM BRIDGE'S DIARY. 

1775 

June 17. A terrible day this ! in relation to our Army — in Battle 
with our oppressors at Charlestown. The whole 
Town on fire ! The armies engaged on Bunker Hill — 
at night we saw ye fire at [from] Chelmsford — an 
Express came fm Billerica, & an Alarm was fired 
here in ye eveng. — before morng. arrived at Barron's, 



236 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Francis Davidson & Benjamin Haywood of this 
Town both wounded in ye fight & brot news of ye 
Slaughter of diverse of our pple this way, tho' of 
only Capt. Walker of this Town, &c. 

18. Lord's Day — We assembled & held ye Pub. wor: Tho* 
but a few in number And thro' divine goodness were 
in as quiet a State at home, as could be expected. 
The Armies at Charlestown being Still engaged and 
News flying with respect to the Slain & wounded 
&c. I preached all day fm. Hab. 3. 2. old serms. 
without y. application. Read A. M. II Chron. 35. 
half ye Chap. After meeting P. M. heard fm. y 
Army particularly of my Son ye Colo, in ye Battle. 
I & my wife extremely distressed on his accot. not 
expecting to hear of his being living — But by & by 
heard That he was living but badly wounded. & yt. 
he was on his way home — I sent off my horse & 
chaise to meet him — but y Messenger had not gone 
far before he met with some of our men returning 
who could give ye best information of him & others. 
So he returned — & Benja. Butterfield, & afterward 
Deacon Chamberlain visited me — and assiired me 
yt. yy. Saw my Son at Camb. — & Tho' he was terribly 
wounded & bruised, yet his wounds were deemed 
not mortal. That he was so well as to mount on 
horse back this A. M. to Visit ye Generals, and that 
his wounds had been dressed. O this tho' bad was 
greatly to our Comfort. Blessed be the Lord. My 
Son Jno. well — he was not in battle. My Son Wm. 
well, he went off last night in ye alarm. All there. 
The Lord preserve em fm. sin and all evil. They, 
ye one, or ye other, or both, gave an accot. of ye 
Death of Capt. Walker of this Town. Killed at 
once. Of Col. Parker (My Son's Lieut. Colo.) his 
being wounded and left in ye hands of our Enemies, 
but not certain of his being Killed, & of Doctr., now 
General Warren's being Killed, & of many others 
I know not. This is a day big with distress & 
trouble. The Lord suffers it to be so, yt. our 
Enemies are yy. who were our brethren — Of ye 
same Nation, & Subjects of ye Same King. And all 
for y sake of y. Vengeance of a Wicked & Corrupt 
Ministry a deluded- — a Devilish Venal parliamt. — 
O, ye Judgmts. of the Lord are a great deep — The 
Lord is known by ye Judgments wch. he execute th. 
Amen. 

19th. I visited Capt. Walker's widow & mother, on occasion 
of his Death — My Son Wm. retiu-ned fm. Camb. 
and brot. me Word yt. his brotlir. ye Colo, was 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 237 

better & yt. Jno. went a plundering at Charlestown 
yesterday — & was not very well last night & this 
Momg. Continual news Varying greatly fm y 
army. &c. Our Militia returned. O tis a day of 
sore distress — 
20 I visited Wido. Parker & her daughter ye wife of Col. 
Moses Parker, wounded, Missing, & supposed to 
be Slain in ye late battle. & discours'd & prayd 
wth em. 
26. O, This is an unsettled day & time. I am glad when I 

can seize a moment for any duty. 
27 Visited Mrs Walker, wife of Capt. Walker, To rejoice 
with her, on her receiving ye news of her husband's 
being alive — Tho' wounded & in Captivity in Boston. 
Also Doctr. Abbot to rejoice with em on accot. of 
y news yy. have also received of Colo. Moses Parker 
their brothr. his being alive, tho' Wounded & in 
Captivity in Boston. 

July 1. Capt. Symmes & his family went off for Littleton to 
take up their abode there. 

1776 

June 25. Mr Dimkinson, a young Gentleman fm. Scotland 
Captivated by our forces a year ago & who has 
resided at Concord, dined with me in his way with 
7 or 8 highland officers lately captivated, to Dunstable 
where yy. are to remain prisoners. 
A Lieut. Christie also Visited me after dinr. A number 
of highland soldiers are brot. in among us as 
prisoners, and a numbr. sent off this momg. to 
Dunstable 
30. Lord's Day — After ye Blessing read a Resolve of y 
Genl. Court relating to y raising men To go to 
Canada. And at y desire of Colo. Spaulding 
Notified y pple on y Alarm & training lists to appear 
tomorrow wth arms &c at one of y Clock & gave a 
Short Word of Exhortation to em upon y affair. 

July 2. Much worried about y times. 

3. The town again in confusion. Companies mett to 

draw out men for Canada. 
5. More hurry abot. raising soldiers. 

15. Capt. Andw Symmes of Boston, Colo. Conant & Mr. 
Samll Fletcher came from Billerica to see us P. M. 

22. Two of y British officers, prisoners at Dunstable Visited 

me. P. M. 

23. Capt Ford & his Company marched off, in ordr. to 

Join our Northern Army. At his desire I went 
into ye meeting house, previous to their Marching. 
Sung part 18th psalm, fm. 32 ver. to end 38 — 
prayed with em & gave em a word of exhortation 



238 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

* * * Part of Two other Companies, Soldiers on 
their march, on ye same rout fm. lower Towns, came 
into Town toward night & lodged in Town. 

25 Much ComDy & much confusion by reason of Soldiers 

passing &c. 

26 Early in ye morning I prayed in the meeting house with 

Capts Toy & Bancroft of Woburn & Reading & 
their respective companies upon their march to 
Join our Northern Army. 
30. Rev. Mr. Hitchcock of Beverly, going as a chaplain 
to ye Northern Army gave me a Visit A. M. 

Aug 1 Fast Day thro ye Massachusetts Bay. 

Sept. 1. After service P. M. Read y declaration of independence 
of ye United States of America in y pub. congre- 
gation, agreeable to y order of y. council of this 
State. And when I had done, added Zion heard 
and was glad and y Daughters of Juda rejoiced 
because of yy. ludgments, Lord. 
19. (David Spaulding receivs news of death of son David 
in army at Ticonderoga of Small Pox on Aug 27 or 28 
24 (Visited Willard Byam & Jonas Dutton both sick home 

from ye army.) 
30. (prayed in Meeting house with Compy. of Soldiers 
going to N. Y. under Capt Wright of Westford) 

1777 

Oct. 23 This morng. Assurtained of ye news of Genl. Burgoine's 
surrendering himself & Army to Gen Gates &c &c 
Blessed be ye Lord. [On the day that the news of 
Burgoyne's surrender reached Boston, Joseph 
Warren, who in turn, with a few other citizens, went 
on horseback once in two weeks to that city for the 
mail, brought a paper containing the news to "Parson 
Bridge." On reaching home, Mr. Warren called his 
son Joseph, then a lad of nine or ten years, to make 
haste and carry the paper to the Parson. This he 
did, and on being shown into his room, passed the 
paper to Mr. Bridge, who, uDon reading the ]oytvl 
news, jumped and capered about in a manner sur- 
prising to the boy. The happy Parson rewarded 
the boy with a pistareen.] [Related by E. H. Warren.] 
26 My son y Colo, came * * * f^, Cambridge. 

1777 Oct (Some time back the price of a cask wine for Communion 
was £8 lawful money. Now a cask of y same bulk 
costs £50.) 

Nov 5 (Wm. Foster lately reed news of his son Noah's death 
killed in battle. & of Ebenezer Foster [of Westford] 
who died of sickness in ye Army.) 
11 Jacob Howard's son Willard \ sick lately returned from 
& Saml. Howard's son Ben. / Army. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 239 

12 Flying news of Washington's taking Howe, &c. 

20 (Thanksgiving Day) 
Dec 7 Informed y. Congregation of y Continental Thanks- 
giving to be on next Thursday se'nnight. He 
preached from H Chron. 20. 20 latter part. 

11 visited Leiut Isaac Warren lately returned from ye 
Army. 

23 Received a valuable present of a new gown both inside 
& outside, from a number of the good women 
of the parish, also a sum of money and several 
quantities of wool & flax. 

29. [A Committee of ye Town brought him £36.8.0 lawful 
money; others gave grain.] 

1778 Jan 3 Mr Guild tutor of Havd Coll & Mrs Sally Bradstreet 

dined with us. 
5. (Capt. Hastings from y Eastward visited him) 
Capt. Minot's wife fell in ^'■e fire in a fit 
Lieut. Benj. Fletcher, Lieut. Harwood, Liut Blodget, 
Col Eleazer Tyng, Liut. Jno. Spaulding, Col. 
Symmes, Col. Conant. & Capt Fox, called. Dr. 
Hastings ret'd from ye Army. 
Nov 16 Town voted £400 addition to his salary (lawful money) . 
Dec 27 So cold that only 6 or 8 persons came to meeting. 

1779 Dec. 6. £1000 added to salary 

Road laid out by ye Town between ye ministry & ye 
land of Mr Fisk i. e. ye road south of ye ministry. 

1780 Jan 7 Yet stormy, windy, cold & blocked up I think more 

than I ever saw it. 
9 Lord's day but a handful of pple attended ye pub. wor. 
& those came on snow shoes except about }4 Doz. in 
ye neighborhood. 
14 much drifted. No traveling. Shut up. No news 
this fortnight. &c 
May 15 I attended town meeting for ye Consideration of ye 
form of Government drawn up by ye Convention for 
ye State. 

1781 July 7 Doctor Hastings & wife & child moved to young 

widow Stoddard's to live there. 
[Dr. Hastings' mother — Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Jno. 
Cotton of Newton, was a life long friend of Mr. Bridge.] 
Aug 17 Reed visit from Mr Waters a young preacher 
Oct 6 We have a great deal good news from ye forces at ye 

Southward both by sea & land. 

1782 April 1 I went to Town Meeting p m & voted for Govem'r. 

4. Lords day I began reading in public — after the winter 

16. Col Bromfield of Harvard dined with us. 

25. Fast day thro all ye States. 

28. Rev. Mr Ripley visited me. 



240 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



May 21 Col Baldwin, high Sheriff, Visited & breakfasted with us, 
going to Groton Court. This eveng died Col. 
Eleazer Tyng, aged 93. 

24 His funeral. "I made ye prayer" & was a p bearer. 

25 Had a talk with ye wife of oliver adams a Shaking 

Quaker. She is a poor deluded visionary. En- 
thusiastic, high-tempered, self-willed creature, and 
is tended to no good purpose. 
[For an account of things lost by Chelmsford men at Bunker Hill and 
recompense therefor, refer to pages 232 and 844.] 

[The soldiers of the Seventy-First Regiment of Foot, Highlanders, under 
the command of Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell, were taken prisoners 
at the capture of the transport-ship George in Boston harbor, in June, 1776. 
See pages 223 and 237.] 

The following receipt was found among the Town papers. 
"Bunker Hill Monument Association. Received of Capt. 
Caleb Abbot $369, being the amount subscribed in the town of 
Chelmsford towards the erection of a moniunent on Bunker Hill. 

Nathl. P. Russell, Treasurer. 
Boston, April 8, 1825." 

Roll of Chelmsford Minute Men who participated in the 
Centennial Celebration of the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1875. 



H. S. Perham, Capt. 

J. A. Bartlett, Lieut. 

J. C. Hobbs, Ensign 

Rev. E. Fitz Gerald, Sergt. 

Geo. Spalding, Sergt. 

Robt. Fletcher, Sergt. 

Chas. Christy, Sergt. 

A. G. Green, Corp. 

N. P. Dadmun, Corp. 

E. B. Kittredge, Corp. 

Milo J. Proctor, Corp. 

Herbert H. Emerson 

A. C. Thissell 

C. Proctor 

Henry B. Hunt 

A. W. Allen 

G. W. Butterfield 

E. R. Marshall 

E. H. Warren 

E. Crosby 

Otis Adams, Jr. 

Geo. P. Mansfield 

Luther C. Upham 

Geo. E. Hall 

Levi Lamphere 

L L. Putnam 

Jas. H. Hazen 

A Lowell paper of the day gave the following, apparently 
from the pen of H. S. Perham, as to the plans of the above company. 



Saml. Hagerman 
Thos. Borden 
Asa H. Webber 

E. G. Nicless 
O. N. Thissell 
C. E. Parkhurst 
Isaac Button 
C. A. Parker 

C. H. Hall 
W. Whitfield 
Geo. F. Reed 
J. H. McFarhn 
J. H. WiUis 
John H. Lane 
R. Wilson Dix 
Henry Martin 
Frank Kelley 
C. D. Ticknor 
Timothy Adams 
W. E. Stone 
A. H. Park 
H. F. Ebert 
John Larey 

F. Sweetser 

Pearson, Drummer 

Willie Adams, Fifer 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 241 

The company will wear the continental costume. They will 
carry old flint lock muskets, and powder horns. The sword that 
was carried by Capt. Ford — who commanded the Chelmsford 
men at the battle of Bunker Hill — will be carried by the 
captain. Several of the guns and powder honis were also used 
at the battle. The Chelmsford Monimient Association will aid 
in furnishing the banner for the occasion. Sergeant Geo. Spalding 
— grandson of Joseph Spalding — will carry the banner. A sword 
that was captured from the British at Ticonderoga, and brought 
home from there by a Chelmsford soldier, Samuel Parkhurst, 
father of the late Rev. John Parkhurst, will also be carried. 

The officers of the Boston & Lowell railroad, have tendered 
to the company the use of a hall in their passenger depot in Boston, 
where the company will partake of a collation after the procession 
is dismissed. The Cambridge Cadets will escort the company to 
their place in the procession. 

Frank Leslie's of July 3, 1875 contains a double page illus- 
tration of the Lexington and Chelmsford Minute Men passing 
up Columbus Avenue, Boston, on the day of the celebration. Co. F, 
Unattached Cavalry, of Chelmsford, was assigned a place in the 
procession. 

The significance of the battle of Bunker Hill is not, however, 
to be gauged by the losses on either side, heavy as they were in 
proportion to the numbers engaged, nor by its purely military 
results, but by the moral effect which it produced; and when it 
is considered from this standpoint its far-reaching consequences 
can hardly be over-estimated. "It roused at once the fierce 
instinct of combat in America * * * ^ and dispelled * * * 
the almost superstitious belief in the impossibility of encountering 
regular troops with hastily levied volunteers. * * * Nq one 
questioned the conspicuous gallantry with which the provincial 
troops had supported a long fire from the ships and awaited the 
charge of the enemy, and British soldiers had been twice driven 
back in disorder before their fire." The pride which Americans 
naturally felt in such an achievement, and the self-confidence 
which it inspired, were increased when they learnt that the small 
force on Bunker Hill had not been properly reinforced, and that 
their ammunition was running short before they were dislodged 
from their position. [Encyclopaedia Britannica.] 

The British soldiers fired without taking aim, and charged that 
the Americans were murderous because they took aim and fired 
from the shoulder. 

COLONEL SIMEON SPAULDING. 

Colonel Simeon Spaulding was born August 4, 1713, the son 
of Joseph (born September 22, 1673) and Elizabeth Colburn 
Spaulding who were married April 10, 1700. Joseph was the son 
of John and Hannah Hall (or Hale) Spaulding who were married 
May 18, 1658. John, born about 1633, was the son of Edward, 
died February 26, 1669-70. He was of Braintree, where his wife, 



242 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Margaret, died in 1640. He had sons, John; Edward, Repre- 
sentative in 1691; Benjamin; Joseph; Andrew, deacon in the 
Church at Chebnsford, born 1653, died 1713; and two daughters, 
Grace and Dinah. 

Colonel Spaulding married Sarah Fletcher; 2d, Mrs. Abigail 
(Johnson) Willson, daughter of Edward Johnson. He was the 
Town's agent for dehvering contributions in the Revolution. 
On the farm he was succeeded by his son Deacon Noah, whose 
daughter Julia Ann married Dr. John C. Dalton. She was a 
woman of great force of character. 

Colonel Spaulding was Town Treasurer and Selectman; 
Colonial Representative from 1771 to 1775; in the Provincial Con- 
gress, 1775 to 1778; Chairman of the Committee of Safety, 1776; 
Commissioner to adjust War Act., 1778; Delegate to form the new 
Constitution, 1779. He died, April 7, 1785. 

By his first wife he had five children, and nine by his second. 

His record in the Revolution is given as follows : 

Spaulding, Simeon. 1st Lieutenant Colonel, Col. David 
Green's (2d Middlesex Co.) regt., which marched on the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; reported returned home; also 
official record of a ballot by the House of Representatives, dated 
Feb. 7, 1776; said Spaulding chosen Colonel, 7th Middlesex Co. 
regt. of Mass. Militia; appointment concurred in by Council 
Feb. 8, 1776; reported commissioned Feb. 8, 1776; also, .list of 
officers chosen in 4th Co. (North Co. in Chelmsford), as returned 
by said Spaulding, field officer and moderator, dated Chelmsford, 
July 5, 1776; also. Colonel; list of members of committees appointed 
to raise men for New York and Canada, showing number of 
commissions delivered them; said Spaulding reported as belonging 
to committee for Middlesex Co.; also, resignation dated Chelms- 
ford, March 9, 1778, signed by said Spaulding, resigning his 
commission as Colonel of 7th Middlesex Co., regt. of Mass. Militia 
on account of advanced age; resignation accepted in Council 
March 11, 1778. See also later record in Chapter V. 

An account of Colonel Bridge has already been given. 

A MUSTER ROLL OF THE FIELD & STAFF OFFICERS BELONGING TO COLO. BRIDGE'S 
REGIMT. OF MINUTE MEN. 

Officers' Names Towns they ^^ Jime of Time in Ainount of 

belong to i«.»"«». Marching Service Wages 



Ebenr Bridge 
Moses Parker 
John Brooks 
Joseph Fox 
Walter Hastings 


Billerica 

Chelmsford 

Reading 

Billerica 

Chelmsford 


Colonel 
Lt. Colo. 
Major 
Adjutt. 
Surgeon 


April 19th 

April 19th 

19th 

19th 

19th 


4 Days 
4 Days 
4 Days 
4 Days 
4 Days 


£1. 
1. 
1. 

1. 


14. 

7. 

2. 
10. 

1. 


4 

5 

10 

4 
5 


Errors Excepted. 

Cambridge Dec 


. 20th. 1775. 


Ebenr Br; 


idge Col. 


£4. 


14. 


11 



Min. Men. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 26, p. 35.] 

On the original a pen has been drawn across the name of 
Walter Hastings and all on that line, which explains the footing. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



243 



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244 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



CAPTAIN OLIVER BARRON. 

Captain Oliver Barron was born January 7, 1733, son of 
Lt. Jonathan, bom June 28, 1698, and Rebecca Prescott BaiTon. 
Jonathan was the son of Moses, Jr., who was born October 28, 
1669, and Mary Bunker (Richardson) Barron. Moses, Sr., bom 
1643, married Mary Learned, and was the son of Ellis or Eliseus 
of Watertown, freeman in 1641, married Grace . 

Captain Barron married Abigail Proctor July 30, 1755. He 
died November 11, 1809. She died September 10, 1820, aged 87. 

Parson Bridge records that Captain Barron's house burned 
November 18, 1770, and that he raised the frame of a new one 
on the old site, January of the following year. 



CAPT. OLIVER BARRON S ALARM ROLL. 

A List of the Travil and Service of Capt. Oliver Barron of 
Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex and the men under him 
belonging to the Regiment of Militia whereof David Green Esq 
is Colonol. 

We in Consequence of the alarm made one ye 19th of April 
1775 marched from home for the defence of This Colloney against 
the Ministerial Troops. 



Men's Names 



Oliver Barron 
Samuel Stevens 
John Ford 
Benjamin Warren 
Silas Spaulding 
Jonas Peirce 
John Spaulding 
Jacob Howard 
Benjamin Spaulding 
David Burge 
Ephraim Parkhurst 
Oliver Richardson 
Daniel Dammon 
Daniel Sillaway 
Willard Howard 
William Bowers 
Josiah Richardson 
John Dunn 
John Twiss 
Henry Spaulding, 

Junr. 
Joseph Marshall 
Stephen Peirce, 

Junr. 
Samuel Fletcher 



Rank 



Capt. 
Lieut. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 
(( 

Cor. 

Drummer 

Private 







J5 








,3 E QJ 

HI 


at one 
penny 


§•2 
lis 


C-u 


per mile 


E"2; 




.si 




£. 3. d. 


H 


50 


0:4:2 


16 


50 


0:4:2 


10 
6 
9 


50 


0:4:2 


50 


0:4:2 


16 






6 
10 


50 


0:4:2 


50 


0:4:2 


10 


50 


0:4:2 


11 


50 




11 


50 


do 


11 


50 




7 


50 


do 


18 


50 




9 


50 




2 


50 




13 


50 




3 


50 


do 


3 


50 




3 


50 




7 


50 




5 


50 




5 


50 


do 


4 



Wages 
£ S. D. Q 



: 8: 7:0 
: 8: 6:3 
:10: 3:2 
:15: 5:0 
: 7: 5:0 
: 9: 5:1 
:15: 8:1 
:14: 3:0 
:15: 8:0 
:15: 8:0 
:15: 8:0 
:10: 0:0 
: 5: 8:0 
:12:10:0 
: 2:10:0 
:18: 7:0 
: 4: 3:0 
: 4: 3:0 
: 4: 3:0 



0:10: 0:0 

0: 7: 1:0 

0: 7: 1:0 

0: 5: 8:0 



Total 
carried out 

£ S. D. Q 



3:12: 9:0 
1:12: 8:3 
0:10: 3:2 
0:19: 7:0 
1:11: 7:0 
0: 9: 5:1 
0:19:10:1 
0:18: 5:0 
0:19:10:0 
0:19:10:0 
0:19:10:0 
0:14: 2:0 
1: 9:10:0 
0:17: 0:0 
0: 7: 0:0 
1: 2: 9:0 
0: 8: 5:0 
0: 8: 5:0 
0: 8: 5:0 

0:14: 2:0 
0:11: 3:0 

0:11: 3:0 
0: 9:10:0 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 
CAPT. OLIVER Barron's alarm roll — continued. 



245 



Men's Names 



Joshua Davis 
Oliver Fletcher 
Jonathan Peirce 
Nathaniel Farrar 
Joseph Tylor 
Thomas Marshall, 

Junr. 
William Mears 
John Roby 
Benjamin Parkhurst 
Moses Barron 
John Mears 
Jeremiah Abbott 
Reuben Parker 
David Danforth 
Benjamin Parker 
Amos Mastes 
Isaac Keent, Junr. 
David Marshall 
Benjamin Melvin 
Samuel Marshall 
Daniel Keyes 
John Keyes 
William Dunn 
Benjamin Barrit 
James Dunn, Junr. 
Francis Davidson 
Moses Esterbrooks 
William Cambel 
David Chambers 
John Chambers 
Jonathan Sprage 
Isaiah Foster, Junr. 
Samuel Britton 
William Chambers 
Benjamin Parker, 

Junr. 
Benjamin Peirce 
Josiah Fletcher, Junr. 
Joseph Spaulding 



[61 names] 



Rank 



Private 







JS 




at one 


•" 2 P 


penny 
per mile 


a^fc 






a,g" 


2 22 




-a a 


50 


£. s. d. 


f-1 




8 


50 




« 


50 




11 


50 




9 


50 


do 


10 

9 
4 


50 


0:4:2 


50 




17 


50 


do 


8 


50 




15 


50 




5 


50 




5 


50 


do 


18 


50 




4 
3 


50 


0:4:2 


50 


0:4:2 


7 


50 


0:4:2 


6 


50 


0:4:2 


5 
5 


— 




9 




— 





6 


— 




6 




50 


0:4:2 


4 


— 




6 




— 




8 




— 




7 




— 




8 




— 




6 




— 




8 




— 




7 




— 




6 




— 




6 




— 




6 




— 




3 









8 




— 




7 




— 




9 








6 





Sum Total 



Wages 
£. S. D. Q. 



0:11: 5:0 
0:11: 5:0 
0:15: 8:0 
0:12:10:0 
0:14: 3:0 



0:12:10:0 
0: 5: 8:0 
4: 3:0 
4: 3:0 



5:0 
1:0 
1:0 
7:0 
8:0 



1: 

7: 

7: 
0:18: 
0: 5: 
0: 4: 3:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 7: 2:0 
0: 7: 2:0 
0:12:10:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 5: 8:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0:11: 5:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0:11: 5:0 



0: 8: 
0:11: 
0:10: 
0: 8: 
0: 8: 
0: 8: 
0: 4: 



7:0 
5:0 
0:0 
7:0 
7:0 
7:0 
3:2 



0:11: 5:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0:12:10:0 
0: 8: 7:0 



Total 
carried out 

£. S. D. Q 



0:15: 7:0 
0:15: 7:0 
0:19:10:0 
0:17: 0:0 
0:18: 5:0 

0:12:10:0 
0: 9:10:0 
1: 8: 5:0 
0: 8: 5:0 
1: 5: 7:0 
0:11: 3:0 
0:11: 3:0 
1: 2: 9:0 
0: 9:10:0 
0: 8: 5:0 
0:14: 2:0 



0:12: 
0:11: 
0:11: 



9:0 
4:0 
4:0 



0:12:10:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 9:10:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0:11: 5:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0:11: 5:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0:11: 5:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 8: 7:0 
0: 4: 3:2 

0:11: 5:0 
0:10: 0:0 
0:12:10:0 
0: 8: 7:0 



£45: 5: 4:1 



Oliver Barron > Capt. 



246 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Chelmsford January 1th. 1776. 

I Oliver Barron atest the above 

To be a True Miisterroal according 

To the best of My Knowledge 

Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, Jan 24th. 1776. 

Capt Oliver Barron above named made solemn oath 

to the truth of the above rool by him subscribed to the 

best of his knowledge. 

Before me Saml Hotton J of Peace thro the Colony. 

April 3. 1776 the Council ordered a warrant drawn on the 
Treas. for the above amt. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 11, p. 210.] 

To fill a blank space on this page this pedigree is inserted. 

Dr. Walter Hastings was bom Sept. 25, 1752, and died Nov. 
29, 1782. He graduated at Harvard in 1771. He settled in 
Chelmsford as a physician, and married, Nov. 23, 1777, Lucretia, 
daughter of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge. He was at Bunker Hill 
in the capacity of surgeon in Col. Bridge's regiment. His record 
will be found in Chapter V. His father was Jonathan, bom in 
January, 1708; died at Cambridge, Feb. 16, 1783, a graduate and 
steward of Harvard. His home was the headquarters of General 
Artemas Ward in 1775. From this house General Warren went 
to the battle of Bunker Hill. 

The father of Jonathan Hastings was Jonathan, bom July 15, 
1672; died, 1742. He was the son of Walter, bom 1631; died, 
1705. 

Walter's father was John, who came to this country in 
1638; freeman, 1643; died at Cambridge, Dec. 2, 1657. 



ANCESTRY OF LT. COL. MOSES PARKER. 

Abraham Parker, from Wiltshire, England, came to Wobum; 
freeman, 1645, came to Chelmsford 1653, married Rose Whitlock 
in 1644. He died here in 1685. 

His son Moses, born about 1658, married Abigail, daughter of 
Richard Hildreth, 1684; died 1732. 

His son Joseph, born March 25, 1693-4, married Rebeckah 
and died April 29, 1738. 

His son Lieutenant Colonel Moses, bom May 13, 1731, 
married Sarah . She died March 10, 1817, aged 80. 

The following names are those of their children who.se births 
are recorded in Chelmsford: Abel and Aaron, twins; Joseph, 
Nehemiah Abbott, Moses, Rebecca and Sarah. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



247 



A MUSTER ROLL OF COL. MOSES PARKER COMPANY, YEAR 1775. 



Men's Names 



Benjn. Walker 

Isaac Parker 
John Freland 
Wm. Parker 
Azariah Procter 
Willard Parker 
Simeon Barritt 
VVm. Abbot 
Saml Perham Jr. 
Wm. Parker Jr. 
Isaac Foster 
David Spaulding 
Aaron Chamberling 
Henry Fletcher 
Wm. Fletcher 3d 
Jeptha Spaulding 
Mica Spaulding 
Robert Adams 
Supply Reed 
Levi Peirce 
Isaac Marshall 
John Bates 
Nathaniel Foster 
Benjn. Farly 
Enoch Cleaveland 
Benin. Butterfield 
Reuben Foster 
Joseph Spaulding, Jr 
Solomon Keys 
John Parker 
John Adams 
Ebenezer Goold 
Josiah Blood 
Zacheous Fletcher 
Robert Peirce 
Saml Marshal 
Joseph Ausgood 
Charles Fletcher 
Thomas Adams 
Benjn. Ausgood 
Joshaway Durant 
David Walker 



Town from 

whence they 

came 



Chelmsford 



Rank 



Time 
ingaged 



Lieut. April the 
19th 



Sargt. 



Private 



Travil 

54 miles 

in the 

hole 



Amount 
at one 
penny 
a mile 



0:4:6:0 






5 
17 
11 
11 
11 

9 
16 
13 

9 
16 
11 
10 
21 
11 
12 
10 
12 

8 
10 
12 

7 

7 

6 



The hole 
amount 



0:14: 3:1 

0:12: 6:0 
1:13: 6:2 
1: 3: 3:2 
1: 3: 3:2 
1: 3: 3:2 
0:17: 3:0 
1: 7: 4:0 
1: 2:11:0 
0:17: 3:0 
1: 7: 4:0 
1: 1: 9:0 
0:18: 9:1 
1:14: 3:0 
1: 1: 9:0 
1: 1: 6:0 
0:18: 9:0 
1: 1: 6:0 
0:15:10:0 
0:18: 9:0 
0:17: 1:2 
0: 9:11:0 
0: 9:11:0 
0: 8: 6:0 
0:11: 4:0 
0: 9:11:0 
0:11: 4:0 
0:11: 4:0 
0:14: 8:0 
0: 9:11:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
0:12: 9:0 
£ s d q 



r.„ , I 35: 1: 9:1 

[43 names] 

In council April 1776. Read and allowed & ordered that 
a warrant be drawn on the Treasurer £35.1.9X in full of the 
within roll. Perez Morton D. Secy. [Deputy Secretary] 

This company was commanded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, 
who became captain. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 13, p. 153.] 



248 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



CAPTAIN BENJAMIN WALKER. 

He was born October 6, 1741, the son of Benjamin, son of 
Benjamin, son of Joseph, first of Wobum, then of Billerica where 
he settled in 1667. The genealogy of this family is given in Hazen's 
Billerica. 

The reader will please consult the Index to find the ancestry of 
Captain Benjamin Walker. He married Abial Abbott of Andover. 

The following births are recorded in Chelmsford : 

Abbott, son of Benjamin and Abial Walker, July 24, 1770. 
Ephraim, " " " " " " July 22, 1772. 

Rhoda, daughter of " " " " April 12, 1774. 

This marriage is recorded : Abiel Walker and Samuel Fitch 
of Acton, April 23, 1778. 



CHELMSFORD NAMES ON 

A RETURN OF CAPT. BENJAMIN WALKER's COMPANY IN 

THE 27th REGT. OF FOOT. [aN IMPERFECT ROLL TO AuG. 1-1775] 





Rank 


Time of 


Travel 


Time of 




— 




Enlistment 


milea 


service 














months days 






Charles Fletcher 


Sergt. 


April 19 


25 


3. ] 


L5 


8. 4. 


11 


Josiah Blood 


Corp. 


do 


25 


3. ] 




7.H. 


2 


Thomas Marshall 


Corp. 


do 


25 


3. ] 




7.11. 


2 


John Adams 


Private 


do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 


Zacheous Fletcher 




do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 


Robert Peirce 




do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 


Joseph Osgood 




do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 


Ebenezer Gould 




do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 


Joshua Durant 




do 


25 


3. ] 




6.17. 


8 



David Putnam 
David Osgood 
Samuel Marshall 
Benj. Osgood 
Phinehas Kidder 
David Walker 
Thomas Adams 



These names are supplied from the October 
Return. 
• These men were undoubtedly at Bunker 
Hill with the others, as there were prac- 
tically no enlistments between the dates of 
these rolls. 



[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 16, p. 57.] 

[A few of these men had guns & cartridge boxes, Shoes, 
stockings, &c, furnished by the Province. Guns charged at 
£1 . 16 . to £2. 14. 0. Cartridge boxes 4 Shillings. 

Shoes 0.6.8 

Shirt 0.9.0 

Stockings 0.3.4 
Privates were given £2. advance wages. Officers, 8. S. or 4. S. 
more.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



249 



[October Return, 1775] 

A RETURN OF CAPT BENJAMIN WALKER's COMPANY 27th REG FOOT 
COMMANDED BY COL. EB. BRIDGE. 

Benjamin Walker Capt. Dead from Chelmsford 
John Flint 1 Lieut Tewksbury 
Ebenr Fitch 2 Lieut Bedford 



Men's Names 


The Towns they 
belong to 


Men's Names 


The Towns they 
belong to 


Sargts Lake Swett 


Tewksbury 


Josiah Kidder 


Tewksbury 


Asa Fassett 


Bead ford 


Nehemiah Hunt 


Tewksbury 


Charles Fletcher 


Chelmsford 


Amos Foster 


Tewksbury 


Eliakim Walker 


Tewksbury 


John Bailey 


Tewksbury 


Corprils Josiah Blood 


Chelmsford 


Joseph Frost 


Tewksbury 


Thomas Marshal Chelmsford 


John Welch 


Andover 


Peter Hunt 


Tewksbury 


James Bailey 


Andover 


David Bailey 


Tewksbury 


Jonathan Dutton 


Tewksbury 


Phinehas Annis, Drum 


Tewksbury 


Malachi Allen 


Bedford 


Isaac Manning, Fife 


Tewksbury 


Jabez Carter 


Bedford 


John Adams 


Chelmsford 


Asa Duran 


Bedford 


Zacheus Fletcher 


Chelmsford 


Samuel Fletcher 


Billerica 


Robert Peirce 


Chelmsford 


Obediah Johnson 


Bedford 


Joseph Osgood 


Chelmsford 


Ebenezer Johnson 


Bedford 


Ebenezer Gould 


Chelmsford 


Abraham Meriam 


Bedford 


John Hall 


Tewksbury 


Abner Mead 


Lexington 


David Morrill 


Tewksbury 


Simeon Parker 


Bedford 


Hezekiah Thorndike 


Tewksbury 


Joseph Ross 


Bedford 


Justus Blanchard 


Billerica 


Epheriam Smith 


Bedford 


Jonathan Beard 


Tewksbury 


Benjn. Winship 


Bedford 


John Haywood 


Tewksbury 


Abel Winship 


Lexington 


Paul Hunt 


Tewksbury 


David Osgood 


Chelmsford 


Eliphalet Manning 


Tewksbury 


Samuel Marshall 


Chelmsford 


John Dandelen 


Tewksbury 


Benj Osgood 


Chelmsford 


Jonathan Gould 


Tewksbury 


Phinehas Kidder 


Chelmsford 


Jonathan Frost 


Tewksbury 


David Walker 


Chelmsford 


Joseph Phelps 


Tewksbury 


Benj Dilleway 


Andover 


Jonathan Gray 


Tewksbury 


William Calwell 


Billerica 


Amos Goodell 


Bedford 


Thomas Adams 


Chelmsford 


Asa Leavestone 


Tewksbury 


Reuben Beacon Dead 


Bedford 


Samuil Bayley 


Tewksury 


Jacob Crosby Dead 


Billerica 


Joshua Durant 


Chelmsford 


Jacob Frost 




David Putnam 


Chelmsford 


Prisoner Boston 


Tewksbury 


Amos Russell 


Lexington 


Corprel Philip Fowler 




Timothy Dutton 


Tewksbury 


Missing 


Tewksbury 



[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 56, p. 178.] 



250 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

CAPTAIN JOHN FORD, HIS COMMISSIONS AND MUSTER ROLLS. 

Captain John Ford was bom August 3, 1740, the son of 
Robert Ford and Esther Davis Ford of Haverhill. John was the 
fifth of seven children. Robert died at Cape Breton, July 5, 
1745. Captain Ford married Sarah Barker of Methuen. They 
had eleven children. He is described as a tall, wiry and active 
man, with a florid complexion. All his actions were indicative 
of great resolution and endurance. He was a man of few words, 
simplicity of manner and sterling integrity. He was early put 
to work. When foiu-teen years old he drove an ox team drawing 
logs, and was so small that in order to reach the off ox, he was 
obliged to run his goad under the nigh one. He was at the second 
taking of Louisburg, in 1758. In 1767, he purchased his property 
at the head of Pawtucket falls. John Corliss, the carpenter 
who built his house, married his eldest daughter, Sarah. He 
owned a sawmill at the foot of the falls. 

In 1820, by an act of the General Court, he, with nimierous 
others, was set of from the Chelmsford church to the church in 
Dracut ( Pawtucket ville) . Chase, in "Old Residents' Collections" 
says: "Captain Ford once told Colonel Thomas Adams that one 
day when he went to his sawmill wearing his 'Revolutionary' 
coat, having three brass buttons two inches in diameter, he was 
met by an Indian, who sprang at him, shouting 'Me got you!' 
and immediately attempted to stab him with a knife, but the 
knife striking one of his buttons, his life was saved. Captain 
Ford having in his hand a bar with which he moved the logs in 
his mill, struck the Indian a powerful blow and sent him dead 
out of the tail race of the mill." 

FROM A PAPER BY MISS JOSEPHINE H. EARL. 

Capt. Ford's company belonged to the regiment of Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge. This regiment on the morning of the battle 
of Bunker Hill had not yet left their quarters in Cambridge. 

It shows the impatient disposition of the man that, becoming 
restive at the delay, he gained permission to lead forth his com- 
pany alone, and proceeded to the Hill. 

It is related by one of his historians that, while at Bunker 
Hill, the day before the battle, Capt. Ford warned General Prescott 
that it was evident that the British were preparing to attack the 
Americans upon the hill, and urged the necessity of immediately 
throwing up breastworks. Prescott, who had not feared such 
an attack, yielded to the persuasion of Capt. Ford and before 
morning, the fortifications were completed, without which the 
Americans could not have held their ground or achieved the 
immortal glory of that day. Mr. Chase in his article pertinently 
asks, "Is it asking too much to claim a share of that glory for 
the brave and sagacious Capt. Ford?" 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 251 

At the end of the nine months' service of Capt. Ford's first 
company, another company of Chelmsford men, with Ford in 
command, was raised to reinforce the army in Cambridge. This 
company served from January to April, 1776, but with little 
fighting, and in April the soldiers returned to their farms. In 
connection with Capt. Ford's second company, I quote from a 
manuscript of Lawyer Corliss. "William Fletcher of Chelmsford 
was a member of Capt. Ford's 2d company at Cambridge. His 
son William told me that his father, then alive, told him that 
Washington planned an attack upon Boston in the night, to 
cross with boats and Capt. Ford was put in charge of a boat, 
but for some reason the expedition was given up." 

In the summer of 1776 a third company with Ford as Captain 
was raised and stationed at Ticonderoga. While there Capt. 
Ford kept a regimental order book in which are recorded regi- 
mental orders, trials by court martial, promotion of officers, 
punishments of soldiers, and other matters. This book is in the 
possession of his descendants. 

[On their starting out to join the Northern Army, Captain 
Ford, his impetuosity having been somewhat abated, since April 
19, 1775, requested Parson Bridge to pray with them in the meeting 
house, which he did. They sang part of the 18th Psalm and he 
gave them a word of exhortation.] 

FROM THE ORDER BOOK. 

HeadQuarters Aug. 31, 1776. 
General Orders: — 

The Officers and Soldiers may be satisfied that the Genii, 
has left no means in his Power untry'd to procure medicines and 
every comfort for the Sick of this Army which the Station and 
Circumstances of this place will admit. 

The Genii, is credibly informed that a principal Surgeon is 
dispatched from N. Y. above a fortnight ago with a supply of 
medicines and apprehends that the Badness of the weather and 
Roads has alone prevented his arrival. 

It is the Soldiers duty to maintain the post he is ordered 
to defend. The same climate affects our enemies that affects us 
and the favor of the Almighty to whom we have appealed will if 
we trust in him, preserve us from Slavery and Death. 

Capt. Ford and his company returned to Chelmsford toward 
the close of 1776 and for some months they attended to their 
farms and mills, but on Sept. 30, 1777, still another company 
raised in Chelmsford and commanded by Capt. Ford marched 
to reinforce the Northern anny. They were a little too late, 
however, to assist in the splendid victory at Saratoga. On 
returning they brought forty or fifty British prisoners from 
Stillwater. 



252 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

During the forty-five remaining years of his Hfe he carried 
on his lumber business, bought large tracts of land in Chelmsford 
und did considerable farming. 

Among his papers is a ruling of the Court of Common Pleas, 
Middlesex Co., given at the December term, 1806, in a case of 
some disagreement between two Chelmsford men. "The parties 
appear and agree to refer this action and all demands between 
them to the determination of Capt. John Ford, Messrs. Joel 
Spalding and Phineas Whiting." 

John Ford married Sarah Barker of Methuen. They were 
blessed with eleven children, seven of whom lived to manhood 
and womanhood. Sarah, the eldest, bom in Chelmsford in 1767, 
married John Corliss of Chelmsford, afterward of Haverhill, 
N. H. 

The other children, Deborah and Prudence, lived, unmarried, 
and died on the old homestead. Elisha, who was a civil engineer, 
spent many years in the service of the Locks and Canals Co., 
and helped to build Pawtucket bridge, the wooden structure 
that preceded the present bridge. He was captain of the militia 
of the town of Chelmsford, and represented the town of Lowell 
in the General Court in 1828. 

John Ford died November 6, 1822, aged 84, and was buried 
in the Pawtucketville Cemetery. 

THE CONGRESS OF THE COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS-BAY. 

To John Foord Gentleman — Greeting. 

WE, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Courage 
and good Conduct, Do, by these Presents, constitute and appoint 
you the said John Foord to be Captain of the Foot Company in 
the Regiment of Foot whereof Ebenezer Bridge Esq. is Colonel 
raised by the Congress aforesaid, for the Defence of said Colony. 
You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the 
Duty of a Captain in leading, ordering, and exercising the said 
Company in Arms, both inferior Officers and Soldiers, and to keep 
them in good Order and Discipline; and they are hereby com- 
manded to obey you as their Captain, and you are yourself to 
observe and follow such Orders and Instructions as you shall, 
from Time to Time, receive from the General and Commander 
in Chief of the Forces raised in the Colony aforesaid, for the 
Defence of the same, or any other your superior Officers, according 
to Military Rules and Discipline in War, in Pursuance of the 
Trust reposed in you. 

By Order of the Congress 

Jos. Warren President P. T. 

Dated, the 19th of May, A. D. 1775. 
Sam Freeman Secretary P. T. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 263 

Middlesex SS June 1 1775 

Then John Ford within named personally appeared and repeated 
the Oath by Congress required to be taken by the officers of the 
Massachusetts Army. 

Before us Jona. Hastings 1 Justices 
Jona. Dix j of Peace 



COMMISSION. 



Sigilium Coloniae 

f 1 

SEAL 



Massachusettensis 
Colony of the \ The Major Part of the Council of the 

Massachusetts-Bay j Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England. 
B. Greenleaf To John Ford Gentleman Greeting. 

W. Spooner YOU being appointed Captain of a Company 

Caleb Gushing raised by this Colony as a temporary reinforce- 
J. Gushing ment to the American Army untill the first 

Jedh. Foster day of April next. 

Eldad Taylor By virtue of the Power vested in us, WE do 

B. Lincoln by these Presents, (reposing special Trust and 

John Whitcomb Confidence in your Loyalty, Com-age, and good 

Moses Gill Conduct,) Commission you accordingly. — You 

S. Hoi ten are therefore carefully and diligently to dis- 

Michael Farley charge the Duty of a Captain in leading, order- 

L Palmer ing, and exercising said Company in Arms both 

John Taylor Inferior Officers and Soldiers ; and to keep them 

B. White in good Order and Discipline: And they are 

Jabez Fisher hereby commanded to obey you as their Captain 

and you are yourself, to observe and follow such 

Orders and Instructions as you shall from Time 

to Time receive from your Superior Officers. 

Given under our Hands and the Seal of the said Colony, 

at Watertown the Seventh Day of February in the Sixteenth 

Year of the Reign of his Majesty King George the Third, Anno 

Domini, 1776. 

By the Command of the 
Major Part of the Council 

Perez Norton D[eputy] Secy. 



254 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



COMMISSION. 

Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay. The Major Part of the Council 
of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England. 

f \ To John Ford — Gentleman Greeting. 

You being appointed Captain of the fourth 
Company in the Seventh Regiment of Militia 
in the County of Middlesex whereof Simeon 
Spaulding Esqr. is Colonel — 

By Virtue of the Power vested in us, WE 
do by these Presents, (reposing special Trust 
and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage, and 
good Conduct,) Commission you accordingly. — 
You are therefore carefully and diligently to 
discharge the Duty of a Captain in leading, 
ordering, and exercising said Company in 
Arms both Inferior Officers and Soldiers; and 
to keep them in good Order and Discipline: 
And they are hereby commanded to obey you 
as their Captain and you are yourself, to 
observe and follow such Orders and Instruc- 
tions as you shall from Time to Time receive 
from the Major part of the Council or 
from your Superior Officers. 

GIVEN under our Hands and the seal of 
the said Colony, at Watertown the third Day 
of September, in the Year of our Lord, 1776 — 

By the Command of the 
Major Part of the Council 

John Avery, Depy. Secy. 

Given under our hands and seal of said Colony at Watertown 
Sept. 3. 1776. 



SEAL 



Jer. Powell 
Caleb Gushing 
J. Winthrop 
Rich'd Derby 
J. Gushing 
I. Holten 

Ebenr. Thayer. Jr, 
B. Lincoln 
B. Chadbourn 
Jos. Gushing 
D. Sewall 
B. White 
D. Hopkins 
John Taylor 
F. M. Dunn 



[Condensed.] 

A RETURN OF THE CO. OF THE 7tH REGT OF MILITIA IN THE 

COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX. 

OflScere' Names Rank Date of Commission Place of Abode 

John Ford, Capt June 11th 1775 Chelmsford 

Benj Warren 1st Lieut Sept 3d 1776 do 

Vacant, 2nd " Vacant do 

Training Band Present 76 Alarm List present 34 

Clerks 1 Under 50 years of age 16 

Serjeants 4 Between 50 and 60 years 9 

Drummers and fifers . . 2 " 60 " 65 " 9 

Rank and File Total . . 76 Total alarm List 34 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



255 



Absent in the Training Band in Capacity of Non-Commissioned 
officers and Privates 

In the Continental Army 17 

" " State Service JJ. 

"28 
The whole number of males above 16 years of age not included 

either in the Training Band or alarm list 13 

Whites between 16 and 60 years of age 129 

Upwards of 60 years of age 9 

138 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 48.] 

In a Muster Roll of Capt John Ford's Company in ye twenty- 
seventh Rigimt of Foot in Continental Army, these officers are 
given: 1775 

John Ford Capt John Bats Corp 1 

Isaac Parker Liut William Chambers Do ! p 

Jonas Parker Ensign William Cambell Do j ^ 

Moses Barker Sergt \ Benjn. Berritt Do ] 

Parker Emerson Do I o i-„ William Ranstard 1 Drummer 
Daniel Keyes Do | ^ Barzilar Lew j and Fifer 

Jonas Pierce Do j 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 49.] 

The whole number of Equipments in the Training Band and Alarm 
List Present 

83 Good Fire Arms 

31 Steel Ram-rods 

58 worms 

74 Priming — wire and Brushes 

74 Belt and Scabboard Bayonets 3043 BuUetts 

63 Cartridge-Boxes of 15 Rounds 83 Blanket 
5339 Buck-Shott 72 Canteen 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 48.] 



75 Jack-Knife 
83 wadding 
327 Flints 
66 lb Powder 



RETURN OF CAPT JOHN FORDS COMPANY 

John Ford Capt 
Isaac Parker Lieut. 
Jonas Parker Ensign 



IN COL BRIDGE S RIDGM. 

JUNE 15, 1775. 



Men's Names 



Age 



Day 
Inlisted 



Town they 
belong to 



ple?™on ^'^^ their occupation 



Sergts 

Moses Barker 36 

Parker Emerson 30 

Daniel Keyes 37 

Jonas Pierce 25 
Corps 

John Bates 28 

William Chambers 25 

William Cambell 37 

Benja. Berret 42 

John Keyes 26 

Alexander Davidson 27 

John Chambers 27 

Samuel Briton 18 



25 April 



26 
25 



25 
26 
25 



Dracutt 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 



Tewkesby 
Chelmsford 



Light 6 Farmer 

fresh 5 . 10 housewright 

do 5 . 10 farmer 

do 6 housewright 



Dark 6 
Light 6 
Dark 6 
Light 6 
Fresh 6 



farmer 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 



Dark 5.9 Cordwinder 
Light 6 farmer 
Dark 5.6 Do 



256 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Men's Names 



Age 



Day 
Inlisted 



Town they 
belong to 



Com- 
plection 



Size their occupation 



Moses Barker Jr 
Benjamin Pierce 
David Chambers 
Ebenezer Shed 
Samuel Wilson 
Jonathan Sprigue 
Nathll. Foster 
James Dun 
Isaiah Foster 
Benja Parker 
Enoch Cleavland 
Benja Butterfield 
Samuel Haywood 
Moses EsterBrooks 
Robert Aynger 
Elijah Heaselton 
John Glode 
Jesse Dow 
Joseph Spaulding 
Francis Davidson 
Oliver Cory 
Samuel Marshel 
Joseph Chambers 
Nathaniel Hunt 
Reuben Foster 
Joseph Spaulding Jr 
Noah Foster 
Jonas Spaulding 
Solomon Keyes 
Isaac Berret 
Benja. Farley 
Timothy Adams 
Josiah Fletcher 
John Parker 
James Chambers 
Silas Parker 
Benj Haywood 
Robert Richardson 
Berzillia Lew 
William Rowell 
William Ranstard 
Thomas Bewkell 
William Brown 
James Alexander 
Solomon Farmer 



William Brown 
James Alexander 
Solomon Farmer 



16 


25 April 


Dracutt 


Light 


5.6 


Do 


19 


26 




Chelmsford 


Do 


5.8 


Do 


26 


27 




11 


Do 


6 


Do 


25 


25 




" 


Dark 


6 


housewright 


21 


25 




" 


Light 


6 


farmer 


19 


25 




" 


Do 


5.8 


housewright 


20 


26 




" 


Dark 


6 


farmer 


23 


27 




i< 


Light 


6 


Do 


22 


25 




II 


Light 


6 


Do 


22 


27 


Do 


Do 


Dark 


6 


Do 


19 


27 




Do 


Light 


5.8 


Do 


18 


27 




Do 


Light 


5.6 


Do 


17 


26 




Do 


Dark 


5.6 


Do 


30 


27 




Do 


Light 


6. 


Do 


42 


28 




Billiraca 


Do 


5.5 


Do 


25 


29 




Tewksbury 


Dark 


5.6 


Do 


25 


28 




Chelmsford 


Dark 


5.10 


Do 


21 


29 




Methen 


Dark 


5.10 


Blacksmith 


20 


25 


Do 


Chelmsford 


Do 


5.10 farmer 


23 


26 




Do 


Do 


5.9 


Do 


18 


28 




Do 


Do 


5.6 


Do 


23 


29 




Do 


Do 


6 


Do 


21 


26 




Do 


Do 


6 


Do 


20 


29 




Tewkesbury 


Do 


5.9 


Do 


23 


27 




Chelmsford 


Light 


6.1 


Do 


19 


27 




Do 


Do 


6. 


Do 


18 


27 




Do 


Light 


5.6 


Do 


19 


29 




Do 


Do 


6. 


Do 


23 


29 




Do 


Do 


5.10 


Do 


22 


25 


Do 


Do 


Do 


6 


Do 


17 


25 


Do 


Do 


Do 


5.10 


Do 


18 


29 


Do 


Do 


Do 


5.6 


Do 


18 


28 


Do 


Do 


Do 


5.6 


Do 


20 


26 




Do 


Dark 


5.10 


Do 


16 


2 May 


Do 


Light 


5.6 


Do 


17 


29 April 


Do 


Light 


5.6 


Do 


21 


28 April 


Do 


Do 


5.5 


Do 


33 


4 May 


Do 


Do 


6. 


Do 


30 


6 IVl 


ay 


Do 


Negro 6 . 


Cooper [Fifer] 


25 


6 


Do 


Sandown 


Liglit 


6. 


farmer 


14 


6 


Do 


Boston 


Dark 


5. 


Do [Drummer 


25 


27 April 


Chelmford 


Light 


5.10 


Do 


23 


25 April 


Darcutt 


Light 


6. 


Do 


26 


28 


Do 


Chelmford 


Dark 


5.10 


Do 


21 


28 


Do 


Do 


Do 


5.6 


Do 


the 








29 of Mav. 1775 








En 


istec 


in to 


the Train 









I 

I 



55, p. 54.] 

179], dated Sept. 25, 1775, has the 



Thomas Bewkell 25 of June 1775 
Desarted from Camp in Cambridge 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 

Another Roll [Vol. 56, p. 
same names. 

Mr. Henry S. Perham once expressed to the writer the 
opinion that the name Chambers on the foregoing roll might be 
erroneously given for Chamberlain. 

This was the first enlisted company of Chelmsford men, and 
was stationed at Cambridge, serving from April 25, 1775 to 
February, 1776. 




MIDDLESEX VILLAGE. AQUEDUCT, LOOKING WEST. 




MIDDLESEX VILLAGE. AQUEDUCT, LOOKING EAST. 







No. 18 



BALDWIN MANSION. STORE HOUSE. 

BRIDGE OVER CANAL, MIDDLESEX VILLAGE. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 257 

Captain Barron's company, which turned out on the 19th of 
April, remained at Cambridge a short time, the service of the men 
varying from two to eighteen days. About twenty of these men 
enlisted into Capt. Ford's company, a few days later. 

On the 25th of April, nineteen of Capt. Ford's company were 
enlisted, eight on the 26th, and by the 29th, twenty-five more. 

The militia was called out, as a temporary reinforcement to 
the army, to serve to April 1, 1776, until a new army could be 
recruited to take the place of those whose term of enlistment had 
expired. 

Second Enlisted Company of Chelmsford men, at Cambridge, 
which served from January, 1776, to April 1776. 

John Ford, Capt.; Lemuel Perham, Lieut.; Micah Hildreth, 
Benjamin Byam, John Adams, Uriah Keyes, Moses Barker, 
Oliver Richardson, Samuel Twiss, Daniel Silaway, Solomon Keyes, 
Isaac Liveston, John Taylor, James Heaston, Eliphalet Manning, 
Israel Hunt, Jonathan Hunt, John Roby, Willard Hall, Nicholas 
Morrill, Stephen Pierce, John Marsh, Nathaniel Richardson, John 
Needham, Isaiah Foster, Sherebiah Fletcher, Jeremiah Morrill, 
Moses Esterbrooks, Samuel Wilson, Ebenezer Gould, Jr., Elijah 
Hildreth, Joshua Jones, Solomon Abbott, Barzilla Lew, Joseph 
Barrett, James Annas, Simon Hyde, Ezekiel Andrews, Joshua 
Durant, Hezekiah Thorndike, Willard Pierce, John HajnA^ood, 
John Mears, Daniel Abbot, Jonathan Stevens, John Spaulding, 
Samuel Fletcher, Jonathan Shed, James Read, Joseph Ingals, 
Caleb Cobum, Daniel Clough, Daniel Proctor, Jeptha Spaulding, 
William Fletcher, Jeremiah Hill, Joseph Willson, Leonard Willson, 
John Hunt, Joseph Spaulding, John Baker, Thomas Hoadley, 
Benjamin Lane. 
[Ford Papers.] 

The following names are on the enlistment papers dated 
January, 1776, among the papers left by Capt. Ford, and probably 
served in the company, although they did not receipt for their 
pay with those named above: 

John Carlton, Jr., Stephen Barrett, Elijah Cory, Josiah 
Abbot, Paul Hill, Timothy Gray, John Wright, Benjamin Sanders, 
Charles Harris, John Wining, Benjamin Sprake, Benjamin Dutton, 
John Sprake, William Stearns, Joel Crosby, Nicholas Sprake, 
Aaron Monroe, Abraham Jaquith, John Merrick, Moses Hardee, 
Aaron Palmer, John Perham, 3d, Lemuel Perham, Jr., Josiah 
Danforth, Gershom Proctor, Francis Lane, David Lane, William 
Clough, Uriah Griffin, James Hazeltine, John Hunt, Daniel 
Glode, James Bailey. 
[Ford Papers.] 

"It may be that some of the last names are of men transferred 
to other companies, although their names are on enlistment papers 
with the names of those on the pay roll of April 19, 1776." [See 
Lowell Journal and Courier, Sept. 23, 1859.] 



258 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



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THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



259 



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260 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Captain Ford's muster roll of August, 1775, is placed after 
that of the second enlisted company in order to bring it on 
opposite pages. 

Company of Capt. John Ford of Chelmsford, at Ticonderoga, 
being mostly men from Chelmsford, from July to the end of 
December, 1776. 

John Ford, Capt. ; Micah Hildreth, Lieut. ; John Richardson, 
Lieut.; John Chaney, also Lieut, for part of the time; John Lane, 
Ensign; Ebenezer Bowman, Sarg't.; Daniel Parker, John Osgood, 
John Smith, Robert Richardson, Robert Morrell or Morall, John 
Adams, Ezra Corey, Joel Estabrooks, Joseph or Josiah Estabrooks, 
William Mears, Samuel Brown, Eleazer Colburn, Abram Littlehale, 
Jesse Haywood, Benjamin Hajrwood, Daniel Silaway, William 
Smiley, John Taylor, Joshua Jones, Samuel Piper, Willard Hall, 
Benjamin Barron, Philip Butterfield, John Marsh, Moses Chandler, 
John Perham, Isaac Carkin, Reuben Silaway, Abijah Wood, 
Solomon Wood, Alexander Brown, Timothy Farrar, David 
Adams, Thomas Clark, Richard Hughes, Daniel Damon, Ebenezer 
Wakefield, Samuel Ellingwood, John Fox, William Blazedell, 
Hezekiah Thorndike, Caleb Rea, Benjamin Sprake, Jacob 
Williams, Aaron Farmer, Eben'r Green, Levi Parker, Jonas 
Whitney, James Cumings, James Davis, Seth Didson, Ephraim 
Howe, Lazarus Hubbard, Nathaniel Boroughs, Abijah Fox, 
Joseph Butterfield, Jesse Butterfield, William Bowers, Benjamin 
Williams, Robert Adams, Jeduthan Warren, Solomon Keyes, 
William Chambers, Charles Fips or Phipps, Samuel Whitney, 
Jonathan Woodward, Sampson Harris or Hardy, Mitchell Davis, 
John Mears, Moses Barker, Obadiah Johnson, Jonathan Evans, 
Barzilla Lew, John Mills, Asa Colburn, Joseph Carkin, Solomon 
Adams, John Bowers, Ziba Lane, Abraham Mears, Zaccheus 
Fletcher, Joshua Durant, John Manning, John Burge, John Ditson, 
John Storrs. 
[Ford Papers.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 
ROUTE TO TICONDEROGA. 



261 



In the Diary of Micah Hildreth of Dracut (Lieutenant in 
Capt. Ford's company), are given the routes taken by the troops 
on their march from Chelmsford on July 25, 1776, and on 
their retvun. 



Dracutt, July 25. 1776. 
to Chelmsford 
to Westford 

Groton 

Pepperel 

Townsend 

Ashby 

Ashbumham 

New Ipswich 

Ringe 

Jeffry 

New Marlboro 

Swanzey 

Keen 

Surry 

Westmoreland 

Walpole 

Charlestown, N. Y. 

Springfield 

Weathersfield 

Cavendish 

Saltish 

Ludlow 

Susbury 

Clarendon 

Rutland 

Castleton 

Skeenborough 

Mount Independence 

Ticonderoga 



Then marched for Cannada 
From Ticonderoga, Nov. 26. 1776. 
To Fort George 
Fort Edward 
" Miller 

Saratoga 

Still Water 

Half Moon 

New City 

Albany Flats 

Albany 

Then across the River to Green Bush 

Scoduck 

New Lebanon 

Green Groves, called Philipstown 

Pittsfield 

Partridgefield 

Washington 

Williamsburg 

Hatfield 

Then across the river to Hadley 

Amherst 

Shutesbury 

New Salem 

Petersham 

Templeton 

Westminster 

Fitchburg 

Lunenburg 

Shirley 

Groton 

Westford 

Chelmsford 

Dracut 



[Courtesy of Dr. M. G. Parker.] 



"A Muster Roll of Capt. John Ford's Company of Volunteers 
in Col. Jonathan Reed's Regiment of Militia, who engaged Sept 
27th and marched Sept. 30, A. D. 1777, to reinforst the northern 
army, by the desire of the General Court of the Massachusetts 
Bay." as we belonged to sd. State. Cheknsford Sept. A. D. 1777. 



262 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Establishment Distance from Disch'd Nov. 8 

per month home 40 miles Time of service Whole Amt. 



John Ford, Capt. 

Tempel Kindall Lieut. 

Jonathan Bancroft, Sergt. 
Willard Parker Sergt. 

Azariah Proctor, Corp. 

Silas Pierce, Corp. 

Caleb Colburn, Corp. 

Simeon Cummings, Corp. 

Privates 
Oliver Barron, Esq. 

Jonathan Shed, 
William Chambers 
Jonathan Woodard 
Willard Hayward 
David Putnam 
Joseph Adams 
Samuel Adams 
Jeduthan Warren 
Sam'l Perham 
Josiah Fletcher 
Henry Fletcher 
Joe! Spauldin 
David Danforth 
David Marshall 
Aaron Chamberlain 
Azariah Spauldin 
Timothy Adams 
Jonathan Robins 
Ephraim Robins 
Supply Reed 
William Spauldin 
Stephen Pierce 
Benjamin Butterfield 
Levi Fletcher 
Banja Hayward 
Oliver Richardson 
John Hadlock 
Joseph Butterfield 
Joseph Ingals 
Aaron Small 
William Fletcher 
Elijah Fletcher 
Benjamin Didson 
Sam'l Lunn 
Solomon Pollard 
John Marsh 
Jesse Butterfield 
Elizer Farwell 
William Parker 
Jacob Baldwin or Bauldwin 
Joseph Tyler 
John French 
Oliver Adams 
Samuel French 



Days allowed 
£12. 0. to return home 
8. 2. 20 miles per day 
2. 8. 



2. 8.0 
2. 4.0 
2. 4. 
2. 4. 
2. 4.0 

2. 0. 
2. 0.0 
2.0. 
2.0.0 
2.0.0 
2.0.0 
2. 0.0 
2.0. 
2. 0.0 
2.0. 
2. 0.0 
2. 0.0 
2.0.0 
2.0.0 
2 0.0 
2.0.0 
2.0. 
2.0.0 
2.0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0. 
0.0 
0.0 
2.0.0 
2. 
2.0. 
2.0.0 
2. 0.0 
2.0.0 
2.0.0 
2.0. 
2.0.0 
2. 0.0 
2.0.0 
2. 0.0 
2. 0. 
2.0. 
2. 0. 
2.0.0 
2. 0. 
2.0.0 
2. 0. 
2.0. 



2 days 



43 days 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 



do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Disch'd Oct. 20, 23 days 
do 
do 
do 



£17. 4. 

11-12. 

3. 8. 9 



8. 9 
3.0 
3.0 
3.0 
3.0 



2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
2. 17. 4 
1. 10. 8 
1. 10. 8 
1. 10. 8 
1. 10. 8 



[Capt. Ford allowed for extra services] 
Chelmsford, March 28. 1778. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 57. 



£171 
46, 



19. 3 
9. 4 



£218. 08. 7 



5. 


16. 


2 


2. 


8. 


9 


7. 


7. 


6 


7. 


4. 


4 


3. 


12. 


2 


134. 


11. 


8 


:otal 165. 


16. 





John Ford. Capt 







THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 263 

An abstract of Capt. John Ford's Company in Col Reed's 
Regiment A D 1776 for travel from fort George and for 
mileage from Albany home at one penny Pr mile and one Days 
Pay for every twenty miles from Albany home. 

1 Capt. for travel 265 miles and 200 mile mileage 3. 15. 5 

2 Lieuts. Do 

1 Ensign Do 
4 Seargt. Do 
4 Corol. Do 

2 Drum & fife Do 
76 Privates Do 



Chelmsford January 9th. 1777 

John Ford 
[Ford Papers.] 

Captain Ford's Company was at the taking of Burgoyne, and 
brought back with them between forty and fifty of the prisoners 
from Stillwater to Cambridge. 

An Abstract for pay Due to Capt. John Ford and his Company 
for pack horses to carry their baggage to Stillwater and for horses 
Expences and for the men to bring back their horses and for 
Extroydenary Expence in their Return as they Brougt back the 
prisoners. 

9 horses for 53 men at /6d pr mile Each 160 miles Each £36 = = 

for 2 men to bring back the pack horses 15 Days at 3s. 

pr man pr day 4 = 10 = 

and for their Expences for the men to Bring back the 

horses 4 = 10 = 

and for the Expence for the above horses at l£-16s-0 

pr horse 16 = 4 = 

for milage to Bennington 53 men 160 miles 2 pence pr 

mile Each 35= 6 = 8 

for Extrordinary Expence from Stillwater to Cam- 
bridge in bringing back the prisoners 250 miles 
Each and one peny pr mile 51 = = 10 

the above was transacted A: D: 1777 total 147: 11: 6 

Chelmsford March 28 1778 John Ford Capt 

[Ford Papers.] 

Sept. 10, 1778, Capt Ford was ordered to detach 3 privates 
from his Company to reinforce Gen. Sullivan and to defend the 
seacoasts, to march to Providence, armed & equipped as the law 
directs. 
[Ford Papers.] 



264 



HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 



ANCESTRY OF CAPTAIN JOHN MINOT 

(^)Thomas Minot of Essex, England, had a son (2)George, bom 
Aug. 4, 1594, who came to Dorchester in 1630; was an Elder in 
the Church and prominent in the town. He married Martha 
and died Dec. 24, 1671. 

(^) James, their son, was born Dec. 31, 1628, and died March 
30, 1676. He married 1st Hannah (daughter of Col. Israel 
Stoughton and sister of Lieut. Gov. William Stoughton), Dec. 9, 
1653; 2d Hepsibah Corlet, May 21, 1673. 

(^) James, born April 2, 1659, married Rebecca Jones of Concord, 
Feb. 9, 1688. 

(^)Lieut. Jonathan, born 1689; died July 23, 1770. Married 
Elizabeth Stratton of Concord, Jan. 26, 1714. They had Samuel, 
Elizabeth, Rebecca, Jonathan, Anna. 

(«)John, born at Chelmsford, Dec. 16, 1730; died Sept. 16, 
1809. Married Rachel Spaulding, June 27, 1753. She died 
Dec. 31, 1812, aged 80. No children are recorded in Chelmsford. 
Jonathan, brother of (^)John, was of Westford, and a Captain 
in the Revolution. 



Chelmsford names on "A Pay Role of Travill and Wages 
Due to Capt. John Minots Company in Col. Dike's Regt. for the 
Travill from their Places of Abode to the Heights of Dorchester 
the Place of Rendezvous and back to their Respective homes and 
one days Wages for Every Twenty Miles home." 







^ 


^ 


CD 0) 








•aiS 




n 


■?o,a 

oi 1) O 


Men's Names 


Towns 


11! 


•3^ 
°3 


o 3 








e8 > a) 


c~ 








io§ 


», <S & 




OS a 3 










O "aS 








ja** 


ja S 






'Z "" 


H 


HH 


H K 



John Minot Chelmsford 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 16 

John Dutton " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 

Willard Byam " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 

Joseph Dunn " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 

Samuel Chamberlin " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 

Moses Davis " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 

Jonas Dutton " 64 0. 5. 4 2 0. 8. 
[Warrant allowed, Nov. 30, 1776.] 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 34.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



265 



A MUSTER ROLE OF CAPT. JOHN MINOTTS COMPANY IN COLO. DIKES REGT. 



Boston December the 21st 1776. 



Name 



Rank Put in pay 



Town Age Effective Casualitiea 



John Minott Capt Deer. 1 

Benja. Lawrance Lievt. Do. do 

Isaac Parker Lt. Deer. 13 

Aaron Parker Ensn. Deer. 1 

Nathan Coburn Sergt. Deer. 1 

S Johnathan Robins Sergt. Deer. 13 

S Asa Porter Sergt. Deer. 13 

S Amos Russell Sergt. Deer. 18 

John Byam Drumr. Deer. 13 

Winslow Lakin Fifer Deer. 1 

Cor. 

Isaac Foster Corpl. Deer. 13 

Cor. 

Jabez Frothingham Corpl. Deer. 1 

Cor. 

Benja. Barrot Corpl. 

Cor. 

Edmund Blood Corpl. Deer. 13 

Robt. Richardson Private Deer. 13 

Henry Blasdell Do Deer. 13 

Jonathan Pierce Do Deer. 1 

Saml. Chamberlain Do Deer. 1 

Benja. Chamberlin Do Deer. 13 

Saml. Parkhust Do Deer. 1 

David Putnam Do Deer. 13 

John Spaulding Do Deer. 13 

Joptha Spaulding Do Deer. 13 

Samuel Twiss Do Deer. 13 

Jonathan Capron Do Deer. 13 

Simeon Williams Do Deer. 13 

Salmon Whitney Do Deer. 1 

Benja. Farwell Do Deer. 1 

Cotton Procter Do Deer. 1 

Benja. Esterbrook Do Deer. 24 

Solomon Gilson Do Deer. 1 

Ephraim Farwell Do Deer. 1 

Shattuck Blood Do Deer. 1 

Jonathan Teel Do Deer. 13 

Roland Lawrance Do Deer. 1 

Joseph Jewet Do Deer. 13 

Benja. Green Do Deer. 1 

Edmund Parker Do Deer. 1 

Josiah Wright Do Deer. 1 

Ivory Wiles Do Deer. 1 

John Davis Do Deer. 13 

Cornelus Davis Do Deer. 1 

Abel Russell Do Deer. 18 

Smith Foster Do Deer. 13 

David Parker Do Deer. 18 

Nehemiah Fletcher Do Deer. 18 

Daniel Dudley Do Deer. 13 

Jesse Minott Do Deer. 13 

Thos. Robbins Do Deer. 13 

Solomon Fletcher Do Deer. 13 

Jacob Robbins Do Deer. 13 

Raymond Fletcher Do Deer. 13 



years 

Chelmsford 47 

Groton 30 

Chelmsford 29 

Wesford 38 

Dunstable 38 

Chelmsford 24 

Groton 21 

Wesford 28 

Chelmsford 16 

Pepperell 19 



Groton 


25 


Chelmsford 


41 


Do 


16 


Do 


24 


Do 


18 


Do 


16 


Do 


17 


Do 


19 


Do 


15 


Do 


22 


Do 


22 


Groton 


21 


Do 


19 


Do 


18 


Do 


21 


Do 


50 


Wesford 


31 


Groton 


19 


Do 


17 


Do 


19 


Do 


23 


Do 


15 


Pepperrill 


18 


Do 


17 


Do 


16 


Do 


19 


Shirley 


23 


Do 


18 


Do 


16 


Wesford 


22 


Do 


20 


Do 


19 


Do 


18 


Do 


19 


Do 


17 


Do 


19 


Do 


17 


Do 


16 


Do 


16 



Chelmsford 30 / 
Lexington 21 / 



Deer. 13 Chelmsford 46 / 



/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 



13 Day taken 

14 Do 
15th Taken 
IStfa Taken 
19th Taken 
20th Taken 
21 St Taken 
23 Taken 
24th Taken 



266 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

CAPTAIN JOHN MINOX's ROLL — CONTINUED. 



Name 


Rank 


Put in pay 


Town 


Age Effective Casualitiea 








years 




Joshua Fletcher 


Private 


Deer. 13 


Wesford 


17 


/ 


Aaron Parker, Jr. 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


16 


/ 


Isaac Chandler 


Do 


Deer. 5th 


Do 


17 


/ 


Simeon Kemp 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


24 


/ 


Isaac Parker 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


17 


/ 


Jeremiah Hildreth 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


16 


/ 


Elnathan Reed 


Do 


Deer. 18 


Do 


18 


/ 


Jesse Dudley 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


16 


/ 


William Frothingha 


m Do 


Deer. 15 


Cambridge 


23 


/ 


Solomon Phips 


Do 


Deer. 15 


Stoneham 


21 


/ 
/ 


James Masterman 


Do 


Deer. 15 


Billeriea 


17 


/ 


Samuel Stuart 


Do 


Deer. 1 


Scarborough 


26 


/ 


Benj. Winchester 


Do 


Deer. 20 


Roxbury 


17 


/ 


James Reed 


Do 


Deer. 5th 


Dracut 


24 


/ 


Jeptha Coburn 


Do 


Deer. 5 


Do 


17 


/ 


Amos Bradley 


Do 


Deer. 19 


Do 


17 


/ 


David Richardson 


Do 


Deer. 19 


Do 


22 


/ 


Asa Emerson 


Do 


Deer. 5 


Dunstable 


30 


/ 


Peter BuUard 


Do 


Deer. 13 


Do 


16 


/ 


Saml. Spaulding 


Do 


Deer. 19 


Chelmsford 


40 


/ 


Joel Crosby 


Do 


Deer. 14 


Billeriea 


16 


/ 


John Farmer 


Do 


Deer. 1 


L.exington 


20 


/ 


Thomas Smith 


Do 


Deer. 1 


Do 


19 


/ 


William Blasdell 


Do 


Deer. 14 


Billeriea 


19 


/ 


Thomas Wright 


Do 


Deer. 20 


Wesford 


41 


/ 


Blaney Teel 


Do 


Deer. 21 


Charlestown 


25 


/ 


Josiah Williams 


Do 


Deer. 23 


Do 


22 


/ 


Jube Savage 

66 

Silas Parlin 


Do 


Deer. 23 


Lincoln 


40 


/ 




January 1th 


Concord 


17 








1777 








Roberson Lakin 




Janv. 5 


Pepperil 






Nehemiah Cutter 




Jany. 9 


Cambridge 






Andrew Cutter 




Jany. 9 


do 






William Winship 




Jany. 9 


do 






Bennet Foster 




Jany. 9 


do 






[Original among 


Fiske papers.] 









Colonel Greene's order book, kept by Captain John Minot, at 
Middletown, R. I., in August, 1778, is in the Adams Library, 
Chelmsford. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 

A MUSTER ROLL OF CAPT JOHN MINOTS COMPY. COL DIKE's REGT. 



267 



[The items in the "Casualties" cohimn are from another roll of January 1777 
in the possession of the Fis ke family of Chelmsford.] y. ^'", 

^ioiuh days Names Ranks Town 



Dec [1776] 1st 
do 
13 
1 

do 
13 
do 
18 
13 
1 

13 
1 
13 
do 
do 



John Minott 
Benjn. Lawrence 
Isaac Parker 
Aaron Parker 
Nathan Coburn 
Jonathan Robbins 
Asa Porter 
Amos Russell 
John Byam 
Winslow Lakin 
Isaac Foster 
Jabez Frothingham 
Benjn. Barrott 
Edmund Blood 
Robt Richardson 



Casualties 



do Henry Blazdell 

1 Jonn. Pearce 

do Saml. Chamberlain 

13 Benja. Chamberlain 

1 Saml. Parkhurst 

13 David Putnam 

do Joshua Durant 

do Jephtha Spaulding 

do Saml. Twiss 

do Jonan. Capron 

do Simeon Williams 

1 Salmon Whitney 

do Benj Farwell 

do Cotton Proctor 

do Solomon Gilson 

do Ephraim Farwell 

do Shattuck Blood 

13 Jonn. Teel 

1 Roland Lawrence 

13 Joseph Jewett 

1 Benjn. Green 

do Edmd. Parker 

do Josiah Wright 

do Ivory Wildes 

3 John Davis 

1 Cornelius Davis 

18 Abel Russell 

13 Smith Foster 

18 David Parker 

do Nehh. Fletcher 

13 Danl. Dudley 

do Jesse Minott 

do Thomas Robbins 

do Raymond Fletcher 

do Joshua Fletcher 

do Aaron Parker J unr. 

5 Isaac Chandler 

13 Simeon Kemp 

do Isaac Parker 



Capt. 
Is Lieut. 
2 do 
Ensign 
Sergt 

do 

do 

do 
Drumr. 
Fifer 
Corpl. 

do 

do 

do 
Private 

do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 



Chelmsford 

Groton 

Chelmsford 

Wesford 

Dunstable 

Chelmsford 

Groton 

Wesford 

Chelmsford 

Pepperill 

Chelmsford 

Lexington 

Chelmsford 

Groton 

Chelmsford 

do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Groton 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 



present 

/ 

/ 

On duty 

on duty 

/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ age 21 

on duty 
discharged 22 Jany. 

1777. 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 

at Barrack 
on duty 
/ 
on duty 

do 

do 

do 
/ 



sick present 
on duty 

Sick present 
(discharged 13 Feby) 
do / 

do / 

Pepperil sick present 
do / 

do on duty 

do do 

Shirley do 

do / 

do on duty 

Wesford / 

do on duty 

do / 

do / 

do / 

do / 

do / 

do Dischd. Jany. 15. 1777. 

do Discd. Jany. 15, 1777. 

do / 

do / 

do / 

do on duty 



268 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



CAPT JOHN MINOT S ROLL — CONTINUED. 



Month days 


Names 


Ranks 


Town 


Casualties 


Dec [1776] 13 


Jerh. Hildreth 


Private 


Wesford 


/ 


18 


Elnathan Reed 


do 


do 


on duty 


13 


Jesse Dudley 


do 


do 


/ 


15 


Wm. Frothingham 


do 


Cambridge 


sick present 


15 


Solomon Phips 


do 


Stoneham 


/ 


do 


James Masterman 


do 


Billerica 


on duty 


1 


Saml. Stuart 


do 


Scarborough do 


20 


Benj Winchester 


do 


Roxbury 


/ 


5 


James Reed 


do 


Dracut 


/ 


do 


Joptha Coburn 


do 


do 


/ 


19 


Amos Bradley 


do 


do 


/ 


do 


David Richardson 


do 


do 


on duty 


5 


Asa Emmerson 


do 


Dunstable 


/ 


13 


Peter Bullard 


do 


do 


/ 


19 


Saml Spaulding 


do 


Chelmsford 


/ 


14 


Joel Crosby 


do 


Billerica 


/ 


1 


John Farmer 


do 


Lexington 


/ 


do 


Thos. Smith 


do 


do 


on duty 


14 


Willm Blasdell 


do 


Chelmsford 


/ 


20 


Thos Wright 


do 


Wesford 


on duty 


21 


Blaney Teel 


do 


Charlestown/ 


23 


Josiah Williams 


do 


do 


on duty 


do 


Jube Savage 


do 


Lincoln 


/ 


13 


Solomon Fletcher 


do 


Wesford 


Dischd. Jany. 15th. 
1777 


do 


Jacob Robbins 


do 


do 


on duty 


24 


Benjn. Easterbrooks 


do 


do 


/ 


1777 Jany 9 


Nehh. Cutter 


do 


Cambridge 


/ 


5 


Robinson Larkin 


do 


Pepperill 


on duty 


9 


Andw Cutter 


do 


Cambridge 


/ 


do 


Willm. Winship 


do 


do 


on duty 


do 


Bennett Foster 


do 


do 


sick present 


[On Roll of 










Jan. 1, 1777 


Silas Parlin 


do 


— 


on duty] 


[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 


26, p. 428i] 





1777. Chelmsford names on a Pay Role of Capt. John 
Minot's Company in Coll. Josiah Whitneys Regiment of IVIilitia 
from the State of Massachusetts Bay for two months service at 
the State of Rhode Island Warwich Neck. 

State bounty Time in 8ervioe 
per, mo. travil inc luded Amt of Bounty 

John Minot 
Isaac Foster 
William Melendy 
Azariah Spaulding 
Jonathan Peirce 
William Parker Jr. 
Isaac Marshall 
Saml. Marshall 
Saml. Parkhurst 
Peter Reed 

[Robbins Papers: Duplicate in Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 2, 
p. 216.] 



Capt. 


£ 


mo. 


days 


£. S. d. 


Sergt 


1. 0.0 


2 


9 


2.6.0 


Private 


1. 0.0 




do 


2.6.0 




1. 0. 




do 


2.6.0 




1.0.0 




do 


2.6.0 




1.0.0 




do 


2.6.0 




1. 0. 




do 


2. 6.0 




1.0.0 




do 


2.6.0 




1.0.0 




do 


2. 6. 




1.0.0 




do 


2.6.0 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



269 



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270 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



A Return of Capt. Ebenezr Bancrofts Company in the 27 
Ridgt. Commanded By Colo Bridge in order To make out the 
Abstract for the Pay for the Third month from the First Day of 
August. [1775] 
Ebenezr Bancroft Capt £6- 

Nathal. Holden 1st Leiut 4- 

Samll. Brown 2d Lt 3- 

Serjeants 



James Person 2-8-0 

Hezekiah Kendall Best Octor 1 2-4-10 
the 28 J 

Richard Welsh 2-8- - 

•John Didson 2-8- 

Samll Dow made Sergant \ 2-4-6 

October 2 8 J 

Jonathan Sherwin 2-4-0 

Phinehas Underwood 2-4- 

Jerahmel Colbum 2-4- 

Jonathan Underwood = ] 2-0-3 

= made Corpl October 28 j 

Silas Persons Fifer 2-4-0 

William Mcmilleon 2-4-0 

Able Blood 
Caleb Bancroft 
Levi Butterfield 
John Brown 
Caleb Cumings 
James Cobby 
John Davidson 
James Danley 
Jonathan Emerson 
Joel Esterbrooks 



John French 
Will French 
Joseph Farror 
Timothy Farror 
Samll. Fletcher 
Thomas Farwell 



Josiah Goodhue 
Silas Gould 
Jesse Gould 
John Glenne Jur. 
Will Glenne 
Noah Mac Gould 
James Gouge 
Nathll. Ingals 

Enock Jewit 
Thomas Kilmot 
Ezra Littlehail 
Samll. Lund 
Francis Mitchel 
Thomas McLaughlen 
Daniel Nutting 
James Persons Jur 
Titus Potami 
Henry Sheapord 
Joshua Taylor 
Abraham Taylor 
Benja Whittemore 
Sanill. Peak. 



Total £113 = 13-7 
December the 4th 1775 Ebenez Bancroft Capt. 
[Reverse] Capt. Bancroft 
October pd. 



1 Captain 

1 Lieut 

1 Ensign 

4 Serjeants 

4 Corporals 

2Drum:&Fif: . 
38 Privates 

1 Do died Oct 28. 
Cambridge December 29. 1775. Reed, of Eben. 
Bridge One hundd. & thirteen pounds thirteen 
shillings & seven pence in full of this Abstract 
£113. 13. 7— 



- 6— 

- 4— 

- 3— 

- 9-12- 

- 8-16- 
-4-8- 
-76 

1..17..7 

£113..13..7 



[Original among the Fiske Papers. 



Ebener. Bancroft, Capt. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



271 



A Muster Roll of Capt John Nutting whose men marched 
from Pepperill April 19, 1775 



Names 



No. of miles from 
and to each Man's No of Days 
hom3 service 



Isaac Chamberlain 50 

[Chelmsford] 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 13, p. 22.] 



6 



£.0.8.6.3 



An abstract of Capt Charles Furbushs Company in the 27 
Redgt of foot Comanded by Col. Bridge for the Month of October 
[1775] 



Capt. Charles Furhiish 


6-0-0 


Jeremiah Blanchard 


2-0-0 


Leiiit Jeremiah Morrill 


4-0-0 


jsaac Foster 


2-0-0 


Jnsine James Silver 


3-0-0 


Abraham Silver 


2-0-0 


Sart Joseph Frost 


2-8-0 


Hugh Rile^' 


2-0-0 


St Daniel Silver 


2-8-0 


William Kemp 


2-0-0 


St William Smith 


2-8-0 


Charles Furbush 


2-0-0 


St Jeremiah Morrill 


2-8-0 


London Siterson 


2-0-0 


Corp William Morrisin 


2-4-0 


John Loyd 


2-0-0 


CI thomas Smith 


2-4-0 


Jsaac Meloon 


2-0-O 


CI Jacob Annis 


2-4-0 


William Gordin 


2-0-0 


CI William Bailey 


2-4-0 


John Morison 


2-0-0 


dr Simeon Furbush 


2-4-0 


John handcock 


2-0-0 


Fir abraham Stickney 


2-4-0 


danie! Longon 


2-0-0 


Ezra Annis 


2-0-0 


Joseph Pettingal 


2-0-0 


John boldwin 


2-0-0 


Joshua bell for & for 7 das ogust 


2-9-4 


Cuff blanchard 


2-0-0 


Abiel Upton 


2-0-0 


theoder emerson 


2-0-0 


Marcus Shead 


2-0-0 


thomas hoadly 


2-0-0 


Eliiah hildreth 


2-0-0 


Jsrael hunt 


2-0-0 


John Craford 


2-0-O 


Samuel Farmer 


2^0-0 


beniamin Clark 


2-0-0 


david Clough 


2-0-0 


daniel Petingal 


2-O-0 


david Meril 


2-0-0 


david Silver 


2-0-0 


Cato. hubard 


2-0-0 


Josiah McComb died 11th Oct 


0-14-8 


Ceaser Porter 


2-O-0 


Charles Furbush Capt. 




[Reverse] Capt. Fubursh 








October pd 


— 






1 Capt 


.... £6 







1 Lieut 


4 


: 4 - 




1 Ensign 


3 




3 Sergts 48/ 


.... 7 




4 Corporals 44/ 


.... 8 


:16- 




2 Drummers & Fifers . . . 


.... 4 


: 8 - 




34 privates 40/ 


.... 68 






1 private 7 Days 


—9 


- 4 




1 Do— 11 Days 


.... 14 


- 8 • 





£102.12— 

Cambridge Deer. 29, 1775 — Reed, of Ebenr Bridge one hundd. & two pounds 
twelve shillings in full of this Abstract. 

£102—12 Charles Furbush Capt. 

[Fiske Papers.] 

Captain Furbush was of And over. 



272 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Chelmsford names on a Return of Capt. Zacheus Wright's 
Co. in Col. Bancrofts Regt. 

Camp on White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776. 



Lieut. 


Robt. Spaulding 


in Camp. 


Chelmsford, 


Sargt. 


Simeon Barret 


do 




do 


Corp. 


William Bowers 


do 




do 




Jethro Spaulding 


do 




do 




Phinehas Underwood 


do 




do 




Arthemas Spalding 


do 




do 




Zebulon Spaulding 


do 




do 




Samuel Wilson 


do 




do 




Jonathan Shed 


do 




do 




Joseph Parker 


do 




do 




Wm Dun 


do 




do 




Thomas Davis 


do 




do 




Oliver Fletcher 


do 




do 




Samuel B oilfield 


do 




do 




Stephen Pierce 


do 




do 




Jonathan Parker 


do 




do 




Asa Hogman 


do 




do 




Daniel Twist 


do 




do 




Isaac Marshal 


do 




do 




Ebenezer Gould 


do 




do 




John Crosby 


do 




do • 




Joseph Spalding 


do.. 




do 




Samuel Spalding 


at Weathersfield 


do 


[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 24, 


p. 139.] 






Captain Wright was of Westford. 







Chelmsford names on A pay Role of Capt Joseph Bradley Varnum's company 
Col Mclntoshs Rigt Gen Lord's Brigade of Militia from ye State of Massachusetts 
Bay on an expedition to Rhode Island in July August & Sept. 1777 State Pay. 



a 

01 

a^ 






a 


4) 

1-2 


"o a 


a 

a 
< 

O 


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OS 

(UX3 

Q--3 


Distance 
home wh 
discharge 
100 miles 


as 


alt 
month day 



Oliver Bowers Corp 
Josiah Fletcher 
Levi Fletcher 
John Dunn 
Wm. Spaulding 
Jesse Haywood 



£5. 0. July 29 Sept 11 5 1 18 

5. 0. July 29 Sept 11 5 1 18 

5. 0. July 29 Sept 11 5 1 18 

5. 0. Aug 19 Sept 11 5 28 

5. 0. July 30 Sept 11 5 1 17 

5.0. July 19 Sept 11 5 1 18 



[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 23, p. 185. 
Captain Vamum was of Dracut. 



£8. 



0.0 

8. 0.0 
8. 0.0 
4. 13. 4 

7. 16. 8 

8. 0.0 



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MAP or 
Old Mi DDLEiSEix Village.. 

Drawn in >9ii, 
I3v Mom. Saml.P Haoley. 



•ScAUE-or rLE-T 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 



273 



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274 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Chelmsford names on A descriptive list of the Second Division of six months 
men marched from Springfield under the Care of Capt Phinehas Parker July 2' 1780. 

Names Age Stature Complexion Town County Arrived at Springfield 

Timo Farrow 20 5. 9 Light Chelmsford Middlesex July 2nd 

William Adams 18 5. 7 do do do do 

Benj Howard 20 5. 8 do do do do 

Oliver Perham 17 5. 9 do do do do 

James Marshall 20 5. 9 do do do do 

Jacob Marshall 20 5. 9 do do do do 

Lemuel Barrett 17 5. 3 do do do do 

Samuel Lancey 20 5. 9 do do do do 

Phinehas Kidder 23 5. 9 Dark do do July 7 

David Walker 23 6. 3 do do do July 2 

Silas Parker 20 6. do do do do 

Oliver Core 23 5.11 do do do do 

John McKlenne 28 5. 5 do do do do 

Ephraim Pierce 18 5.10 do do do do 

Supply Reed 25 5.6 Light do do July 9th 1780 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 35, pp. 183, 188b, 192.] 

William Adams was out in the army at West Point, and saw 
the execution of Major Andre. 

In some instances the same men served at different times in 
two or more companies. 

A brother would relieve a soldier in camp at Cambridge and 
the latter would return home for a short period to help in farm 
work. 

"The minute men, determined as they were and actuated by 
intense patriotism, came and went according to their own estimate 
of the relative importance of their agricultural and military 
duties." [F.V.Greene.] 

The following affidavit, made by William Adams, of Chelms- 
ford, is found among the Revolutionary papers of the Massa- 
chusetts Archives (LV., File li. No. 1) in the volume marked 
on the back "Worcester Rolls Parcels 2nd. & Mixed Rolls Vol 2." 
* * * Pomp Phillis, one of the privates, was a negro; then aU 
colors, red, white or black, were warmly welcomed by the patriots. 

"William Adams of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex 
and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the seventy-ninth 
year of my age, do testify and say that I rendered service in the 
Revolutionary War, that I now receive a Pension for services 
thus rendered; That in the first part of the Simimer of 1778 I 
enlisted and went to West Point, the Company that I belonged 
to was Capt. Asa Lawrence Company of Groton, the regiment 
was commanded by Col. Poor of Andover or Methuen, some 
part of our service was rendered at White Plains and Peekskill, 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 275 

this was an eight monthes service, we received our Discharges 
in the month of February, 1779. the Company was commanded 
principally by the first Leutenant John Flint of Tukesbury, 
this Company was made up of men from Groton Chelmsford 
Bilerica Tukesbury, and other Towns in this vicinity, and I 
further testify that I have carefully examined the Role of Capt. 
Asa Lawrence Company hereto attached and the principle part 
of the names bom on this Roll are familiar to me, and many of 
the mens names, born on this Rolle are persons which I am certain 
were with me in the eight monthes service as above described, 
and I have no doubt but what it is an original Roll of the Company 
which I rendered service in as above described, 

Wm. Adams [ wafer ] 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

Middlesex ss. . Chelmsford April 23 = 1841 = then Personally 
appeared the above named William Adams, well known to me to 
be a person of sound mind, and veracity, made Oath that the 
above affidavit by him subscribed is true. 

Before Me 

Benjn. Adams Justice of the Peace" 
[Groton in the Revolution, pages 24-5.] 

Cato Abbott was a slave belonging to Dr. Nehemiah Abbott. 
He died in 1818, aged about 80. See his record in next chapter. 

"Barzillai Lew, the son of Primus, was a negro and belonged 
to a well-known colored family of that day, somewhat noted for 
their musical attainments." [Three Military Diaries, Green.] 
Some of his descendants still live in Dracut and Lowell. In 
1760 he was in Farrington's Company of Groton, (given as born 
there), for the total reduction of Canada. 

1777, August 15, the company of Colonel Stephen Russell 
of Dracut rendezvoused at Chelmsford. 

In 1780 a fine of £150 was imposed on drafted men able to 
pay it, who should fail to pass muster or hire an able-bodied man 
in his stead. The fine to be paid within twenty-four hours or be 
collected by levy or warrant of distress. The following resolve 
passed by the General Court, December 2, 1780, explains itself, 
and to some extent the succeeding documents relating to "Classes." 
"A bounty of $50 for each man enlisted and passing muster was 
promised to every town or plantation which should fill up its 
quota on or before Jan. 1. 1781." 

CLASSES OF SOLDIERS. 

December 2, 1780, the General Court Resolved, That the 
several towns and plantations within this Commonwealth be, and 
hereby are authorized to agree (if they think fit) upon classing 



276 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the inhabitants thereof at a legal town-meeting called for that 
purpose, in order to procure their proportion of soldiers to serve 
in the Continental army, for three years or during the war: And 
in all towns and plantations where the mode of classing shall 
be adopted, the selectmen of such towns, and the assessors of 
such plantations, or such committee as the town or plantation 
shall appoint for that purpose, shall divide all the inhabitants 
thereof, with others who were assessed in the hard-money-tax, 
into as many classes as according to the annexed schedule, there 
are men required of such town or plantation, in proportion to their 
several taxes, intermixing poor with the rich, so as to make the 
several classes as nearly equal in property and in number of polls 
as may be with convenience; and each of said classes shall, on or 
before the twentieth day of January next, procure a good able- 
bodied effective soldier to serve in the Continental army three 
years or during the war, unless such town or plantation shall in 
some other way procure the whole nirmber of soldiers to be by 
them raised: And that in case any one or more of said classes 
shall neglect or refuse to procure the soldiers assigned them, 
within the limited time aforesaid, such town or plantation is hereby 
empowered and directed to procure such soldier for each class so 
neglecting of such town or plantation, and the assessors shall 
assess said classes, or the several neglecting individuals thereof, 
in the same proportion they were severally assessed in the hard- 
money-tax, the full value of the sum which shall be expended in 
procuring said soldier, with an additional sum not exceeding double 
the sum advanced to procure the said soldier, as the said town 
shall determine; and the several collectors of such towns or 
plantations are hereby authorized and required to collect said 
assessments in the same manner as they are directed by law to 
collect town taxes, and pay in the same according to the direction 
contained in the warrant which they may receive from the select- 
men or assessors of such towns or plantations for the purpose of 
collecting said assessments; and the said selectmen or assessors 
are hereby authorized to grant such warrants, agreeable to the 
form by law prescribed for collecting town taxes, mutatis mutandis. 

Chelmsford November 26, 1781 



The following is a List of the Names of the parsons which 
are Classed together to precure one Good Able Bodyed Man to 
go into the Contanental Armey for three years or Dureing the 
present wor which is by ordor of the Authority of the Common- 
welth of the Massachusetts and the Stun sett against Each parsons 
Name is their Equal part of the first payment which is £45 this 
Tax Being made agreable to the Hard Money Tax 



Benjn. Spaulding £3: 10 

Benjn. Chamberlin 3:12 

James Haywood 3: 16 

Jonathon Adams 3:12 

Samll. Adams ashbornham 3: 2 



1:3 
0:0 
6:0 
11:2 
3:3 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 277 

Abnor Herick £0: 13 : 0:3 

Oliver Peirce 2: 0: 4:2 

Zebadiah Roggers Billirace 1: 8: 0:0 

JohnGlode 0:13: 0:0 

Ebenezer Sheed 1: 0: 0:3 

Agt. Wm. Bridge 0: 19: 3:0 

Thomas Adams 0: 19: 0:1 

Jonathon Richardson 0: 17: 0:3 

WilHam PhiHps 1: 4: 0:0 

Samuell ChamberHn 0:13: 0:0 

Jesse Haywood 0:13: 0:0 

Sargt. Parker Emerson 0:17: 0:3 

Sargt. Pattrick Fleming 0: 13: 0: 

David Walker 0:13: 0:0 

JohnBetteys 0:15: 4:0 

Timothy Manning 2: 0: 3:0 

William Parker . 1 : 6: 2:1 

Widw. Sarah Parker 3: 17: 6:3 

Josiah Blood 0: 13: 0:0 

Elnathon Sherwin 1: 6: 0:0 

Mary Adams 1 : 2: 1:0 

Henry Blazdell 0: 13: 0:3 

William Betteys 0: 13: 0:0 

John Keys 0: 13: 0:0 

Saml. Lovkin 0: 13: 0:0 

David Danf orth on the Estate of John Bolen Esqr. 1 : 5 : 2:0 

Henry Richardson 1 : 1 : 0:0 

Samll. Butterfield 1: 2: 0:1 

[C. 0. Robbins Papers.] 

Another list of the same names has somewhat smaller amounts 
set against them, and the amounts which some are "to receive 
back." 

This list is among the Ford Papers. 

Oliver Richarsdon, one man. 

Stephen Peirce, one man. 

Samson Stoddard & Vryling Stoddard, one man. 

Benj Melven one man 

Benj Spaulding & Josiah Richardson, one man. 

Stephen Spaulding & Abijah Spaulding, one man 

John Dunn & Benj Gould, one man 

Jonathan Manning & Timothy Manning, one man. 

Daniel Stevens & Silas Coburn and Timothy Path, one man. 

Philiap Parker one man 

Thomas Marshall & Samuel Marshall one man 

Joseph Moor one man 

Samuel Fletcher and Jonas Pierce, one man 

Timothy Clark and Samuel Howard, one man 



278 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

CLACES NAMES & SUMES. 

Benjamin Spaulding £2:15: 5:0 

Benjamin Chamberlin 2: 17: 6:2 

James Haywood 3: 0: 5:0 

Jonathon Adams 2:17: 8:0 

Samuell Adams Ashbornham *2: 9: 4:0 

Abnor Herick 0: 10: 11 : 

Olever Peirce 1 : 14: 2:0 

Zabadiah Roggers Billireca 1: 2: 6:0 

John Glode 0: 10: 2:0 

Ebenezer Sheed 0: 16: 4:0 

Agt. Wm. Bridge 0: 15: 6:2 

Thomas Adams 0:15: 3:0 

Jonathon Richardson 0:13: 6:0 

William philips 0: 18: 5:0 

Samuel Chamberlin 0: 10: 2:0 

Jesse Haywood 0: 10: 2:0 

Sargt. parker Emerson 0:13: 6:0 

Sargt. pattrick Fleming 0: 10: 2:0 

David Walker 0:10: 2:0 

John Bettyes 0:11: 6:2 

Timothy Manning 1 : 12: 10: 2 

Wm. parker 1: 1:6:2 

widw. Sarah parker 3: 2: 4:2 

Josiah Blood 0: 10: 2:0 

Elnathan Sherwin 1 : 0: 4:0 

Mary Adams 0: 17: 8:0 

Henry Blazdell 0: 10: 4:0 

Wm. Betteys 0:10: 2:0 

John Keys 0:10: 2:0 

Samll. Lufkin 0: 10: 2:0 

Henry Richardson Westford 0: 16: 10: 

Samuel Butterfield 0:17: 4:0 

David Danforth on the Estate of 1 

John Bolen Esqr of Boston Decest j 1: 0: 0:0 

38: 0: 5:0 

Chelmsford March 23, 1784. 
At a meeting of a Class whareof Mr. Benjamin Spaulding & Mr. 
Wm. parker are a Committee 

1st ly. it was Voted that Mr. Benjn. Spaulding be a moderator 
to govern Sd. meeting & John Betteys Clerk to record the votes 
passed at Sd. meeting 

2d. ly Voted that Mr. David Walker pay his Class Rate for the 
year he was in the Contanental Sarvis 

3d. ly Vcted not to pay Mr. Jonathon Stratton the four pounds 
which He forfated by not being in the Contanental Sarvis at the 
Time he agreed to which Money the Class Gave to Mr. David 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 279 

Walker whome Mr. Stratton agreed to Sattisfy for what time He 
Remained in Sarvis after the first of January 1783 that The Class 
be at no Cost in Consequence of his not marching upon His 
Receaveing his money 

4th. ly Voted that Mr. Benjamin Spaulding and Mr. William 
parker Be Defended (as a Committee.) By the Class from all 
Charges that Shall arise in Consequence of not paying the four 
pounds to mr. Jonathan Stratton, which Sinn was paid to mr. 
Walker to Sattisfy Him for the time he remained in Sarvis after 
the Class had ingaged Mr. Stratton. 

5th. ly Voted to Chuse a Committee to Visit Mr. Jonathan 
Stratton and informe him of the proceedings of the Class, and 
Demand the Obligations which the Classes Committee have given 
him which obligations are Sattisfyed according to agreement 
6th. ly Voted that this Committee Concest of three parsons. 
7th. ly Voted that Mr. Benjamin Chamberlin be one of this 
Committee. 

8th ly Voted that Mr. William Bridge be one of this Committee. 
9th. ly Voted that John Betteys be one of this Committee. 
lOthly Voted that this meeting be adjumed to the first Monday 
in April next at 6 oClock in the afternoon 

Benja. Spaulding — Moderator 
John Betteys Cler. of Sd. Meeting. 
At a meeting of the within Class upon an adjurnment as within 
to April 5: — it was 

1st. ly Voted that the within Committee Viz Mrsseres Benjn. 
Chamberlin Wm. Bridge and John Betteys be a Cummittie to 
act as they may think proper and go into what meathods they may 
think proper in order to make a final Settlemen with Mr. Jonathan 
Stratton 

2dly Voted that the Class Defend the above Commettie from 
all Cost and Charges that Shall arise in Consequence of any 
Lawfull preceeding in Makeing a vSettlement with Jonathan 
Stratton 

John Betteys Clar. 

BOND. 

Know all men by these presents that We, phinehas Cham- 
berlin, Blacksmith, Jacob Reed, yeoman, James Wheeler, yeoman, 
Benjn. procter, yeoman, Elijah procter. Gentleman, Andrew 
Betteys, yeoman, Timothy Hildreth, yeoman, peter procter, 
yeoman, John Reed, yeoman, Hugh Cargill, Cordwiner, John 
Harwood, yeoman, John Mansfield, yeoman, James Hall, Black- 
smith, and William Foster, yeoman, all of Chelmsford in the 
County of middlesex and commonwealth of the Massachusetts in 
New England, are holden and stand firmly Bound and obliged 
to Isaac Barrot, Laborer, of said Chelmsford in the full and Just 
Sum of four hundred Spannish milled Dollars to be paid to him 



280 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



the sd Isaac Barrot his Executors, administrators or assignes, 
to the which payment well and truly to be made we bind our 
selves and each of our executers, administrators and assignes 
firmly by These presents, sealed with our seals. Dated this twenty- 
eighth Day of May, one thousand seven hundred eighty one and 
in the fifth year of the Independence of the United States of 
amaraca — 

The condition of the present obligation is such that we the 
above bounden phinehas Chamberlin, Jacob Reed, James Wheeler, 
Benjn. procter, Elijah procter, andrew Betteys, Timothy Hildreth, 
peter procter, John Reed, Hugh Cargill, John Harwood, John 
Mansfield, James Hall, William Foster, have agreed with the 
above named Isaac Barrot for fifteen head of young Chattels 
for his going into the sarvice of the United States of amaraca 
for the tarme of three years (unless suner Regulerly Discharged) 
for the Clace that the above named men Compose, Sd Chattels 
to be Delivered to the sd Isaac Barrot in the manner following 
that is to say if the sd Isaac Barrot Shall Be Regularly Discharged 
at the End of two years from the Above Date he Shall Receve sd 
Chattels at two years old and if not Discharged till sd tarme is 
out he Shall Receive sd Chatties at Three years old all Being 
Calved in the Spring Season of the year one thousand seven 
hundred and Eighty-one and to be of a full midling Size part 
Stears and part heffers to be Delivered on the twentyeth Day of 
may whether at two or three years old Each one his preportinable 
part to the sd Isaac Barrot his heirs Executers adminestrators or 
assigns then the above writen oblegation to be Voide and of none 
effect or Else to be and Remain in full force Strength and Virtue. 

Phinehas Chamberlen (seal) 



Signed Sealed and Delivered 

in presents of us 
John Betteys 
John Spolding 
Oliver Barrott 



Jacob Reed (seal) 
James Wheeler (seal) 
Benjn. procter (seal) 
Elijah procter (seal) 

his 
William Foster (seal) Andrew X Betteys (seal) 

mark 



peter procter (seal) 
Hugh Cargill (seal) 
John Harwood (seal) 



[CO. Robbins papers. 



Timothy Hildreth (seal) 



The soldiers who fought in the Revolution had to foot it 
home if they survived the British bullets and the diseases which 
killed many of them. They were a miserable lot. They had to 
beg food and sleep where they could. They dragged themselves 
home. Dr. Marshall, who lived in the present residence of Mr. 
C. W. Byam, came home one day in December, 1776, and said 
he did not like the smell in the house, and asked if any soldiers 
had been there. The answer was that one had stopped there. 
The doctor's fears were realized. His wife and two children 
died of the small-pox; the soldier also died of the same disease. 
Mrs. Marshall was a lovely woman, and the doctor was broken- 
hearted. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 281 



ITEMS FROM THE TOWN ACCOUNTS. 

1774. 

For one barrel of powder for the Toun's use £ 4: 0:0:0 

1775. 

To. Capt. Oliver Barron for the expense of the Com- 
mittee of Correspondence £ : 4 :8 :0 

Joseph Warren for time about getting powder for 

theToun 0: 2:0:0 

Joseph Warren for 56 pounds of lead and 200 flints 1 : :0 :0 

Joseph Warren for running bullets : 3 :8 :0 

John Minott for one day running bullets : 1 :9 :0 

1777. 

January 25, to Captain Samuel Stevens for 2 half 

barrels of gunpowder for the Toun's use £35 : 7 :0 :0 

1778. 

To Mr. Samuel Perham for nine fire-arms 33 :15 :0 :0 

250 pounds of lead 10: 1 :3 :0 

8 gunlocks and 184 flints 7:14:9:0 

Going to Concord and purchasing the above articles :15 :0 :0 

Captain Samuel Stevens and Lieutenant Benjamin Fletcher were 

paid for journeys to Concord transporting clothing for the soldiers, 
£1:10:0 a trip. 

1779. 

The selectmen paid bounty and billeting money "to 

the soldiers gone into the Army" £ 450: 5:0 

Also Bounty to Eleven men "raised to join General 

Washington" ($1,100) £ 330: 0:0 

Also Bounty to three men to go to Rhode Island 90 : :0 

1780. 

November 6, $36,720, was voted by the Toun, to be 

paid instead of the beef required by the State for 

the Army. 

Paid billeting money to the three months men £ 900 : :0 

Paid billeting money to the Continental men 480 : :0 

Price of the horses provided "for the yuce of the 

Army" 3340: 0:0 

For one blanket provided for the soldiers 90 : :0 

For "another blanquet" 45: 0:0 

1780. 

November 6. To Mr. Samuel Howard for time 
spent and expenses in driving sheep to Boston 
to relieve the inhabitants of that Town 30: 0:0 

To Capt. Samuel Stevens for time spent and expenses 
in driving sheep and cattle to Boston to relieve 
the inhabitants of that town when in distress ... 30 : :0 



282 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Besides the ordinary expenses of the Town there "* £ 2541 : 7 :7 :0 
was raised by taxation in Cheknsford in 1780 
for hiring men to go into the service of the \ 2061:12:5:0 
United States on one assessment. A war- 
rant being given to each Constable 

On another 



For beef which the General Court required to be 
procured for the Army 



24017: 7:0:0 

15982:13:0:0 

6017:13:3:0 

4998: 6:9:0 



The ordinary taxes were: three assessments for the State tax 



1780. 



"To answer the State Treasurer's Warrant" 

Each assessment was divided between the 

north and south "ends" of the Town. . 



To defray the charges arising in the Toun 
in 1780 

For the support of the Gospel ministry for 
6 months 

For the support of the Gospel ministry for 
6 months 



£ 5460 

4448 

11897 

9473 

152 

122 

£ 6657 

5342 

18270 

11729 

£ 1202 

797 

3240 

1759 



11:10:0 
8: 2:0 
0: 4:0 
9: 8:0 
3: 2:0 
4:10:0 

14: 7:0 



5: 
13: 
7: 
0: 
0: 
5: 
14: 



5:0 
4:0 
4:0 
0:0 
0:0 
3:0 
9:0 



In 1777 a levy of 5,000 blankets for the army was ordered, 
of which this Town's proportion was 19. The next year the 
General Court ordered a levy of shirts, shoes and stockings for 
the army, of which Chelmsford's proportion was 47 shirts and the 
same nimiber of pairs of shoes and stockings. In 1780 another 
demand was made. Some items from the Town records are here 
given. 

1781. For clothing for the soldiers £ 

For five blankets for the yuce of the army . 
For one horse for the yuce of the army .... 



" Wages and blankets for the soldiers .... 
To Major John Minot for his hiring men to go 

into the service in 1779 

To John Byam, Jr., for going to Rhode Island 

as a soldier in 1780 

For part of 100 bushels of Indian corn due 
Jacob Marshall for 6 months service in the 

army in 1780 

In lieu of 20 bushels of Indian com and 

interest 11 months to Josiah Fletcher 

For 4 shirts for the yuce of the soldiers 



505 


0: 





200 


0: 





911 


0: 





982 


2: 





768 


7: 


6 


8,359 


10: 





2,379 


14: 





10 


4: 


2 



6: 0:0 

5: 2:0 
1: 6:8 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 283 

To William Bridge for conveying three horses 

to Concord, time and expenses, and buying 

one horse at Springfield in 1780 £ 0: 8:6 

To the same for conveying Clothing for the 

Solgers to Concord in 1779 0: 18: 6 

Grain and money for 9 months men in 1780 5,542: 2: 

The six months continental men and the 

three months militia to be paid their bounty 
in corn at sixty dollars per bushel with 
interest till paid. The sums were respec- 
tively \ 8,000: 0:0 

/ 40,000: 0:0 

To Capt. Samuel Stevens, one journe}'- to 

Concord and horse and expenses to carry the 

clothing for the army 0: 6:0 

To Benj. Spaulding for 1 day spent in 

notifying the Classes in this Town to procure 

the Continental men 0: 6:0 

To Mr. John Minot to pay the 3 months men 

to go to North River and the five months men 

to go to Rhode Island 30: 0:0 

To Lt. Daniel Proctor for one journey to 

Woburn and horse and expenses to pay 

money to the agent for beef 0: 6:0 

Shirts and stockings for soldiers 4: 4:0 

Shoes 2: 0: 

For 6 pairs of stockings which Mrs. Sarah 

Richardson provided for the soldiers 1:16:0 

For 9 pairs shoes provided by Oliver Peirce 

Jr. and one pair for the poor 4: 6:0 

For 13 shirts provided for the soldiers by 

Abel Adams 3: 18: 

1782 Paid out of the Town's money granted in 
1780 for beef and paying out to the soldiers 
and for horses for the yuce of the army, for 

clothing and other articles 61,832: 7: 

To Capt. Joseph Warren for beef for the army 45 : 0:0 

For grain and money provided and paid to 

the 9 months men in 1780, in old Continental 

money 5,542 : 2:0 

These are a few out of hundreds of items found on the records. 
The Town did wonderfully well in supplying men, money and 
provisions, paying bounties and providing for the families of her 
soldiers. Frequently the taxes of soldiers were abated, and 
constables were sometimes released from the obligation of paying 
into the Town Treasury taxes which were "not gittable." 

1780 — December 27. Committee appointed to raise fifteen 

Continental men as required by the State. 



284 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Town appropriated for beef for the Army, clothing and 
blankets, £27000:0:0. 

1781. The six months Continental men and the three 
months Militia to be paid their bounty in corn at $60. per bushel, 
with interest till paid. The stims were respectively £8000. and 
£40,000. $1, new emission, equalled £12. old Continental money. 

The men who engaged for three years or during the war were 
each to receive twenty head of homed cattle. 

1787. To Col. Simeon Spaulding for 55 days attendance 
at the Constitutional Convention at Cambridge and Boston 
and expenses, £990:0:0. 

In 1780-81 Chelmsford was called upon for 31 shirts, pairs 
of shoes and stockings, and 15 blankets for the Army. 

FROM THE SIXTH CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Names of Pensioners for Revolutionary 

or Military Services. 

Chelmsford. 

Josiah Fletcher 
Samuel Davis 


Age. 

81 
75 


Names of Heads of Families 
with whom Pensioners resided. 
June 1. 1840. 

Josiah Fletcher 
Samuel Davis 


Samuel Brown 


75 


Samuel Brown 


Samuel Parkhurst 


81 


Samuel Parkhurst 


Levi Proctor 


73 


Levi Proctor 


John Crosby 
Hezikiah Thorndike 


80 
86 


John Crosby 
Hezekiah Thorndike 


William Adams 


78 


William Adams 


Martha Merrill 


68 


Charles A. Frost 


Amy Wibber 
Polly Pierce 
Rachel Dunn 


89 
83 
80 


Hugh Pettingill 





In the report of 1835 is the following: 

Amount of Allowance Pension began died 

Cato Abbott, private $96 Apr. 14, 1818. Nov. 16, 1819. 

[Church Record says, died 1818.] 



THE COLONEL S ORDER. 

Chelmsford 10th May 1777. 
Sir- 
Conformable to order wch I have received from General 
Warren, I call upon & require of you, that you strictly Examine, 
forth with, ye Company of Militia under your Command, and 
see how they are furnished with arms & ammunition and see 
whether any of yr men are deficient in any articles required by 
the Militia Act. & yt you take ye most Effectual measures without 
delay, to have them supplied, yt they may be ready to march 
on the Shortest notice — And that you make return to ine as 
soon as possible of ye State you find em in — And this because 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 285 

of Intelligence received, that our Enemies are determined to 
enslave us, if it Shall be in their power, & New England is fixed 
upon, as the particular Object of their revenge & present Campaign. 

Im yr. humble servt. 
[Adams Library.] Col. 

John Betteys, credited to Dracut, Private, Capt. Joseph 
Bradley Varnum's Co. Col. Mcintosh's Regt., Gen. Lovell's 
Brigade: enlisted July 29, 1778, discharged Sept. 11, 1778 service 
1 mo. 18 days, at Rhode Island. He was born in Chelmsford, 
July 7, 1757, the son of Andrew and Mary Battles of Chelmsford. 
Col. Varnum's order book is among his papers in the possession 
of C. O. Robbins. His letter addressed to his father, Andrew, is 
here given. 

Honored Father and Mother: This comes with my Duty to you 
with my lov to Brother and all other inquireing friends we marchd. 
into Rhod island on Sundy last about alio Clock and we Remain 
on the island yet and I trust we shall as long as we please for 
contanental State Regts. melisha and Volentears are very numerous 
on the island and I hope we Shall Be abel to Giv you a better 
acount of them Be fore it Be long: but we have not had a Site 
at them yet I am well at present and have bean Ever sence I 
came from home tho I have nothing to lay on but the ground and 
the open heaven to Cover us but I am in hops we Shall fare Better 
be fore longe. Sir I want sum money for I am in the Camps — tell 
Lieut. Procter to Send me 80 [old] Dollers if he can and I will 
Sattisfy him when I com home. I Don't want no more Cloaths 
only a pare Shues and Capt foard is Coming you may Send By 
him or Soom trusty hand ; So no more from your Dutifull son, 
Compton Rhod island Jo. Betteys. 

Portsmouth Aug. 11. 1778. 

REPLY. 

Chelmsford August 18th. 1778 
Louing Son I would in Form you that we are all well at present 
threw the goodness of god hoping these Lines will find you as 
they Leve us I Reed the Letters from you that you Sent By Capt 
Wright I woiild Be glad that you Would Rite to us the news as 
Sone as you Can for we want to hear them to know how you fare 
Doct. marShall Sent ten Dollars By mr. John Dun we have not 
got the Shoues But we will send them as Sone as we have any 
oppertunety mr James Haywoods folks are well So no more at 
present But we Remaine your Loving parrence 

Andrew Bettey 

To John Bettey 
in Capt Varnum 
Company att Rodiseland 
in 

Colo Mcingtuch 

The above and following letters are among the Robbins papers. 



286 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

IN THE HAND OF JOHN BETTEYS 

"Camp on Rhodisland August 29-1778. 
Died in Battel John Heywood of Tuksbury. 

He was a Respectable youth, a good Solgear and Died Like a 
Hero Fiteing in Defence of his Ravished Cuntray; oh! may Each 
one of his fellow Solgears think upon him and as far as his Exampals 
was good may Thay patron after him and if thay are Called to 
meet the Enemy may thay Consider thir Caus is good, and under 
god may thay fight manfully knowing and considering Who is 
abel to Succor and presarve them." 

Besides the John Heywood in the list of Chapter V, there 
were six others of the same name, one of whom is given as of 
"Capt Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.: order for 
advanced pay, signed by said Heywood and others, dated Cam- 
bridge, June 6, 1775." None of these is given as of Tewkesbury. 
The two here mentioned were probably the same. 

EXTRACTS FROM TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY CHELMSFORD BOYS 
TO ONE OF THEIR COMRADS AT HOME. 

Camps longisland Red hook August ye 24th. 177G. 
Sir it is with the gratest pleasur I take this oppertunity to Rite 
to you to let you No that I am Well hoping these few lins Will 
find you in as good helth as they leave me at this time. I Would 
in form you that I Sent you a letter Dated July 21 Weather you 
have got it or no I have nothing more Strang to Rit to you more 
than I put in that Letter only there is more Ships Come in it 
is judged that there is about 200 — and 50 — or — 300 sail of the 
Kings troops lies Close by in plane sight of us and Can Come so 
near as to fire into our tents I am stashaned on a Little island 
about three miles to the South of New York a place Called Red 
hook and We Expect to have a battle Enny Day Whereas if 
We Should We Expect to be Kild or taken if We Dont beat them 
for there is no Room to Retreat for the Water is all Round us 
When the tid is up * * * I Remain your true friend and 
humble sarvant 

Nathaniel Foster. 
Mr To 

John Batteys 

att 
Chelmsford 
this With 
Cair and speed 

Absent friend I Now set Down with Plasure to write To 
Jnform you of my Wellfair, hoping these unworthy Lins will find 
you in good helth as they Leve me att this time. I Received your 
Letters Dated October 6 and Nov. 21, and was Exceeding glad 
to find you was well our Compy are all in good helth it is Exceeding 
helthy Jn the Camp thak god: and J hope will Remain So. J 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 287 

have No nuse to write to you att present only we Entend to Kill 
all the Enemy Before we come home if we Can for we have 
Amenison plenty we Draw Pees that will after Boild twenty foiir 
hours Do Excicution thirty Rods if they hit rite & J am sure we 
shall make the ships to hot for them when we give them a few 
Broad sides. * * * Remember My Love to all the prity 
girls. * * * 

Your humble sen^ent till Death. 

Jesse Heywood 
North Kingston Nov. 29. 1777. 
To Mr. 

John Betty 

in 
Chelmsford 

with Care 

ENLISTMENT AGREEMENTS. 

We the subscribers do hereby severally inlist ourselves into 
the service of the United Colonies of America to serve until the 
first day of April next if the service shall require it, and each of 
us do agree to furnish and carry with us into the service a good 
effective Fire Arm, and Blanket (also a good Bayonet and Catridge 
Pouch if possible), and we severally consent to be formed by such 
Persons as the General Court shall appoint, into a Company of 
Ninety men, including one Captain, Two Lieutenants, one ensign, 
four Sergeants, four Corporis, one Drummer & one fifer to be 
elected by the Companies and when formed we engage to March 
to headquarters of the American Army with the utmost Expedition 
and to be under the Command of such Field officers as the General 
Court shall appoint, and we further agree during the time aforesaid 
to be subject to such generals as are or shall be appointed and to 
be under such Regulations in every respect as are provided for 
the Army aforesaid. 

Dated this 29th day of January A D 1776. 

John Adams 
his 
Joseph X Barrett 

mark 
Samuel Willson 
Jesse Spaulding 
Daniel Proctor 
Joseph Adams Jr 

his 
Benj. X Chambling 

mark 
Jonas Marshall 
Roger Toothaker 
Samson Cobum 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 55, p. 53. Also Miss H. M. 
Spalding.] 



288 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

We the Subscribers do hereby severally inlist Ourselves into 
the Service of the United Colonies of America, to serve until the 
first Day of April next, if the Service Shall require it; and each 
of us do engage to furnish and carry with us into the Service, a 
good effective Fire Arm, and Blanket, (also a good Bayonet and 
Cartridge Pouch, if possible.) And we severally consent to be 
formed by such Person as the General Court shall appoint, into 
a Company of Ninety Men, including one Captain, two Lieu- 
tenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Drummer, 
and one Fifer, to be elected by the Companies; and when formed, 
we engage to march to Head-Quarters of the American Army, 
with the utmost Expedition, and to be under the Command of 
such Field Ofhcer or Officers as the General Court shall appoint. — 
And we further agree, during the Time aforesaid, to be subject 
to such Generals as are or shall be appointed; and to be under 
such Regulations, in every Respect, as are provided for the Army 
aforesaid. Dated this Day of January the 29 A. D. 1776. 

Samuel Perham Junr, Jonathan Stevens, Joseph Spaulding, 
Samuel Twiss, Uriah Keyes, John Mears, William Fletcher, 
Stephen Peirce the (?), Sherebijah Fletcher, Jonas Spaulding, 
Oliver Rjchardson, Ebenezer Goold, Isaiah foster, Jephthae 
Spaulding, Charles fletcher, John Spaulding, William Peirce. 
[Original in the possession of Miss H. M. Spalding.] 

The following are among the Ford papers : 
Names on an Enlistment paper dated 1776. 
Uriah Griffin, John Heywood, Jonathan Shed, James Heazel- 
tine, John Hunt, Jsrael Hunt, Jonathan Hunt, Eliphalet Manning, 
Hezekiah Thomdike, Daniel Glood, James Annas, James- Bailey, 
Jeremiah Morrill, Benj farley, T Bakewell. 

These names are attached to Receipts for pay or pay orders. 

Saml Heald, B Barron, Saml Ellinwood, Edw Butman, 
Bengam Didson, Benj Butterfield, John Green, Parker Emerson, 
John Taylor, Jr., Jesse Heywood, Wm Blazdell, Jr., C. Pollard, 
John McCluer, Thomas Mclaney, Oliver Farwell, John Partherch, 
Daniel How, Wm Peirce, Benj Lane, Samuel Moor, John Stark, 
Jonathan Stark, James Vose, James Nober or Noble, Moses 
Barker, Jr., Eleazer Farwell, Benj Heywood, Thomas Hoadley. 

The following documents are among the Ford papers : 

These men received Cartridge Boxes: 
Lt. Perham, John Mears, Joseph Ingles, Gershom Proctor, Samuel 
Twist, John Winning, Aaron Farmer, Saml Fletcher, Caleb 
Colburn, Daniel Gload, Nat Richardson, Joseph Wilson, Josiah 
Danforth, Jonathan Hunt, John Merre, Moses Hardee, Jonathn 
Shed, Nicholas Sprake, Willard Hall, Simon Hide, Ezekiel Andress, 
Joseph Berret, Jesse Spaulding, Stephn Pierce, Jonas Spaulding, 
Wm. Abbot, John Sprake, Daniel Sillaway, Benj Bream (or 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 289 

Byam?), James Reed, Oliver Richardson, Daniel Abbott, John 
Wright, Joshua Jones, Beni Chamberling, James Annes, Barzillar 
Lew, Solomon Abbot, Learnard Willson, John Cathorn, David 
Lane. 

Cambridge, Jan. 1, 1776. 
Twenty-one men, names under-mentioned, returned each man 
a cartridge box into the ordnance stores. 

Moses Barker Benj Parker 

John Keyes Benj Farley 

Berzellai Lew Enoch Cleauland 

John Bates Benj. Butterfild 

Reuben Porter Oliver Corey 

Samuel Briton Samul Marshall 

William Ramstead Joseph Chambers 

Alexander Davidson Nathanil Hunt 

John Chambers Isaac Barret 

Parker Emerson James Chambers 

Samuel Hayward 

All these names are on Capt. Ford's Rolls except Isaac Barret. 

RECEIPT. 

Camp at Cambridge 
June 27, 1775. 
Received of Eben Bridge Fifteen Pounds in Province Notes for 
my Company 
£15 John Ford. 

ORDER. 

Cambridge, May 17, 1775. 
Parole, Ethan; Countersign, Allen; officer of the Day, Col. 
William Henshaw; Field officer for the Picket gard, Lt. Col. 
Bond's. Field officer for the main gard tomorrow, Col. Scammons; 
Field officer for Treatage tomorrow, Lt. Col. Whitney; agitant 
of the Day, Gager. 
Otherwise as usual. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Hospital, Cambridge, May 13, 1775 
Sir — Having examined William Parker Junr. of your regiment, 
who was kicked by a horse some time ago, he is, in my opinion, 
absolutely unfit for service at present, and should he continue in 
the army it would greatly endanger his life, without the least 
prospect of his doing any good. 

Isaac Foster, Jun. Surgeon. 



290 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

colonel's orders. 

To Col. Eben'r Bridge 

To Capt. Ford — Sir: I expect to-morrow morning by sunrise 
you will not fail of parading every one of your men on the common 
parade and leave none in the barracks, except those that are really 
unfit for duty. 

John Robinson, Col. 
Cambridge, March 9th, 1776 

Capt John Ford Sir your AUarm Post or Place of Pradue on an 
AUarm is at the Meeting House in Chelmsford & you will Direct 
your Company accordingly the meathord or mod of making an 
alarm 

I submit to you Yours to serve. 

April the 29 1777. Simeon Spaulding, Con'l. 

SALE OF JOHN BATES' EFFECTS. 

Cambridge Dec. 7 1775 
This day sold by order of Capt Ford the things and wearing 
apparill of John Bates who died at Cambridge Dec. 5, 1775 
Whereof Lt. Isaac Parker was Vendue master 

old tenor 
£. s. d 

William Campbell a pare of stokens 0. 15. 

Samuel Hayward a shirt fine 4. 8. 

" " a piece of cloth velvet 4. 17. 

Elijah Heasiltine a tow sheet 1. 16. 

" " a pare of old Britches 1. 17. 

Enoch Cleveland Dr to a hat 2. 0. 

William Campbell Dr to a pare of shoes 1. 15. 

" " " " " old shoes 0. 6. 

John Keyes Dr to a pare of stokens 0. 5. 

Benj Pierce Dr to an old coat 1. 1.0 

Capt Ford Dr to the Coat Found by the Government . . 7. 17. 

Benj Pierce to an old wescot 0. 15. 

[Ford Papers.] 

27. 8. 

PRINTED RESOLVE. 

IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, AT WATERTOWN, APRIL 23, 1775: — 

Resolved, That the following Establishment of Forces now 
immediately to be raised for the Recovery and Preservation of our 
undoubted rights and liberties be as follows, Viz. 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 291 

To each Col. of a Regiment of 598 men £15. 0. 

To 1 Lieut. Col. of such a regiment 12. 0. 

To 1 Major " " " " 10. 0. 

For a Capt. of 59 men, including officers 6. 0. 

For 1 Lieutenant of such a company 4. 0. 

For 1 Ensign ditto 3. 0. 

For 1 Adjutant for such Regiment 5. 10. 

For 1 Quartermaster ditto 3. 0. 

For 1 Chaplain ditto 6. 0. 

For 1 Chirurgeon ditto 7. 10. 

For 1 Surgeon's Mate ditto 4. 0. 

For Each Sergent 2. 8. 

For Each Corporal 2. 4. 

For '• Fifer 2. 4. 

For " Private Centinel 2. 0. 

Resolved, That besides the above, a coat for a uniform be given 
to each of the non-commission officers and privates, so soon as 
the state of the Province will admit of it. 

Also, Resolved, That the selectmen of the several towns and 
districts within this Colony be desired to furnish the soldiers who 
shall enlist from their respective towns and districts with good and 
sufficient blankets, and render their accounts to the committee 
of supplies who are hereby directed to draw on the colony treasurer 
for payment of the same 

Joseph Warren, Pres. P. T. 



RECEIPTS. 



Chehnsford, March 17, 1777. 

Capt. Ford: Sir — Pleas to Deliver the Barer of this order 
all the wages dew me and Reers of all kind and this shall be your 
final discharge 

Per me 

Jesse Heywood. 



Chelmsford January ye 12 1779 

This Day Rec'd of Capt John Ford the sum of Eight Pounds, 
sixteen ShilHngs in full of what was my Due upon the sd. Capt 
Ford's musterroal for servis on the Alarram in the year 1777 at 
the time of the surrender of Burgones army. 
J say 

Reed by me 

Oliver Barron. 



292 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Some extracts from Captain Ford's order-book at Ticonderoga 
have been printed in Brown's "Beside Old Hearthstones," which 
give regimental orders, parole and counter-sign, the finding of 
courts-marshal, punishments inflicted on disorderly soldiers, and 
so forth. Some received 39 lashes on the bare back. One was 
sentenced to be tied naked to the post for five minutes at the 
head of the regiment. One, besides receiving 39 lashes, was to 
wear a withe on his neck for 14 days "for a mark of Ignominion," 
and if seen without it, he was to receive 100 lashes with the cat 
o'nine tails. Green, in "Three Diaries," gives an instance in 
1745 of a soldier who, for disrespect to an officer, was condemned 
to "ride the rickets for an hour." 

As an illustration of one of the minor difficulties which beset 
the historian, it may be interesting to the reader to know that in 
the list of Soldiers in the War of the Revolution prepared by the 
State, there are fourteen Joseph Emersons, and none of them is 
credited to Chelmsford. Joseph Emerson of Chelmsford served 
in the latter part of the War, possibly earlier. The record given 
below puts him in Moore's Company, a Bedford company made 
up of men from the neighboring towns, as the most likely. One 
or more of the earlier records might belong to him. 
Emerson, Joseph. Sergeant, Capt. John Moore's Co., Col. 

Jonathan Reed's (1st) Regt. of guards; joined April 2, 1778; 

service to July 3, 1778, 3 mos., 2 days, guarding troops of 

convention at Cambridge; enlistment, 3 months from April 2, 

1778. 

From the records in the Adjutant General's office it is learned 
that he was 1st Lieutenant in 1781, and Captain December 27, 
1786. He resigned in 1789. The original document is preserved 
with many others at the State House. 

For one finding the record of an ancestor in the preceding 
list, it might be well to refer to the official volume, where possibly 
another record of earlier or later date might be given, but not 
credited to Chelmsford. 

In John Bridge's record he is given as of Walker's Company. 
His name is not on the rolls of that company, and he probably 
signed for some one else. He might have been "doing a turn" 
for another man. This was a common practice. Brother would 
relieve brother, father or son, and servant relieve master, when 
needed at home for a season, to attend to business or get in the 
crops. 

Chelmsford, Jan. 26, 1776. 

Received of Philip Parkis three pounds, twelve shillings, 
lawful money, in full for doing a turn for him in the continental 
army, this present year. 

Sylas Parker. 
Attested. — Francis Southack. 
[Ford Papers.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 293 

The following are among the Parker papers at the old home- 
stead on Pine street, Lowell; 

"Simon Parker and John Dutten march to Cambridge July 
ye 3, 1776 

Paid thirteen Mileage to North riuer £71 : 10: 

Paid Seuen Men Millige to Rodeisland £11 : 17: 6 

Paid Two Millige to Winter Hill 1: 3:0 

Sum Total £84: 10: 6 
The stmi of the Clo[thling is 282: 4: 



£366: 14:6 



An agreement of Thorn Snydam to serve in the Continental 
service for the Town. Mustered in August 28, 1781, for the 
Class whereof Mr. Benj. Parker and others are members. Oliver 
Barron, Muster-master. 

Chelmsford August 28 1781 

I the Subscriber haveing inlisted myself into the Continental 
Serves for the Term of three years. Do promise and Ingage to be 
under such Regulations as shall be provided from time to Time 
by the Commanding officer of the army of the Unitid States and 
to obey all my superior officers in sd army from Time to time as 
I shall have orders from them while in the Army of the United 
States of America. 

Thorn Snydam. 

A SUBSCRIPTION PAPER. 

We the Inhabitance of the town of Chelmsford taking into 
consideration the dificulties hardships which our Bretheren endure 
and undergo that are in the Service of the United States of America 
and in the Defence of the Rights and Priviliges of the People of 
said Stats, we being sensible that sundry articles being wanted 
by our Bretheren which are in servis Espeseally Shirts. & Shoes & 
Stockings therefore we the subscribers the inhabitants of the 
town of Chelmsford aforesaid being willing to contribute something 
to their Relif by way of subscription. We the subscribers do 
Promise and Ingage each one for ourselves to Provide the Artical 
which we shall subscrib and specify at the End of our names and 
also that we will procure the said articles as soon as Posabally 
can be with any convennantcy. 

men's nams shirts stockings shoes 

John Ford one Peare of Shous 

Wm Peirce one Peare of shous 

Simeon Moors one Peare of shurts 

Ebenezer Frost stockings one pair 

Oliver peirce iun one pare of shous 



294 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

men's nams shirts stockings shoes — Continued 
Oliver peirce one par stockines 
John Purmort 

P. Underwood one 

Jonas Peirce one shirts 

Simeon Blodget one pair of shoes 

Jon'an Bickford one peair of stockings 

Josiah Foster one pr shoes 

Samuell Marshal one pair of stockings 

Sert. Robert Bates stockings one pair 

Benjamin Parker Shirt one 

Philip Parker stockings one pair 

Thomas Marshal shirt one 

Among the Parker papers are Shirley's Commission (dated 
July 29, 1754) to Benjamin Parker, Gentleman, to be 2d Lieutenant 
of the first foot Company in Chelmsford, of which Ebenezer 
Parker was Captain; also Harrison Gray's warrant to Benjamin 
Parker, Constable and Collector of Chelmsford, dated 28. October, 
1765. 

TRADITION. 

There is a tradition that on the 19th of April, 1775, the men 
in the northern part of the Town assembled in a field opposite the 
old Parker place on Pine Street (Lowell), and from that place 
went on to join their comrades at the centre of the Town. 

August, 1778, six men were draughted from the Militia, to 
go to Rhode Island, viz. : — Oliver Bowers, John Dunn, Josiah 
Fletcher, Levi Fletcher, Jesse Haywood, Wm. Spalding. 

Dr. John Betty went as a volunteer, and was chosen Clerk 
of the company commanded by Joseph B. Varnum. The above 
were draughted for six weeks, were in an engagement on Rhode 
Island — in which from Capt. J. B. Vamum's company, one was 
killed, two wounded, one missing. 

1779—16 men were engaged to go to Rhode Island for three 
months, viz.: — James Marshall, Simon Parker, Ashbel Spalding, 
Josiah Parkhurst, Benja. Butterfield, John Byam, Joseph Hay- 
wood, Luke Bowers, Joseph Chambers, Wm. Chambers, John 
Keys, Simeon vSpalding, Abel Chamberlin, Peter Farror. 

1780 — The militia officers were empowered by the town to 
hire fifteen men for the continental service, and the selectmen in- 
structed to raise money and produce, to pay them for nine months' 
service; and, Phineas Kidder, Peter Farror, Jacob Marshall, 
Robert Spalding, Noah Foster, Henry Fletcher, Samuel Wilson, 
Jr., Pelatiah Adams, Thomas Hutchens, Jesse Stevens, John 
Keyes, Leonard Parker, Benja. Spalding, Joseph Warren, Jr., 
Robert Richardson, were engaged. 
[Allen, page 181.] 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 296 

Allen (page 66) says: 1777. "Thirty men were raised for the 
three years' service or during the war. The town agreed to give 
them £20 bounty per man, over and above what the continent and 
state offered. This bounty was in 1781, permuted for twenty 
heads of horn cattle, of a middling size, per man. If the war 
lasted but one year, they were to have their cattle at one year old ; 
if it continued two years, at two years old and so on in the same 
proportion. The scarcity of specie and the uncertain value of paper 
currency suggested various expedients for supplying the place of 
money, in carrying on the war. The bounty and wages in some 
instances were paid in corn, in others, in cattle. Another expedient 
was to supply the families of soldiers with the necessaries of life. 
To prevent exorbitant demands and charges for the articles thus 
furnished to the families of soldiers, a Committee was chosen to 
join with committees from the westerly part of the country, in 
order to regulate and fix the price of labor and of necessaries. 

Thus without money or with very little, the town paid the 
soldiers it furnished for the war ; and by such methods an arduous 
and expensive struggle for liberty was long maintained and 
finally brought to a successful close. 

A new levy was called for, partly to join Gen. Washington's 
army at North river, or Hudson, partly to go to Rhode Island. 
The requisition of eleven men for the continental service to the 
westward was for nine months, and that of three men for Rhode 
Island three months. The town gave at this time $100 bounty 
to each soldier. 

1779. This year the town received a quantity of fire arms and 
steel from Government, which were sold at auction to the in- 
habitants of the town on condition that the fire arms should not 
be struck off at less than twenty-two dollars a piece, nor the steel 
at less than ten shillings per pound. The over plus after paying 
the first cost and expense of transportation was paid into the town 
treasury. 

1780. Another requisition of fifteen men for Tyconderoga 
was made, to be enlisted for six months. These were engaged 
for a hundred bushels of corn per man as a bounty. The militia 
officers were empowered to hire and the selectmen to raise money 
and produce by which to pay them. A demand was made this 
year by the government, upon the respective towns in the Province 
for clothing to supply the army. The depreciation of paper money 
may be learned from the following items. A horse bought of 
Ephraim Spalding, Esq. for the army cost £911. A blanket £100. 
Col. Simeon Spalding's account for attendance and necessary 
expences fifty-five days at Cambridge in a convention for forming 
the Constitution was £990. And the Rev. Mr. Bridge's salary 
from September to March, eight months, was set at £3,600. 

In a resolve of the legislature of this province, passed June 
22, 1780, each town was required to furnish a certain quota of 
beef, for the Continental army. The town voted to raise 30,720 
dollars instead of the beef required. Voted also to raise 40,000 



296 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

dollars to pay the six months' continental soldiers, and three 
months militia men, together with their bounty; for which the 
selectmen and militia officers had given their notes payable in 
com, at 50 dollars per bushel. It was also agreed that every 
dollar of the new emission should be equal to £12 in said taxes. 
The expenditures of the town this year for horses and supplies 
for the army, amounted to £61,832. 

1784. The rapid depreciation of paper money, the little 
probability of its rising again, together with the inexplicable 
difficulties in which it involved the people, induced the Tov.-n to 
lay it aside and make their grants in specie. The expenditure 
for horses provided for the army this year was £3340. 

In obedience to a late Law or act of the great and General 
Court, or assembly of the State of Massachusetts Bay in New- 
England, relative to the afhxing of the prices of the necessaries 
of life, which are produced in America, we the Selectmen and the 
Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and safety of the town 
of Chelmsford met, considered and proceeded as follows: 

Rye, Good and merchantable 4s. 8d per £ S. D. Q. 

Bushel 4 8 

Wheat, Do. 7s per Bushel 7 

Com, Good merchantable Indian Corn, 3s. 

8d pr. bush 3 8 

Wool, Do. 2s. pr. lb 2 . 

Pork, Do. 4d: Iq. pr. lb 4 1 

Salt Pork, in usual proportion the price of 

salt, good middlings at 8d. 2q. pr. lb 8 2 

Beef, well fatted and grass fed, 3d per lb. . . . 3 

Stall fed beef of the best quality, 4d per lb. . . 4 

Hides, Raw Hides at 3d per lb 3 

Calf-skins, Green at 6d. per lb 6 

Cheese, New-milk 6d. other cheese according 

to its goodness 6 

Butter, Good at 9d. per lb 9 

Pease, Good at 7s. 4d. per bush 7 4 

Beans, Good at 6s. per bush 6 

Potatoes, In the fall Is. 2d 1 2 

In the Spring Is. 6d 1 6 

Stockings, Made of good yarn and well knit, 

(men's) 6 

Shoes, men's, Made of neat's leather, common 

sort, 7 8 

Women's Do 5 4 

Oats, Good and merchantable 2s. per bushel . 2 

Flax, Well drest and of a good quality Is. per lb. 1 
Tallow, Good tried tallow 7d. 2q per. lb. . . . 7 2 

Tow Cloth, 3-4 yd. wide Is. 9d 1 9 

Veal, Good veal 3d. per lb 3 

Mutton and Lamb, 3d. 2q. per lb 3 2 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 297 

£ S. D. Q. 
Horse-keeping on English hay, Is. per night . . 1 

Ox-keeping, a large yoke on English hay Is. 

6d. do 1 6 

Ox- work, For a large, good pair 2s. per day 

from the 1st of April till the last of Sept. . . 2 

the other six months Is. 6d. pr. day 1 6 

Men's Labor, In the 3 summer months for a 

faithful day's work 3s 3 

From Nov. to April — Is. 6d. per day,. . . 16 

The other 4 months 2s 2 

Hay, English the best quality 3s 3 

Shingles, per thousand 12s. 6d 12 6 

Boards, at the Mill or landing £1 13s per thous. 1 13 

Clapboards, Per. thousand £3 6s. 8d 3 6 8 

Coal, Pine 3d. 2q. per Bush, at the Smith's 

Shop 3 2 

Do. Maple and Birch at Do. 4d. per bush 4 

Axes, Warranted by the smith 9 

Do. New-laying and warranting 5s. 4d 5 4 

Shoemaking, For one pair, the shoe-maker 

finding thread and wax and making them 

at his shop 3 2 

Do. at the Farmer's house 

Salt, Good imported salt, lis. 8d 11 8 

Tanning, Tanning hides 2d per lb. currying in 

proportion 2 

Tobacco, Well made into rolls and of the best 

quality 8d 8 

Spinning, Woolen warp, taking it home, 5d. 

per skein 5 

Double Skein of Cotton warp, 5d. do 5 

Spinning by the week from home 2s. 8d 2 8 

Housework by the week 2s. lOd 2 10 

Carpenters, Labor per day from 1st of Apr. 6 

mo. & found 3 4 

the other 6 months 2s. 6d 2 6 

Wood, by the cord, oak wood corded up in 

the middle of the town, 8s 8 

Horse-shoeing and steeling all round and well 

6s 6 

Horse-shoeing, plain without steeling 4s. lOd. 4 10 

Malt, Rye Malt, 4s. 8d. per bushel 4 8 

FHp, Made of W. India Rum, lOd. per mug . . 10 

Do. of N. E. Rum, 8d. per do 8 

Rum, W. I. for a gill in the Innkeeper's house . 4 

N. E. do. do 3 

Toddy, W. I. lOd. per Mug 10 

Do. N. E. 8d. per mug 8 

Chelmsford, May 1779. 



298 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

CHELMSFORD GIVES ASYLUM TO PEOPLE FLEEING FROM BOSTON 
AND CHARLESTOWN. 

Charlestown stiff ered full as much as Boston during the siege. 
Hundreds of people from both towns were given passes, and 
removed to the country towns, which the Congress ordered to 
provide for these people according to their population. At first 
it was arranged that Chelmsford should have forty-nine of the 
inhabitants of Boston, who were removed from the besieged city. 
The nimiber of Boston people allotted to the different towns of 
the Commonwealth was 4,903. 

In the year 1776 the selectmen of Chelmsford, as required by 
the authorities at Boston, sent to the Secretary's office a list of 
the people of Boston and Charlestown who were resident in 
Chelmsford on the 20th of March in that year. 

There were one hundred and six of them. 

The Town Records do not give the names of these people. 
The writer has searched every likely place in Boston to find this 
list, but without success. 

A few names are given in the Town accounts, and Bridge's 
Diary gives some: 

Captain Symmes and family; Mrs. Blake, sister of Mr. 
Bridge; James Fitzgerald and wife, he a privateer and an Irish 
Roman Catholic. Bridge, in his diary, says that Fitzgerald's 
prosperity destroyed him. 

"Captain" Andrew Symmes is given as 2d Major in Col. 
Henry Bromfield's Boston Regiment of Massachusetts Militia; 
also as Major in command of a detachment from Lieut. Col. 
Jabez Hatch's Boston Regiment, and also as Lieutenant Colonel 
in the same regiment. 

The widow Mary Baker, a stranger, late of Boston, died at 
the house of Mr. Samuel Pitts, November 24, 1787. 

Items in the Town Records, Book I, page 350, show that 
William Perrin, James Perrin and family, and others came from 
Charlestown to Chelmsford. The State of Massachusetts paid 
for bringing their goods and supporting the Perrin family. In 
1777 Joshua Snow received of the Town £1, for bringing a family 
of Boston people from Charlestown; paid by Captain Joseph 
Warren, whom the Town reimbursed. Henry Spaulding removed 
some of these people's goods from Charlestown ferry. William 
Parker, Jr., was paid for sundry articles delivered for their support. 

Widow Elizabeth Bryant and Widow Sarah Hicks and family 
were from Charlestown. The General Court, in the session of 
1780-81, granted Billerica's petition to be allowed to remove 
Mrs. Hicks and her family, consisting of four persons, to Chelms- 
ford, and directed the selectmen here to provide for them agreeably 
to the acts of the Commonwealth. 

There are numerous items in the Town accounts of sums 
paid for the support of these women — doctoring, food and wearing 
apparel, and "digging grave for wido Hicks, 0: 3: 0: — " in 



THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 299 

1784. They lived for a time in the Widow Elizabeth Park- 
hurst's house. 

Nathaniel Coverly left Boston in 1775, and set up a printing 
press in the south part of Chelmsford. 

Some of the Pitts family came to Chelmsford from Boston 
at the time of the siege, and some of them went to Dunstable, 
from which town the Hon. John Pitts was several times sent as 
representative to the General Court. He married Mary, daughter 
of John Tyng, in 1779. 

John Pitts, son of Berwick, was bom in England, came to 
Boston in 1695, and married Elizabeth Lindall. Their daughter 
Sarah married William Stoddard, in 1721. Their son James, 
bom in 1712, married Elizabeth, daughter of James Bowdoin, 
afterwards Governor, and was a councillor, a patriot, and an 
antagonist of Governor Hutchinson, who, in his diary, July 1, 
1774, says King George III asked him, "Who is Mr. Pitts?" when 
Hutchinson told the King he was one of the select few to whom 
Hutchinson's letters had been shown before publication. Of the 
sons of James, John married Mary Tyng; Lendall married Eliza- 
beth Fitch; and Samuel, bom 1745, married Joanna Davis. 
Samuel was a merchant of Boston, and, with his father, owned 
and sent merchantmen to the Bermudas. He was a Son of 
Liberty and one of the Boston Tea Party, as was his brother 
Lendall, who commanded the division of the Tea Party which 
boarded the brig, "Beaver." This fact had to be concealed, 
as his father and uncle Bowdoin were of the King's Council. 
The tradition is that the boys were sent away from Boston to 
get them into "a cooler atmosphere," or at least were induced to 
come to Chelmsford, where, according to the statement of Mrs. 
Luther Faulkner of Billerica (who was Martha Prescott Merriam 
of Chelmsford, and lived in what had been Colonel Stoddard's 
house), Samuel Prince, a nephew of Samuel Pitts, built what is 
known as "the Sam Davis house" in Worthen street, which, it 
has been generally supposed, was built by Davis, who was probably 
connected with the Pitts family, and followed the sea. It may 
have been that the young men were persuaded to come to Chelms- 
ford that they might be under the restraining influence of Colonel 
Stoddard and Parson Bridge. Samuel Pitts lived in the house 
which had been the home of Colonel Stoddard, which he found 
too small for his accommodation, and he bought the house built 
by the Rev. Hezekiah Packard, and lived there until his (Pitt's) 
death, in 1805. His sister Elizabeth married Robert Brinley of 
Tyngsborough. Nathaniel Brinley married Sarah Elizabeth 
Bridge. Daniel Goodwin, Jr., in his Memorial of the Pitts, says 
that after the Revolution Samuel Pitts came to Chelmsford and 
lived in luxury, devoted to domestic comfort and a noble hospi- 
tality. Copley painted his portrait. After the death of his wife, 
Joanna, he married her sister, Mrs. Mary Davis Carver. Bridge, 
in his diary, records a visit from Mr. Samuel Pitts, who had come 
with his family to live in the late Colonel Stoddard's house. 



300 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Captain James Pitts, son of Samuel, bom in Boston in 1777, 
was educated for the Navy. He owned and sailed merchant 
vessels to the Bermudas. He married Rachel Hildrcth of Chelms- 
ford, in 1808, and lived here in the house which was the home of 
the late Joseph Read. He died December 19, 1843. 

Elizabeth W., daughter of Lendall Pitts, married Gerard 
Cazeaux, the French Consul to the United vStates. 

Thomas, son of Samuel, married Elizabeth Mountfort, both 
of Chelmsford, Nov. 9, 1802. They were the parents of Mrs. 
Mary A. P. Wheelock of Framingham, and of Mary Ann Warren, 
wife of Ezra Warren. 

Mary, daughter of Samuel of Chelmsford, married, in 1811, 
William Stoddard Bridge, of Chelmsford, (son of William, and 
grandson of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge). 

Sarah Chardon, daughter of Samuel, married Noah Davis. 

Sarah Bridge married Jonathan Mountfort, Jr., in 1742. 

Col. Ebenezer Bridge married Mary Mountfort, in 1787. 

Thomas Pitts, says Mrs. Wheelock, held three commissions 
as Lieutenant and Captain in the War of 1812. "At the Battle 
of Lundy's Lane he commanded men enough to cover a mile of 
ground." When peace was declared, he removed from Chelmsford 
to Boston, and was in the State Bank for some years; was eight 
years an inspector of Customs. He died at Cambridge, in 1836, 
aged 57 years. 

For mention of the Pitts family, see Drake's "Tea Leaves," 
Goodwin's "Memorial," and "History for Ready Ref.," Vol. V, 
p. 3211. 

THE END OF THE WAR. 

The Revolutionary War came to an end when Comwallis 
surrendered at Yorktown, Va. He hoisted the white flag, October 
17, 1781, four years after Burgoyne's surrender, and fonnally 
capitulated two days later, when his 8,000 men marched out to 
the tune "The World's Turned Upside Down." To Washington 
belongs the glory. 



m 



CHAPTER V. 

RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN 
IN THE REVOLUTION. 

THE following lists have been compiled with great care, at 
the cost of much time and labor, and are, it is hoped, as 
nearly complete and correct as it is possible to make them. 

LIST OF CHELMSFORD SOLDIERS COMPILED FROM "MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS 
AND SAILORS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR." 

Abbot, Cato, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. William H. Ballard's Co., Col. 
Brook's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from March 
26, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; enlistment, 3 years; reported transferred to 
Capt. Day's Co., Oct. 31 (?); also, muster roll of Capt. Luke Day's Co., 
for March and April, 1779, dated Cherry Valley. 

Abbot, Daniel. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt for 
wages from Feb. 5 to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford. 

Abbot, Solomon. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt for 
wages from Feb. 5, 1776 to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford. 

Abbot, William, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 16 days. 

Abbott, Jeremiah, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 5 days. 

Abbott, Josiah. Ensign, Col. Benjamin Tupper's (10th) Regt.; muster rolls 
of field and staff officers for services and subsistence from Oct. 1, 1781, 
to Jan. 1, 1783. 

Adams, Abel. 2d Lieut., Capt. Benjamin Fletcher's (1st) Co., 7th Middle- 
sex Co. Regt.; list of Massachusetts militia; commissioned July 6, 1780; 
also, Lieut., Capt. Asa Drury's Co., Col. Turner's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 1, 
1781; discharged Dec. 1, 1781; service, 4 mos., 4 days, on an alarm at 
Rhode Island. 

Adams, David. Capt. John Ford's Co.; receipt for wages, etc., dated Ticon- 
deroga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, receipt dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776. 

Adams, John, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 9 days; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; receipt for advance pav dated Cambridge, June 24, 
1775; also, muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 
3 mos., 11 days; also, company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, certi- 
ficate of non-receipt of bounty coat or its equivalent in money, dated 
Jan. 1, 1776; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt 
for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford; also, 
receipt for wages due Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; also. Corporal, 
Capt. Moses Barns's Co., Lieut. Col. Solomon Pierce's Regt.; enlisted 
May 17, 1779; discharged July 1, 1779; service, 1 mo., 14 days, on an 
alarm at Rhode Island; enlistment, 2 months. 

Adams, Joseph, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; 
service, 1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army. 



302 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Adams, Oliver, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Baldwin's Res:t., May 1, 
1775; also, Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Oct. 20, 1777; service, 
23 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army. 

Adams, Pelatiah, Bradford (also given Chelmsford). Private, Capt. William 
Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. John Brooks's (late Alden's) 7th Regt.; 
Continental Army pay accounts for service from March 25, 1777, to 
Nov. 11, 1778; reported killed Nov. 11, 1778. 

Adams, Robert, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 12 days. 

Adams, Salathiel, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Loammi Baldwin's 
Regt., May 1, 1775. 

Adams, Samuel, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Baldwin's Regt., May 1, 
1775; also Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army. 

Adams, Samuel. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army. 

Adams, Solomon, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. James Varnum's Co., Col. 
Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from May 15, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also. Continental Army pay ac- 
counts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to May 15, 1780. 

Adams, Thomas, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 9 days; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 
24, 1775; also, company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, order for 
bounty coat or its equivalent in money, dated Cambridge, Dec. 25, 1775. 

Adams, Timothy, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Baldwin's Regt., May 1, 
1775. 

Adams, Timothy. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army, 

Adams, Timothy, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; age, 18 yrs. ; stature, 
5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; enlisted April 29, 
1775; also. Private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 29, 1775; service, 3 mos., 10 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. John Ford's 
(Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce 
Northern Army; also, descriptive list of men enlisted from Middlesex 
Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, 
June 19, 1778; Capt. Minot's Co., Col. Spaulding's Regt.; age, 20 yrs.; 
stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; also, list of 9 months men returned as received July 
20, 1778, by Col. Rufus Putnam. 

Adams, William, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised to reinforce 
Continental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 
5, 1780; age, 18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 7 in.; complexion, light; arrived at 
Springfield, July 2, 1780; marched to camp July 2, 1780, under command 
of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the 
town of Chelmsford for service in the Continental Army during 1780; 
marched June 30, 1780; discharged Dec. 6, 1780; service, 5 mos., 17 
days; company raised for service at North River, N. Y. 

Admos, William, Chelmsford. List of men raised for the 6 months' service 
and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster, in a 
return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Alexander, James, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 26 yrs.; stature, 
5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelms- 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 303 

ford; enlisted April 28, 1775; enlisted in the train May 29, 1775; also, 
private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 
1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 1 mo., 3 days; also, Capt. John 
Popkin's Co., Col. Richard Gridley's (Artillery) Regt.; receipt for 
advance pav dated Winter Hill, July 14, 1775; also, Matross, muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 29, 1775; service, 2 mos., 8 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 27, 1775. 

Andrews, Ezekiel. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt 
for wages from Feb. 5 to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford. 

Annas, James. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt for 
wages from Feb. 5 to April 1, 1775, dated Chelmsford. 

Ausgood, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., com- 
manded by I-ieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 9 days. 

Ausgood, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., com- 
manded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 9 days. 

Austin, Jonathan W[illiams], Boston. Major, Col. Paul Dudley Sargent's 
(16th) Regt.; engaged April 20, 1775; roll made up to July 31, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 18 days; also, list of field officers of the Continental 
Army stationed at Cambridge in 1776. 

[In the proceedings of the Mass. Hist. Soc'y, 1878, p. 350, is an 
extract from Gen. Greene's orderly book under date of May 10, 1776, 
from which it appears that Major Austin, with three Companies of Colonel 
Sargent's Regiment, was directed to take Castle Island to defend, and 
forward the work there. Another order, also, on the 12th.] 

Austin, Jonathan W. Volunteer, brig "Hazard," commanded by Capt. J. F. 
Williams; engaged Dec. 21, 1778; discharged April 21, 1779; service, 
4 mos. Roll dated Boston. 

Bacon, John. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt for 
wages for service from Feb. 5 to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford. 

Baker, John. Private; list of men returned as serving on picket guard under 
Maj. Loammi Baldwin, May 11, 1775; also, Capt. Jonas Hubbard's 
Co.; list of men returned as serving on picket guard under Maj. Baldwin, 
May 23, 1775. 

Bancroft, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) 
Co., Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce 
Northern Army. 

Barker, Enoch, Chelmsford. List of enlisted men dated Lincoln, July 21, 
1779; Capt. Ford's Co.; residence, Chelmsford; reported returned by 
Maj. Brown. 

Barker, Joseph, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men enlisted from Middlesex 
Co., in 1779, to serve in the Continental Army; Capt. Ford's Co.; age, 
16 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 3 in.; complexion, light; residence, Chelmsford; 
delivered to Ensign T. Clark; also, list of men dated Lincoln, July 21, 
1779, returned by Maj. Brown. 

Barret, Isaac, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John 
F"ord's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 22 yrs.; stature, 
6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 25, 1775. 

Barret, Lemuel, Chelmsford. List of men raised for the 6 months' service 
and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster, in a 
return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Barret, Simeon, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brook's Regt.; return of men in service at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776. 

Barrett, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; enlisted April 25, 1775; roll made up 
to Aug. 1, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Barrett, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Badge's (27th) Regt.; enlisted April 25, 1775; roll made up to Aug. 1, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, descriptive list of men enlisted from 



304 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Middlesex Co.; age, 29 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; complexion, dark; hair, 
dark; eyes, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
May 23, 1781; enlistment, 3 yrs._ 

Barrett, Lemuel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised to reinforce 
Continental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 
5, 1780; aee, 17 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 3 in.; complexion, light; residence, 
Chelmsford; arrived at Springfield, July 2, 1780; marched to camp July 
2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, pay roll for 6 
months men raised by the town of Chelmsford for service in the Con- 
tinental Army during 1780; marched June 30, 1780; discharged Jan. 2, 
1781; service, 6 mos., 14 days; company raised to serve at North River. 

Barrit, Beniamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days. 

Barritt, Simeon, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., com- 
manded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of 
April 19. 1775; service, 9 days. 

Barron, Benjamin. Capt. John Ford's Co.; receipt for wages, etc., dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28 and Oct. 2, 1776. 

Barron, Moses, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 
15 days; also, list of men in Col. Baldwin's Regt., dated May 1, 1775. 

Barron, Oliver, Chelmsford. Captain of a company in Col. David Green's 
Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; serx'ice, 16 days; 
also. Captain, serving as Ensign, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days, with Northern Army. 

Barron, Oliver, Chelmsford. Muster Master for Middlesex Co.; official 
record of a ballot by the House of Representatives, dated Feb. 19, 1781; 
appointment concurred in by the Council, Feb. 19, 1781. 

Barrot, Isaac, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Baldwin's Regt., dated May 1, 
1775. 

Barrott, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; return of men in service from Dec. 13, 1776, to March 1, 
1777. 

Bates, John, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded by 
Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 7 days; also, descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 28 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; 
complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 26, 1775; also, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; order for 
advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also. Corporal; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Bats, John. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; enlisted May 25, 1775 (service not given). 

Bauldin, Jacob, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce Northern Army. 

Berret, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Corporal; descriptive list of enlisted men; 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 42 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; 
complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 25, 1775; also, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's (27th) Regt.; 
company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Berret, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Berrett, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 
25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Berrett, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 14 days. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 305 

Bettes, William, Chelmsford. List of men in Col. Baldwin's Regt., dated 
May 1, 1775. 

Betteys, John, Dracut. Private, Capt. Joseph Bradley Varnum's Co., Col. 
Mcintosh's Regt., Gen. Lovell's Brigade; enlisted July 29, 1778; dis- 
charged Sept. 11, 1778; service, 1 mo., 18 days, at Rhode Island. 

Bewkel, Thomas, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; reported 
deserted June 25, 1775. 

Bewkell, Thomas, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; 
complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted, 
April 27, 1775; reported deserted from Camp at Cambridge, June 25, 1775. 

Blasdell, Henry, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; return of men in service from Dec. 13, 1776, to March 1, 1777. 

Blasdell, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; return of men in service from Dec. 14, 1776, to March 1, 
1777. 

Blazdel, Henry, Chelmsford. Private, Lieut. Colonel's Co., Col. Bailey's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, 
to March 20, 1780. 

Blazdel, William, Chelmsford. Private, Lieut. Colonel's Co., Col. Bailey's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, 
to March 20, 1780. 

Blazdell, Aaron, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. Col. 
Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; service, 
3 mos., 22 days; enlistment, 3 months; regiment raised in Suffolk and 
Middlesex Counties to reinforce Continental Army. 

Blazdiel, William. Receipt for wages due Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, 
given to Capt. John Ford; marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; 
discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Blazdiel, William, Jr. Receipt for mileage and wages dated Ticonderoga, 
Aug. 28, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford. 

Blazedell, Henry, Chelmsford. Private, 1st Co., Col. Bailey's Regt.; Con- 
tinental Army pay accounts for service from March 20, 1777, to Dec. 31, 
1779; also, Capt. Hugh Maxwell's Co., Col. Bailey's Regt.; return dated 
Camp near Valley Forge, Jan. 24, 1778. 

Blazedell, William, Chelmsford. Private, 1st Co., Col. John Bailey's Regt., 
Continental Army pay accounts for service from March 20, 1777, to 
Dec. 11, 1779; also, Capt. Hugh Maxwell's Co.; return dated Camp near 
Valley Forge, Jan. 24, 1778. 

Blood, Josiah, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 9 days; also. Corporal, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. ; receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, 
June 24, 1775; also, muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 28, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, Company return (probably Oct., 1775); 
also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Cambridge, 
Nov. 30, 1775; also, list of men who received money from the public 
treasury for losses at the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, allowed 
in Council, June 13, 1776; also, 1st Co., Col. John Bailey's Regt.; Con- 
tinental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1777, to Feb. 1, 1779; 
reported as serving 7 mos. as Corporal, 18 mos. as Sergeant; discharged 
Feb. 1, 1779; enlistment, 3 years; also, Capt. Hugh Maxwell's (1st) Co., 
Col. Bailey's Regt.; return of men in Camp near Valley Forge, Jan. 24, 
1778; reported promoted to Sergeant, Aug. 1, 1777; also, receipt for 
bounty paid him by William Bridge for the town of Chelmsford to serve 
in the Continental Army for the term of 3 years, dated Boston, July 5, 
1782; also. Private, Capt. Benjamin Pike's Co., Lieut. Col. Calvin 
Smith's Regt.; return for wages, etc., for June— Dec, 1782; time allowed 
from July 5, 1782. 

Bolifield, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brook's Regt.; return dated White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776. 



306 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Bowers, [Luke.] Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian How's 
(7th Middlesex Co.) Regt.; enlisted July 28, 1780; discharged Oct. 30, 
1780; service 3 mos., 8 days, at Rhode Island; enlistment, 3 months. 

Bowers, Oliver, Dracut. Corporal, Capt. Joseph B. Varnum's Co., Col. 
Mcintosh's Regt., Gen. Lovell's Brigade; engaged July 29, 1778; dis- 
charged Sept. 11, 1778; service, 1 mo., IS days, on an expedition to Rhode 
Island. 

Bowers, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 13 days; also. Corporal, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brook's Regt.; return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776. 

Bowman, Ebehezer. Capt. John Ford's Co.; receipt for wages and mileage 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, receipt for wages due to Oct. 2, 
1776, dated Ticonderoga; marched from Chelmsford, Jul}' 25, 1776; 
discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Brenon, Samuel. Receipt for wages due Oct. 2, 1776, given to Capt. John 
Ford, dated Ticonderoga; marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; 
discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Bridge, Ebenezer, Billerica. Colonel, Middlesex Co. Regt. of Minute-Men; 
marched April 19, 1775; service, 4 days; roll dated Cambridge; also, 
list of officers dated Cambridge, May 16, 1775; reported field officer for 
the day. May 17, 1775; also, list of officers dated May 21, 1775; reported 
officer of main guard, May 22, 1775; also, list of officers dated Cambridge, 
May 30, 1775; reported field officer for May 30 and May 31, 1775; also 
order for cartridge boxes dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also list of 
officers commanding regiments, dated Headquarters, Cambridge, July 22, 
1775; brigade under command of its senior officer forming part of reserve 
corps under Maj. Gen. Putnam for defense of posts north of Roxbury; 
also, pay roll for service from date of engagement, April 24, 1775 to 
Aug. 1, 1775, 3 mos., 15 days; also, certificate dated Cambridge, Nov. 30, 
1775, signed by said Bridge as Colonel of the 27th Regt., certifying to the 
loss of articles at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775; also, list of 
officers who delivered firelocks, Feb. 17, 1776. 

Bridge, John, Chelmsford. Capt. acting as Quartermaster, Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (Middlesex Co.) Regt.; engaged April 24, 1776; service to Aug, 
1, 1775, 3 mos., 15 days. 

Bridge, John. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; order for bountv coat or its equivalent in money dated Cambridge, 
Dec. 25, 1775. 

Bridge, William. Adjutant, Col. Doolittle's Regt. of Minute-Men; service 
from April 19, 1775 to April 26, 1775, 7 days; also, Adjutant, 7th Middle- 
sex Co. Regt.; official record of a ballot by the House of Representatives, 
dated June 20, 1778; appointment concurred in by Council, June 20, 1778. 

Briton, Samuel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 18 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 
6 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; also, order for advance pay dated Cambridge, 
June 6, 1775; also, Private; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Britton, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer F3ridge's 
(27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Brown, Alexander. Receipt for wages and mileage signed by said Brown 
and others of Capt. John Ford's Co., dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; 
also Capt. Fiord's Co.; leceipt for wages due Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticon- 
deroga; endorsed marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; discharged at 
Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Brown, Samuel. Receipts for wages and mileage given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28 and Oct. 2, 1776. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 307 

Brown, William, Dracut (also given Chelmsford). Descriptive list of enlisted 
men; Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age 
23 yrs.; stature. 6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Dracut; rank. Private; enlisted April 2-5, 177.5; service, 1 mo., 6 days; 
reported enlisted in the train May 29, 1775; also, Capt. John Popkin's 
Co., Col. Richard Gridley's (Artillery) Regt.; receipt for advance pay 
dated Winter Hill, July 14, 1775; also, Matross; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 
1775; enlisted May 29, 1775; service, 2 mos., 8 days; also, order for 
bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Artillery Barracks, Winter 
Hill, Jan. 13, 1776. 

Burge, David, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 
11 days. 

Burroughs, Nathaniel. Receipt for mileage, etc., given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, 
given to Capt. John Ford dated Ticonderoga; endorsed "marched from 
Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Burt (?), Moses (?). Receipt dated Ticonderoga, given to Capt. John Ford, 
for wages to Oct. 1, 1776; roll endorsed "marched from Chelmsford. 
July 25, 1776; discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Butterfield, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co.. 
commanded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm 
of April 19, 1775; service, 7 days; also, descriptive list of enlisted men; 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 18 
yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; resi- 
dence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 26, 1775; also, same Co. and Regt.; 
order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. 
of volunteers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; marched to reinforce 
Northern Army. 

Butterfield, Benjamin. Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian 
How's Regt.; enlisted July 28, 1780; discharged Oct. .30, 1780; service, 
3 mos., 8 days, at Rhode Island; enlistment, 3 mos.; company detached 
from 7th Middlesex Co. Militia to reinforce Continental Army. 

Butterfield, Jesse, Chelmsford. Receipt for mileage, etc., dated Ticonderoga, 
Aug. 28, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 
1776, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; receipt 
endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777"; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; 
company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Butterfield, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volun- 
teers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, 
to reinforce Northern Army. 

Butterfield, Philip. Receipt dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, for mileage, 
etc., given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, 
given to Capt. John Ford dated Ticonderoga; receipt endorsed "marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. '[ 

Byam, Benjamin. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's Regt.; receipt 
dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, 
to April 1, 1776; also. Private, Capt. Reuben Butterfield's Co.; enlisted 
Dec. 16, 1776; discharged March 16, 1777; service, 3 mos., 15 days. ^ 

Byam, John, Chelmsford. Drummer, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; service from Dec. 13, 1776, to March 1, 1777; also, Capt. John 
Moore's Co., Col. Jonathan Reed's (1st) Regt. of guards; joined April 2 
(also given April 1), 1778; service to July 3, 1778, 3 mos., 2 days, guarding 
troops of convention at Cambridge; enlistment, 3 months from April 2, 
1778. 



308 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Byam, Willard, Chelmsford. Account of subsistence money due said Byam 
from Aug. 24, 1776, to Sept. 28, 1776, dated Roxbury, Oct. 15, 1776; 
also, Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; pay abstract 
for wages and travel allowance to and from Dorchester Heights; warrant 
for pay allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776. 

Byham, John. Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian How's Regt.; 
enlisted July 28, 1780; discharged Oct. 30, 1780; service, 3 mos., 8 days 
at Rhode Island; enlistment, 3 mos.; company detached from 7th 
Middlesex Co. Regt. 

Cambel, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days. 

Cambell, William, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 37 yrs. ; stature, 6 ft.; com- 
plexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 
25 (also given May 25), 1775; also. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 
1775. 

Campbell, William, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 
1775; also, Corporal, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 
1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, order dated 
Chelmsford, Aug. 8, 1776, for money due for losses incurred at battles 
of Lexington and Bunker Hill. 

Carit (?) [Barit (?)], Joseph. Receipt dated Chelmsford for wages for service 
in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's Regt., from Feb. 5, 1776 to 
April 1, 1776. 

Carkin, Joseph. Receipt given to Capt. John Ford for mileage, etc., dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, receipt given to Capt. John Ford for 
wages due Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; receipt endorsed "marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Chamberlain, Abel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Moses Barn's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Samuel Peirce's Regt.; enlisted May 17, 1779; service to July 1, 
1779, 1 mo., 14 days, at Rhode Island; enlistment, 2 months from May 1, 
1779. 

Chamberlain, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., 
Col. Dike's Regt.; service from Dec. 13, 1776, to March 1, 1777; also, 
list of men mustered in Suffolk Co. by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master, 
dated Boston, Jan. 8, 1777; Capt. Thomas's Co., Col. Thomas Marshall's 
Regt.; also Capt. Philip Thomas's Co., Col. Thomas Marshall's (10th) 
Regt.; rations allowed from date of enlistment, Jan 1, 1777, to Feb. 6, 
1777; credited with 37 days' allowance, also subsistence allowed for 11 
days' travel on march from Boston to Bennington. 

Chamberlain, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Fifer, Capt. Smart's Co., Col. Calvin 
Smith's (late Wigglesworth's) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts 
for 1777-1779 (service not given); credited to town of Falmouth; reported 
transferred to Capt. Pillsbury's Co.; also, Capt. Nicholas Blasdel's 
Co., Col. Edward Wigglesworth's Regt.; muster return dated Camp 
Valley Forge, Feb. 5, 1778; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for town 
of Chelmsford; mustered by Col. Barrett, County Muster Master; 
Fifer, Capt. Blasdel's Co., Col. Wigglesworth's Regt.; muster roll for 
May, 1778, dated Camp Valley Forge; also, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll for June, 1778, dated "Camp Greenage"; also, Drummer, same Co. 
and Regt.; muster roll for Oct., 1778, sworn to in camp at Providence; 
also, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll for March and April, 1779; sworn to 
at Providence; enlisted March 1, 1777; enlistment, 3 years; reported 
transferred to Light Infantry Co.; also, Fifer, Capt. Daniel Pillsbury's 
(Light Infantry) Co., Col. Wigglesworth's Regt.; muster roll for March and 
April, 1779; reported furloughed for 10 days from April 20, 1779. 

Chamberlain, Benjamin, Jr., Chelmsford. List of men enlisted for Continental 
Army from Middlesex Co. (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted for town of Chelmsford. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 309 

Chamberlain, Benjamin, 3d, Chelmsford. List of men enlisted into Con- 
tinental Army from Middlesex Co. (year not given); residence, Chelms- 
ford; enlisted for town of Chelmsford. 

Chamberlain, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; service from Dec. 1, 1776, to March 1, 1777. 

Chamberlin, Aaron, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volun- 
teers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, 
to reinforce Northern Army. 

Chamberlin, Abel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men enlisted from Middle- 
sex Co., agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780; age, 18 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 
2 in.; complexion, light; hair, light; eyes, light; occupation, farmer 
(also given cordvvainer); residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 11, 1781; 
enlistment, 3 years. 

Chamberlin, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Capt. Pillsbury's Co., Lieut. Col, 
Calvin Smith's (13th) Regt.; list of deserters; age, 16 yrs.; stature, 
5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; hair, dark; occupation, yoeman; birth- 
place, Chelmsford; residence, Chelmsford; deserted April — , 1779. 

Chamberlin, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Col. Thomas Marshall's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from March 1, 1777, 
to Dec. 31, 1779; residence, Chelmsford; credited to town of Chelmsford; 
also, 2d Sergeant, Capt. Philip Thomas's (5th) Co., Col. Thomas 
Marshall's (10th) Regt.; appointed by Colonel, Sept. 20, 1777; also, 
same Co. and Regt.; muster roll for Jan., 1779, dated West Point; 
enlisted Jan. 1, 1777; enlistment, 3 yrs.; also, Colonel's Co., Col. 
Marshall's Regt.; muster roll for April, 1779, dated West Point; reported 
sick at Hartford; also, (late) Capt. Thomas's Co., Col. Marshall's Regt.; 
account of clothing delivered for the year 177S; reported deserted Aug. 

I, 1779; also, Capt. Thomas's Co., Col. Marshall's Regt.; account of 
clothing delivered for the year 1777, certified to at "Steenrapie," Sept. 

II, 1780. 

Chamberlin, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Nutting's Co. of 
Minute-Men, Col. William Prescott's Regt., which marched on the 
alarm of April 19, 1775, from Pepperell; service, 6 days; also, Capt. 
Nutting's Co., Col. Prescott's (10th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 
1775: enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 8 days; also, company return 
dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775, also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent 
in money dated Cambridge, Jan. 1, 1776. 

Chamberlin, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; pay abstract for wages and travel allowance on march 
to and from Dorchester Heights; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 
1776. 

Chamberling, Aaron, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., com- 
manded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 10 days; reported enlisted April 19, 1775. 

Chambers, David, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 8 days; also, descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; age, 26 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; com- 
plexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 
27, 1775; also, Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, same 
Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 27, 1775 
service, 3 mos., 12 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775 
also, list of men who delivered firelocks; date of delivery, Jan. 1, 1776 
also, descriptive list of men detached to service in the Continental Army 
for 9 months, agreeable to resolve of June 9, 1779, returned as received 
of Justin Ely, Commissioner at Springfield, July 19, 1779, by Capt. 
James Cooper; Capt. Ford's Co., Maj. Brown's Regt.; age, 28 yrs.; 
stature, 5 ft., 10| in.; complexion, light; residence, Chelmsford; also, 
list dated Lincoln, July 21, 1779, of enUsted men as returned by Maj. 
Brown. 



310 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Chambers, James, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th). Regt.; age, 16 yrs.; 
stature, .5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted May 2, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 2, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
7 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Chambers, James, Tewksbury (also given Chelmsford). List of men mustered 
in Suffolk Co. by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master, dated Boston, 
April 13, 1777; Capt. Lane's Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; residence, Chelms- 
ford; enlisted for town of Chelmsford; enlistment, 3 years or during war; 
also, Major's (8th) Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's (6th) Regt.; Continental 
Army pay accounts for service from April 6, 1777, to Nov. 30, 1779; 
residence, Tewksbury; credited to town of Tewksbury; reported dis- 
charged; also, Capt. Jabez Lane's Co., Col. Nixon's (5th) Regt.; return 
of men in camp on or before Aug. 15, 1777, dated Camp near Peekskill, 
Feb. 16, 1779; also, Maj. Joseph Thompson's Co., 6th Regt.; pay roll 
for June — ^Oct., 1779; reported sick at Continental Village, Sept. and 
Oct., 1779; also, Major's Co.; account of clothing delivered for 178'), 
dated Peekskill, Dec. 5, 1779; also, Maj. Peter Harwood's Co., Col. 
Nixon's Regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec, 1779; reported transferred 
to Col. Sheldon's Regt., Nov. 30, 1779; also, Capt. Nathaniel Craft's 
Co., Col. Sheldon's Regt. of light dragoons; Continental Army pay 
accounts for service from Dec. 1, 1779, to Dec. 31, 1779. 

Chambers, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 7 days; also, descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 27 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; 
complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted, 
April 26, 1775; also, same Co. and Regt.; order for advance pay dated 
Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; also, company return dated 
Sept. 25, 1775. 

Chambers, Joseph, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 21 yrs.; 
stature, 6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelms- 
ford; enlisted April 26, 1775; also, Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. Stephen Russell's 
Co., Col. Samuel Bullard's Regt.; enlisted, Aug. 15, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 30, 1777; service, 3 mos., 28 days, with Gen. Warner's Brigade in 
Northern department; roll dated Dracut; also, descriptive list of men 
enlisted from Middlesex Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of 
their arrival at Fishkill, June 19, 1778; Capt. Minot's (also given Capt. 
Ford's) Co., Col. Spaulding's Regt.; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; 
residence, Chelmsford; also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan 
Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778. 

Chambers, William, Chelmsford (also given Newbury). Private, Capt. 
Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 3 days; also, descriptive list of enlisted 
men; Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 
25 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; rank. Corporal; enlisted, April 25, 1775; also, same Co. and 
Regt.; order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, same 
Co. and Regt.; account of articles lost in battle at Bunker Hill, June 17, 
1775; also, muster roll dated Aug. I, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 
3 mos., 14 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, receipt 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt 
dated Ticonderoga, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; 
endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged Jan. 1, 
17/7"; also Capt. John Ford's Co. of volunteers. Col. Jonathan Reed's 
Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 
13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army; 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 311 

also, descriptive list of men enlisted from Essex Co. for the term of 
9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, June 20 (also given 
June 19), 1778; age, 28 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, light; hair, 
light; eyes, light; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for town of Newbury 
(also given Newburyport); also, list of men returned as received of 
Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778. 

Chandler, Moses. Receipt dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, for mileage, 
etc., given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 
1776, for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; roll endorsed 
"marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777." 

Chaney, John. Lieutenant; receipt dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, for 
mileage, etc., given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt dated Ticonderoga, 
Oct. 2, 1776, for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford; 
endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at 
Albany, Jan. 1, 1777"; also, 2d Lieut. Capt., Asahel Wheeler's Co., 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; list of officers (year not given); also, Lieut., 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; rations allowed from July 11, 1776 to Nov. 
30, 1776; credited with 143 days allowance; also, 1st Lieut., Capt. 
Nathaniel Lakin's Co., Col. John Robinson's Regt.; muster return 
dated North Kingston, Dec. 18, 1777; commissioned June 27, 1777; 
company engaged for 6 months from July 1, 1777, 

Chizen, William. Private, Capt. Hawe's corps of Artillery artificers, Col- 
Jeduthan Baldwin's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780, stationed at Springfield. 

Chizm, William, Chelmsford. Private, Maj. Eayer's Co., Col. Flower's 
Regt. of Artillery artificers, Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from Sept. 30, 1778 to Dec. 31, 1779. 

Clark, Thomas. Capt. John Ford's Co.; receipt for mileage dated Ticon- 
deroga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, same Co.; receipt for wages due to Oct. 1, 
1776, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776; endorsed "marched from Chelms- 
ford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777."_ 

Cleaveland, Enoch, Chelmsford (also given Westford). Private, Col. Moses 
Parker's Co., commanded by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 8 days; also, descriptive list of 
enlisted men endorsed "Jan. 11, 1781"; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 4 in.; 
complexion, light (also given dark); hair, dark; occupation, farmer; 
birthplace, Westford; residence, Chelmsford (also given Westford); 
enlisted March 16 (also given April — ), 1779, by Capt. Coburn; joined 
Light Infantry Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; enlistment, 
during war; also. Private, Capt. William White's (Light Infantry) Co., 
Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; muster roll for Jan., 1781, dated 
West Point; also, Light Infantry Co., Lieut. Col. Brooks's Regt.; list of 
men court-martialed; tried March 30, 1781, by regimental court-martial, 
Capt. Felt, President, on charge of stealing a blanket; sentence, 100, 
lashes, 10 remitted; also, Capt. Asa Coburn's (Light Infantry) Co. 
Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; muster rolls for Feb. — Dec, 1781, 
dated York Hutts; also Light Infantry Co., Lieut. Col. Brooks's Regt.; 
list of men discharged subsequent to Jan. 1, 1781; discharged June 10, 
1783, by Gen. Washington, term of enlistment having expired. 

Cleavland, Enoch, Chelmsford (also given Randolph). Descriptive list of 
enlisted men; Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; age, 19 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; complexion, light; occupation, 
farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775; also, Private, 
same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; service, 3 mos., 12 
days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, muster return 
dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for town 
of Chelmsford; joined Capt. William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. Ichabod 
Alden's Regt.; mustered by Col. Barrett, County Muster Master; reported 
on furlough; also, Private, Capt. Asa Coburn's Co., Lieut. Col. John 
Brooks's (7th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from 



312 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; also, Capt. Asa Coburn's (Light Infantry) 
Co., Lieut. Col. Brooks's Regt.; muster rolls for Jan. and Feb., 1782, 
dated York Hutts. 

Cleveland, Enoch, Chelmsford (also given Randolph). Private, Capt. 
William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. Asa Whitcomb's Regt.; muster 
roll dated Camp at Ticonderoga, Nov. 27, 1776; enlisted Jan. 1, 1776; 
reported re-engaged Nov. 13, 1776; also, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's 
Co., Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts 
for service from Jan. 1, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; reported transferred to 
Capt. Coburn's Co.; also, Capt. Asa Coburn's (Light Infantry) Co., 
(late) Col. Ichabod Alden's (6th) Regt.; muster roll for March and 
April, 1779, dated Fort Harkimer; enlisted Nov. 13, 1776; enlistment, 
during war. 

Clough, Daniel. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt 
dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 
1776, to April 1, 1776. 

Coburn [Colburn], Asa. Receipt for mileage dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 
1776, signed by said Coburn and others of Capt. John Ford's Co.; also 
receipt dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776, for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, 
signed by said Coburn and others of Capt. John Ford's Co.; roll endorsed 
"marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776; discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777." 

Colborn, Caleb. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; receipt 
dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, 
to April 1, 1776. 

Colburn, Caleb. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co. of volunteers. Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 43 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce 
Northern army; roll dated Chelrnsford. 

Core, Oliver, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised to reinforce Con- 
tinental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 

1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. 
John Glover, at Springfield, July 7, 1780; age, 23 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 
11 in.; complexion, dark; residence, Chelmsford; marched to camp 
July 7, 1780, under command of Capt. Dix. 

Corey, Ezra, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co.; receipt for wages due 
Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, and endorsed "marched from Chelms- 
ford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Corey, Oliver, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1776; enlisted April 28, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 11 days; also. Private, Capt. White's Co., Col. Brook's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, 
to March 17, 1780; also, list of men raised for the 6 months' service and 
returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return 
dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Corey, Stephen. Return of recruits sent by Massachusetts as a portion of 
her quota of the Continental Army subsequent to Jan. 1, 1781, who 
were reported unfit for duty; 3d Mass. Regt.; age, 16 yrs.; stature, 5 ft.; 
reported under size; engaged for the town of Chelmsford; engagement, 
3 yrs.; also, list of men mustered in Middlesex Co.; mustered April 11, 

1781, for the town of Chelmsford. 

Corry, Ezra, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's Co., 
Col. lohn Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from March 23, 1777, to May 9, 1777; enlistment, 3 yrs.; also, Capt. 
Ballard's Co., (late) Col. Ichabod Alden's (6th) Regt.; return of men 
in camp on or before Aug. 15, 1777; reported died May 9, 1777. 

Cory, Ezra. Receipt for mileage dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, given 
to Capt. John Ford; also, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. 
Ichabod Alden's Regt.; muster return dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; 
residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for town of Chelmsford; mustered by 
Col. Barrett, Muster Master for Middlesex Co.; reported died May 9, 
1777. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 313 

Cory, Oliver, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of enlisted men; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 18 yrs. ; stature, 
5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 28, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; company 
return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also. Private, Capt. William Hudson 
Ballard's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from March 27, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, Capt. Ballard's 
Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's Regt.; muster return dated Albany, Jan. 12, 
1778; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for town of Chelmsford; mustered 
by Col. Barrett, Muster Master for Middlesex Co., and by a Continental 
Muster Master; reported taken prisoner July 20, 1777; also, Capt. 
Ballard's Co., (late) Col. Alden's (6th) Regt.; muster roll for March and 
April, 1779, dated Cherry Valley; enlisted March 17, 1777; enlistment, 
3 yrs.; also, 1st Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; return made 
up to Dec. 31, 1779, signed by Lieut. James Lunt; also, pay roll for 6 
months men raised by the town of Chelmsford for service in the Conti- 
nental Army at North river during 1780; marched June 30, 1780; dis- 
charged Jan. 7, 1781; service, 6 mos., 19 days. 

Coudre, Nathaniel. Private, Capt. Ford's Co.; return of cartridges received 
from Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Crosby, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; also, descriptive list of men engaged for Continental service; 
Capt. Minot's Co., Col. Spaulding's Regt.; age, 18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 
11 in.; engaged for town of Chelmsford; term, 9 months from time of 
arrival at Fishkill, June 19, 1778; also, list of men raised in Middlesex 
Co., returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. 
R. Putnam, July 20, 1778. 

Cumings, James. Receipt for mileage dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776, 
given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, dated 
Ticonderoga, given to Capt. John Ford; receipt endorsed "marched from 
Chelmsford July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Cutler, Jacob. Private, Capt. Ford's Co.; list of men with an account of the 
ammunition allowed them from Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Dammon, Daniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 18 days. 

Damon, Daniel. Receipt for mileage given to Capt. John Ford, dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, receipt for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, 
given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776; receipt 
endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777." 

Damon (?), David, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775. 

Danforth, David, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Greene's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 4 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
43 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Danforth, Jonathan, Chelmsford. List of men raised in Middlesex Co. to 
serve in the Continental Army (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; 
reported "in the works at Springfield." 

Daverson, [Davidson], F"rancis, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's 
Co., Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 
19, 1775; service, 7 days. 

Davidson, Francis, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col, 
Bridge's Regt.; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; complexion, dark; 
occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 26, 1775; 
also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order 
for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, company return 
dated Sept. 25, 1775. 



314 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Davis, James. Company receipt for mileage dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 
1776, given to Capt. John Ford; also, receipt dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 2, 
1776, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, endorsed 
"marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany Jan. 1,, 
1777." 

Davis, Joshua, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 
8 days. 

Davis, Moses, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; pay abstract for wages and travel allowance to and from Dor- 
chester Heights; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776. 

Davis, Samuel. Private, Capt. Jonathan Minott's Co.; Col. Baldwin's 
Regt.; pay abstract for traveling allowance from home and return dated 
Cambridge, Jan. 12, 1776; 106 miles traveling allowed. 

Davis, Thomas, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; return of men in camp at White Plains dated Oct. 31, 
1776. 

Davis, Thomas. Private, Capt. Ford's Co.; return of cartridges received 
from Nov. 4, to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Davison, Francis, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 
26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days. 

Didson, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army. 

Ditson, John. Capt. John Ford's Co.; company receipt for mileage dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, same Co.; company receipt for wages 
to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; roll endorsed "marched from Chelms- 
ford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Dun, James, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; 
descriptive list of men; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; comple.xion, light; 
occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775. 

Dun, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776. 

Dunn, James, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; company order for advance pay dated Camp at Cam- 
bridge, June 6, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 12 days; 
also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Dunn, James, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 8 days. 

Dunn, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 

3 days. 

Dunn, John. Private, Capt. Joseph Bradley Varnum's Co., Col. Mcintosh's 
Regt., Gen. Lovel's Brigade; engaged Aug. 19, 1778; discharged Sept. 
11, 1778; service, 28 days, travel included, on an expedition to Rhode 
Island. Roll dated, Dracut. 

Dunn, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; pay abstract for wages and travel allowance to and from Dor- 
chester Heights; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776. 

Dunn, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 

4 days; also, Corporal, Capt. James Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from May 15, 1777, 
to May 15, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; credited to town of Chelmsford; 
enlistment, 3 yrs. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 315 

Durant, Joshua, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., commanded 
by Lieut. Benjamin Walker, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 9 days; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, 
June 24, 1777; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 
1, 1775; enlisted April 2S, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company 
return (probably Oct., 1775); also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent 
in money dated Cambridge, Dec. 25, 1775; also, Capt. John P'ord's Co., 
Col. Robinson's Regt.; company receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, 
to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776; also, Capt. John 
Ford's Co.; company receipt for money due Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticon- 
deroga; receipt endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, 
discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777"; also, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; service from Dec. 13, 1776, to March 1, 1777; credited to 
town of Chelmsford. 

Dutton, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; pay abstract for wages and travel allowance to and from Dor- 
chester Heights; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776. 

Dutton, Jonas, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's 
Regt.; pay abstract for wages and travel allowance to and from Dor- 
chester Heights; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776; also, account 
of milk and sauce money due said Dutton and Willard Byam from Aug. 
24, to Sept. 28 (year not given), dated Roxbury, Oct. 15, 1776. 

Easterbrooks, Moses, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 12 days; also, Capt. Varnum's Co., 
Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from May 5, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; residence, Chelmsford; 
credited to town of Chelmsford; term, 3 yrs.; reported "deserted, but 
returned to his duty and served the whole of his time, as appears by a 
certificate from Capt. Smith, and N. Dix, Captain Commandant, dated 
April 22, 1781"; also, same Co. and Regt.; Continental Army pay 
accounts for service from Oct. 17, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; reported 
joined from desertion. 

Eaton, Jonathan. Private, Capt. Ford's Co.; return for cartridges received 
from Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Eavens, Sherebiah. Private, Capt. Ford's Co.; list of men on an account 
of ammunition allowed from Nov. 4 (year not given, probably 1777), 
to Jan. 6 (year not given, probably 1777); also. Private, Capt. John 
Dix's Co., Col. Mcintosh's Regt., Gen. Lovel's Brigade; enlisted July 
30, 1778; discharged Sept. 12, 1778; service, 1 mo., 17 days, travel 
included, at Rhode Island. 

Ellinwood, Samuel. Receipt for mileage given to Capt. John Ford, dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. John 
Ford for money due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776. 

Emerson, Parker (alias Peter), Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 30 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 
in.; complexion, fresh; occupation, housewright; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; also, same Co. and Regt.; company order for 
advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also. Sergeant, same Co. 
and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; 
service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; 
also, memorandum of firelocks received from sundry ofticcrs and men; 
date of delivery Jan. 1, 1776; also. Sergeant, Capt. William Hudson 
Ballard's Co., Col. John Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army pav accounts 
for service from March 10, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, Capt'. Ballard's 
Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's (6th) Regt.; muster return dated Albany, 
Jan. 12, 1778; residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; 
mustered by Col. J. Barrett, Muster Master for Middlesex Co., and by 
a Continental Muster Master; also, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll 
for March and April, 1779, dated Cherry Valley; enlisted March 10, 
1777; enlistment, 3 yrs.; reported on command after deserters; also 



316 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1st Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; return made up to Dec. 
31, 1779; also, Capt. White's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; Continental 
Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to March 10, 1780. 

Estabrooks, Joel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Ebenezer Bancroft's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; 
also, company receipt given to Capt. John Ford for mileage dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. John 
Ford for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776; 
receipt endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged 
at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Esterbrooks, Josiah (?). Company receipt given to Capt. John Ford for 
wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; receipt endorsed "marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Esterbrooks, Josiah (?). Company receipt given to Capt. John Ford for 
mileage dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776. 

Esterbrooks, Moses, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 8 days; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 30 yrs. ; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, 
light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 
1775; also Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Estherbrooks, Moses. Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; company 
order for advance pay dated Camp at Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; company 
receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford. 

Evens, Jonathan. Company receipt for mileage given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. 
John Ford for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 2, 1776, 
and endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at 
Albany Jan. 1, 1777." 

Farley, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 17 
yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; resi- 
dence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 25, 1775; also, muster roll dated 
Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, 
company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Farley, William, Chelmsford. Receipt dated July 14, 1781, for bounty paid 
said Farley by the town of Ashby to serve in the Continental Army 
for the term of 6 months; also, descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex 
Co., agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780, as returned by Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for said county; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 11 in.; 
complexion, dark; hair, dark; eyes, dark; occupation, farmer (also given 
laborer); residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of Ashby; engaged 
July 14, 1781; joined Capt. Francis's Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's 
(7th) Regt.; term, 6 mos. (also given 3 yrs.); also. Sergeant, Capt. 
Nathaniel C. Allen's (8th) Co., 4th Mass. Regt.; muster rolls for May — 
Aug., 1783; reported promoted from Corporal, June 10, 1783; balance 
of term of enlistment unexpired, 6 mos.; also, 8th (also given 3d) Co.; 
order dated Dec. 26, 1783, for wages for the month of May and 9 days 
in June as Corporal, 21 days in June and the months of July — Dec. 
(year not given), as Sergeant, appearing as a register of orders accepted 
on account of wages. 

Farly, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, under command of Lieut. 
Benjamin Walker; service, 6 days. 

Farmer, Aaron. Company receipt given to Capt. John F"ord for mileage, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. 
John Ford for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, and 
endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777"; also. Private, Capt. Nathaniel Lakin's Co., Col. John 
Robinson's Regt.; enlisted July 7, 1777; service, 2 mos., 25 days, at 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 317 

Rhode Island; enlistment to expire Jan. 1, 1778; roll sworn to at Groton; 
also, Capt. Solomon Pollard's Co., Col. Samuel Denny's Regt.; enlisted 
Oct. 23, 1779; discharged Dec. 4, 1779; service, 1 mo., 12 days, travel 
included; company detached to march to Claverack and join Con- 
tinental Army for 3 months; roll dated Billerica; also, Capt. Watts's 
Co., 8th Mass. Regt.; list of United States pensioners made up to Dec. 
31, 1787, as returned by John Lucas, Commissary of Pensions; age, 30 
years; pensioned Sept. 1, 1782. 

Farmer, Oliver, Chelmsford. List of men raised to serve in the Continental 
Army (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of 
Chelmsford; also, list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster 
Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, Feb. 16, 1777; Capt. Lane's Co., 
Col. Nixon's Regt.; also. Private, Major's Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's 
(6th) Regt.; list of deserters dated Camp Ten Eyck, Aug. 27, 1780; 
deserted Dec. 20, 1777. 

Farmer, Solomon, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; age, 27 yrs. ; 
stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted April 28, 1775; reported enlisted in the train May 29, 
1775; also, Private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 1 mo., 3 days; also, 
same Co. and Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. 
John Popkin's Co., Col. Richard Gridley's (Artillery) Regt.; company 
receipt for advance pay dated Winter Hill, July 14, 1775; also, Matross, 
same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 29, 
1775; service, 2 mos., 8 days; also, company return dated Camp at Winter 
Hill, Sept. 27, 1775; also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money 
dated Winter Hill, Jan. 2, 1776. 

Farrar, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 9 days. 

Farrar, Timothy, Chelmsford. Capt. Ebenezer Bancroft's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company receipt for advance pay dated Camp 
before Boston, July 24, 1775; also, same Co. and Regt.; order for bounty 
coat or its equivalent in money dated Nov. 4, 1775. 

Farrar, Timothy. Company receipt given to Capt. John Ford, for mileage, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. Joeh 
Ford, for wages due Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga and endorsed "marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Farrer, Peter. Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian How's Regt.; 
enlisted July 8, 1780; discharged Oct. 10, 1780; service, 3 mos., 3 days, 
at Rhode Island; company detached from 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. to 
reinforce Continental Army for 3 months. 

Farror, Timothy, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Ebenezer Bancroft's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 
4, 1775; service, 3 mos., 5 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Farror, Timothy, Chelmsford. List of men for the 6 months' service and 
returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return 
dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Farrow, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Varnum's Co., Col. Michael 
Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from April 
28, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; residence, Chelmsford; engaged for Chelms- 
ford; term, 3 yrs. 

Farwell, Eleazer. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of volunteers. Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
43 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army; 
roll dated Chelmsford. 

Fips, Charles. Company receipt given to Capt. John Ford for mileage, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. 
John Ford for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga, and endorsed 
"marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777." 



318 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Fleming, Patrick, Chelmsford. Capt. Micajah Gleason's Co., Col. Nixon's 
Regt.; company receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 10, 
1775; also, Sergeant, Capt. Moses Hart's Co., Col. Paul Dudley Sergeant's 
Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 24, 1775; service, 
98 days; also, same Co. and Regt.; order for bounty coat or its equivalent 
in money dated Dec. 13, 1775. 

Fletcher, Charles, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co. which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; also Sergeant, 
Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; 
company receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; 
also, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 
28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company return (probably Oct., 
1775); also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated 
Cambridge, Nov. 30, 1775. 

Fletcher, Elijah. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of volunteers. Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern 
army. Roll dated Chelmsford. 

Fletcher, Henry, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 21 days; roll endorsed 
"Lieut. Benjamin Walker's roll" ; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of volunteers 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce 
Northern Army; also, descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. to 
serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months, agreeable to 
resolve of June 9, 1779, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, 
by Capt. James Cooper, at Springfield, July 19, 1779; Capt. Ford's Co., 
Col. Brown's Regt.; age, 25 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; complexion, light; 
engaged for town of Chelmsford; also, list of men raised for Continental 
service, as returned by Brig. Gen. Eleazer Brooks to Maj. Hosmer, 
dated Lincoln, July 21, 1779; also, list of men raised for Continental 
service, as returned by Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent for Middlesex 
Co., Nov. 24, 1779; also, Capt. Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's 
(8th) Regt.; entered service July 15, 1779; discharged April 15, 1780; 
term, 9 months. 

Fletcher, Josiah (also given Jr.), Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's 
Co., Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 9 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; 
descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; age, 18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; 
complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted, 
April 28, 1775; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; 
also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; 
enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; 
company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army; also, 
descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. for the term of 9 mos, 
from the time of their arrival at Fishkill; Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Spaulding's 
Regt.; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; residence, Chelmsford; engaged 
for town of Chelmsford; also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan 
Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778; arrived at 
Fishkill, June 20, 1778. 

Fletcher, Levi, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to re- 
inforce Northern Army; also, Capt. Thomas Hovey's Co., Col. Nathan 
Tyler's Regt.; enlisted July 6, 1779; discharged Dec. 16 (also given 
Dec. 18), 1779; service, 5 mos., 16 days, travel included, at Rhode Island; 
also, same Co. and Regt.; pay roll for Dec, 1779; allowing 1 mo., 5 days 
service at Rhode Island. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 319 

Fletcher, Oliver, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 8 days; also, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; 
company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776. 

Fletcher, Sampson. Private, Capt. Jonathan Minott's Co., Col. Baldwin's 
Regt.; pay abstract for travel allowance to and from home, dated Cam- 
bridge, Jan. 12, 1776; also, Capt. Edmund Longley's Co., Col. Cogswell's 
Regt.; enlisted Sept. 22, 1778; discharged Dec. 31, 1778; service. 3 mos., 
12 days, travel included; company detached to fortify posts at and about 
Boston. 

Fletcher, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. 
David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 4 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) 
Regt.; company receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, 
dated Chelmsford. 

Fletcher, Sherebiah, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's 
(Robinson's) Regt.; company receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to 
April 1, 1776, dated Chelmsford; also. Private, Capt. James Varnum's 
Co., Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from May 15, 1777, to May 15, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; 
engaged for town of Chelmsford ; term, 3 years. 

Fletcher, William. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) 
Regt.; company receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1. 1776, 
dated Chelmsford; also; Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 1 mo., 13 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to re- 
inforce Northerm Army; roll dated Chelmsford. 

Fletcher, William, 3d, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; roll endorsed 
"Lieut. Benjamin Walker's roll." 

Fletcher, Zaccheus, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed 
"Lieut. Benjamin Walker's roll"; also, Lieut. John Flint's Co.; order 
on Maj. Barber dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775, signed by Col. E. 
Bridge, for cartridge boxes; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company receipt for advance pay dated 
Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; 
also, company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, company receipt given 
to Capt. John Ford for mileage, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, 
company receipt given to Capt. John Ford for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, 
dated Ticonderoga, and endorsed "marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 
1776, discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777." 

Ford, John, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co., Col. David 
Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 
6 days. 

Ford, John, Chelmsford. Captain, Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; regimental 
return dated May 26, 1775; 59 men reported as in said Ford's Co.; also, 
Capt., Col. Bridge's Regt.; list of officers to be commissioned; ordered 
in Provincial Congress, May 27, 1775. that said officers be commissioned; 
also. Captain, 7th Middlesex Co. regt.; return of said Ford's Co.; com- 
missioned June 11, 1775; also. Captain, Col. Bridge's (27th) Regt.; 
engaged April 19, 1775; roll made up to Aug. 1, 1775; also, same regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; engaged April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
14 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also. Captain; list of 
officers chosen Jan. 29. 1776, in a company raised in Billerica, Dracut, 
Chelmsford, Dunstable, Tewksbury and Bedford, to reinforce the army; 
list endorsed "to the first of April next"; ordered in Provincial Congress, 
Feb. 7, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; reported commissioned 
Feb. 7, 1776; also. Captain, 1st Co., Col. John Robinson's Regt.; list of 
officers to be commissioned; commissions reported as dated Feb. 5, 1776; 
Hst endorsed "to April 1, 1776"; also. Captain, same Regt.; regimental 



320 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

return dated Camp Cambridge, Feb. 24, 1776; also, account of articles 
lost at Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, by men belonging to his company, 
as certified by said Ford at Cambridge, March 18, 1776; also, Captain, 
4th Co., 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. militia; list of officers; com- 
missioned May 31, 1776; also. Captain; account of provisions delivered 
Col. Reed's Regt. while at Charlestown, N. H., in 1776, as returned 
by Joseph Gilbert, Commissary, dated Charlestown, Aug. 6, 1776; 
also, company receipt given to said Ford, for mileage and travel allowance, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also Captain, 4th Co. (North Co. in 
Chelmsford); list of officers chosen in said company, as returned by 
Simeon Spaulding, field officer, dated Chelmsford, July 5, 1776; ordered 
in Council, Sept. 3, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; also. Captain, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt., Brig. Gen. Bricket's brigade; ammunition 
return dated Ticonderoga, Sept. 3, 1776; also, company receipt given 
to said Ford, for wages due Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; also, return 
of flints needed in Col. Reed's Regt., dated Ticonderoga, Oct. 4, 1776; 
also, Col. Reed's Regt.; regimental return dated Ticonderoga, Nov. 2, 
1776; also, same Regt.; return for rations dated Nov. 30, 1776; rations 
allowed said Ford from July 11, 1776, to Nov. 30, 1776; credited with 
143 days allowance; also, same Regt.; pay abstract for travel allowance 
from Albany, home, in 1776, dated Chelmsford and endorsed "company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, containing 94 men, including 
officers, when mustered bj' Simeon Spaulding"; also. Captain of a 
Volunteer Co., Col. Reed's Regt.; engaged Spet. 27, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 43 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army; roll dated Chelmsford. 

Foster, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service 16 days; also, Corporal, Capt. 
John Minot's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; service from Dec. 13, 1776, to 
March 1, 1777; also, Sergeant, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Josiah 
Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged July 9, 
1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, travel included, at Rhode Island; roll 
dated Warwick Neck. 

Foster, Isaiah (also given Jr.), Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's 
Co., Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; company order for advance pay dated Camp at Cambridge, 
June 6, 1775; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 22 yrs. ; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, light; 
occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 25, 1775; also. 
Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, company return dated 
Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) 
Regt.; company receipt for wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, 
dated Chelmsford; also, Capt. Solomon Kidder's Co., Col. Brooks's 
Regt.; company return endorsed "1776"; said Foster reported at White 
Plains. 

Foster, Joseph, Chelmsford (also given Kittcrj')- Private, Major's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Sprout's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from Jan. 1, 1777, to July 6, 1777; enlistment, during war; reported 
a prisoner from July 6, 1777; also reported deserted. 

Foster, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 7 days; also, Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; company order for advance pay 
dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27) Regt.; age, 20 yrs.; 
stature, 6 ft.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelms- 
ford; enlisted April 26, 1775; also, Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; 
also, company return dated Chelmsford, Sept. 25. 1775. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 321 

Foster, Noah, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; 
company order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, 
descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; age, 18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, 
light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775; 
also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; en- 
listed April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 12 days; also, company return dated 
Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. John 
Brooks's (late Col. Ichabod Alden's) 7th Regt.; Continental Army pay 
accounts for service from March 10, 1777, to Oct. 7, 1777; reported killed 
in battle Oct. 7, 1777; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., 6th Mass. Regt., lately 
commanded by Col. Ichabod Alden; return of men in camp on or 
before Aug. 15, 1777; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's 
battalion; return dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted for town of Chelmsford; term, 3 years; mustered by Col. Barrett, 
Muster Master for Middlesex Co., and by a Continental Muster Master. 

Foster, Reuben, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 8 days; roll endorsed "Lieut. 
Benjamin Walker's roll"; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; age, 23 yrs.; 
stature, 6 ft., 1 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
12 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Freland, John, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 17 days; roll endorsed 
"Lieut. Benjamin Walker's roll." 

French, John. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Oct. 20, 1777; service, 
23 days; company marched to reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777. 
Roll dated Chelmsford. 

French, Samuel. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 27, 1777; discharged Oct. 20, 1777; service, 
23 days; company marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army 
Roll dated Chelmsford. 

Garey, Joseph. Return of cartridges for Capt. Ford's Co. received from 
Nov. 4th to Jan. 6th (year not given). 

Gibson, William, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex 
Co. to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months from the 
time of their arrival at Fishkill; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; residence, 
Chelmsford; arrived at Fishkill, June 26, 1778. 

Glode, John, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by said Glode and others, 
dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; 
Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; 
complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 28, 1775; also, Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated 
Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, 
company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, list of men raised to serve in 
the Continental Army (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; en- 
gaged for town of Chelmsford; term, 3 years; also. Private, Capt. James 
Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay 
accounts for service from May 15, 1777, to May 15, 1780. 

Goold, Ebenezer, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed 
"Lieut. Benjamin Walker's roll"; also, Capt. Walker's Co., Col. Bridge's 
Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said Goold and others, dated 
Cambridge, June 24, 1775. 

Goold, Ebenezer, Jr. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by 
said Goold and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 
1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 



322 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Gould, Ebenezer, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company return (probably 
Oct., 1775); also, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. Brook's Regt.; 
company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776; reported 
as fit for duty and in camp. 

Green, Thomas, Chelmsford. List of men raised in Middlesex Co., as returned 
by Brig. Gen. Eleazer Brooks to Maj. Hosmer, dated Lincoln, July 21, 
1779; Capt. Minot's Co., 7th Middlesex Co. Regt.; also, list of men 
raised agreeable to resolve of June 9, 1779, returned by Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent; also, descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. 
to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months, returned as 
received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Capt. James Cooper, at Spring- 
field, July 19, 1779; Capt. Minot's Co., Col. Brown's Regt.; age, 27 
yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 7 (also given 5 ft., 6) in.; complexion, light; residence, 
Chelmsford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; also. Col. Michael Jack- 
son's (8th) Regt.; engaged July 15, 1779; discharged April 15, 1780; 
term, 9 mos. 

Hall, James, Chelmsford. List of men raised in Middlesex Co. to reinforce 
the Continental Army, as returned by Brig. Gen. Eleazer Brooks to 
Maj. Hosmer, dated Lincoln; also, list of men raised agreeable to resolve 
of June 9, 1779, as returned by Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent; also, 
descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. to serve in the Continental 
Army for the term of 9 mos., returned as received of Justin Ely, Com- 
missioner, by Capt. James Cooper, at Springfield, July 19, 1779; Capt. 
Minot's Co., Col. Brown's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt.; age, 25 (also 
given 35) yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 7 in.; complexion, light; residence, Chelms- 
ford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; also. Col. Michael Jackson's (8th) 
Regt.; entered service July 15, 1779; discharged April 15, 1780; term' 9 mos. 

Hall, Willard. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages 
for service in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; 
from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776; also, company receipt for mileage, 
given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1770; also, 
company receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, and endorsed "25 July 76 march's from Chelmsford 
& discharged at Albany on 1 Jary 77." 

Hardey, Sampson. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776. 

Hardwick, William, Westford (also given Dunstable and Chelmsford). List 
of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Peletiah 
Fletcher's Co., 6th Middlesex Co. Regt., as returned by Col. Jonathan 
Reed to Brig. Gen. Prescott, dated Littleton, Sept. 17, 1777; residence, 
Westford (also given Dunstable); engaged for town of Westford (also 
given Dunstable); joined Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Alden's Regt.; term, 
3 5'rs., to expire in 1780; reported a transient; also. Private, Capt. 
William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army 
pay accounts for service from March 15, 1777, to Feb. 2, 1778; reported 
"Taken prisnor & Deserted"; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., 6th Mass. Regt. 
lately commanded by Col. Ichabod Alden; return of men who were in 
camp on or before Aug. 15, 1777; reported taken prisoner July 21 (also 
given July 20), 1777, escaped from captivity Jan. 10, 1778, and joined 
(date illegible) ; also Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's Regt. ; return 
dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; mustered by Col. Varrick, Muster Master 
for Middlesex Co., and by a Continental Muster Master; also, Private, 
1st Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; return made up to Dec. 31, 
1779; also, descriptive list dated Feb. 20, 1782; Capt. Jonathan Felt's 
Co., Lieut. Col. Brooks's Regt.; age, 35 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; com- 
plexion, light; hair, light; enlisted March 9, 1779 (also given March 9, 
1777); enlistment, during war; also, list of men who deserted subsequent 
to Jan. 1, 1777, dated West Point, Aug. 18, 1782; Capt. Felt's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; residence, Chelmsford; deserted July 20, 1777, 
from Ticonderoga. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 323 

Hastings, Walter, Chelmsford. Surgeon, Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. of 
Minute-Men; marched April 19, 1775; service, 4 days (name crossed 
out on roll); also, same Regt.; list of surgeons and surgeons' mates, 
examined and approved by a committee of Congress at Watertown, 
July 5, 1775; also, same Regt.; engaged April 24, 1775; service to Aug. 1, 
1775, 3 mos., 15 days; also, return made by Lieut. Col. John Brooks to 
the Council, of officers to be commissioned in Col. Michael Jackson's 
Regt. (year not given); also, Surgeon, Col. Michael Jackson's (8th) 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to 
Dec. 31, 1780. 

Hays, Thomas. Return of cartridges for Capt. Ford's Co. received from 
Nov. 4, to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Hayward, Samuel. Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; order for advance 
pay, signed by said Hayward and others, dated Cambridge, June 6, 
1775; also, account showing sums of money to be paid from the public 
treasury to sundry persons for losses sustained at battles of Lexington 
and Bunker Hill; amounts allowed in Council, June 13, 1776. 

Haywood, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 21 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 
5 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 28, 1775; also, Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company return dated 
Sept. 25, 1775; also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for 
money due to Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticonderoga. 

Haywood [Heyward], Joseph. Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. 
Cyprian How's Regt.; enlisted July 28, 1780; discharged, Oct. 30, 1780; 
service, 3 mos., 8 days, including 5 days (100 miles) travel home; 
company detached from 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. to reinforce Continental 
Army for 3 months, and ordered part to Fishkill and part to Rhode 
Island. 

Haywood, Jesse. Private, Capt. Joseph Bradley Varnum'sCo.,Col. Mclntush's 
(Mcintosh's) Regt., Gen. Lovel's Brigade; enlisted July 29, 1778; dis- 
charged Sept. 11, 1778; service, 1 mo., 18 days, on expedition to Rhode 
Island, including 5 days (100 miles) travel home. Roll dated Dracut. 

Haywood, Samuel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 17 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; 
complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 26, 1775; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 26, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

(He)adlock, John. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
40 days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dun- 
stable, and marched to reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777. 

Heasten, James. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776. signed by 
said Heasten and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col 
Robinson's Regt., for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776 

Heaward, Benjamin. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28, 1777; discharged Nov. 8 
1777; service, 40 days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford 
and Dunstable, and marched to reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777 

Heawood, Willard. Private, Capt. John Ford's (Volunteer) Co., Col. Jona 
than Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777 
service, 40 days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and 
Dunstable, and marched to reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777. 

Heywood, Benjamin, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775; also, company receipt for mileage, 
given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, 
company receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, 
and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 



324 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Heywood, Jesse, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775; also, company receipt for mileage, 
given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, 
company receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, 
and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Heywood, John. Company receipt, dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, for service in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Heywood, Samuel, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775. 

Hibbord, Lazarus. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Hildreth, Elijah. Drummer, Capt. Jonathan Minott's Co., Col. Baldwin's 
Regt.; pay abstract for mileage to and from headquarters, dated 
Cambridge, Jan. 12, 1776. 

Hildreth, Elijah. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said 
Hildreth and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's 
(Robinson's) Regt., for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776. 

Hildreth, Zachariah, Boston. List of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, 
Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, June 8, 1777; Capt. 
Langdon's Co., Col. Henry Jackson's Regt. 

Hodgman, Asa. Private, Capt. Joshua Parker's Co., Col. Robinson's Regt.; 
enlisted Aug. 2, 1777; service to Jan. 1, 1778, at Rhode Island. 

Hogmon [or Hodgman], Asa, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's 
Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, 
Oct. 31, 1776. 

How, Ehpraim. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also company receipt for wages to 
Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Howard, Benjamin, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner; also, 
descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the 
term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5 1780, returned as received 
of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, of 6th Mass. 
Regt., at Springfield, July 2, 1780; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; 
complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp 
July 2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, list of men 
raised for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as 
having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; 
also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Chelmsford for 
service in the Continental Army at North river during 1780; marched 
from home June 30, 1780; discharged Jan. 2, 1781; service, 6 mos., 14 
days, including 10 days (200 miles) travel home. 

Howard, Jacob, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 10 days. 

Howard, Samuel (also given Samuel Smith Howard), Chelmsford. Descrip- 
tive list dated West Point, Jan. 25, 1781; Col. John Greaton's (3d) Regt.; 
age, 22 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 7^ in.; complexion, dark; hair, dark; eyes, dark; 
residence, Chelmsford; enlisted Nov. 18, 1776, by Lieut. Dorathy; 
enlistment, during war. [See Samuel Hayward.] 

Howard, Willard, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 2 days; Capt. John Ford's Co., marched Sept. 30, 1777 to 
reinforce the Northern Army. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 325 

Hucherson, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Simon Hunt's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return (year not given); reported wounded. 

Hughes, Richard. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Hunt, John. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said Hunt 
and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col, Roberson's (Robin- 
son's) Regt., for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776. 

Hunt, Jonathan. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said 
Hunt and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's 
(Robinson's) Regt., for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April, 
1776. 

Hutchinson, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. List of men returned as serving on 
picket guard under Maj. Baldwin, dated May 2.3, 1775; reported detailed 
under Capt. Reuben Dickinson; also, Capt. Abishai Brown's Co., Col. 
John Nixon's (5th) Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said 
Hutchinson and others, dated Cambridge, June 26, 1775; also, Private, 
same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days; also, company return dated Sept. 30, 
1775; said Hutchinson's place reported as having been taken by Joseph 
Herriman. 

Hyde, Simon. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Jacob, Sa'l. Return of cartridges for Capt. Ford's Co. received from Nov. 4 
to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Johnson, Obadiah. Company receipt tor mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, copy of a company receipt, 
given to Capt. John Ford, for money due Oct. 2, 1776, dated Ticonderoga. 

Jons, Jonathan. Return of cartridges for Capt. Ford's Co. received from 
Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Jonson, Obadiah. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages 
to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 25, 1776. and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Keent, Isaac, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days. 

Kent, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Moses Barns's Co., Lieut. Col. 
Perce's (Pierce's) Regt.; enlisted May 24, 1779; service to July 1, 1779, 
1 mo., 7 days, at Rhode Island; enlistment, 2 months, to expire July 1, 
1779. 

Keyes, Daniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by said Keyes and others, dated 
Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also. Sergeant, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; 
also, account of articles lost at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, 
certified at Cambridge, March 18, 1776. 

Keyes, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 6 days; also, list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster 
Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, March 30, 1777; Capt. Lane's Co., 
Col. Nixon's Regt.; also. Sergeant, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian 
How's Regt.; entered service July 28, 1780, 3 days preceding march; 
discharged Oct. 30, 1780; service, 3 mos., 8 days, probably at Rhode 
Island, including 5 days (100 miles) travel home; company detached 
from 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. and ordered part to Rhode Island and 
part to Fishkill; regiment raised to reinforce Continental Army for 3 
months. 



326 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Keyes, Solomon, Chelmsford. Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; order 
for advance pay, signed by said Keyes and others, dated Cambridge, 
June 6, 1775; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 23 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; com- 
plexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 
29, 1775; also, company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also, company receipt for 
mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; 
also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, 
dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, 
and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Keyes, Uriah. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Keys, John, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 26 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, 
fresh; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 25, 1775; 
also, Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 
3 mos., 14 days; also, list of men raised to serve in the Continental Army; 
residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; term, 3 years; 
also, Sergeant, 8th Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's Regt.; Continental Army 
pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, Capt. 
Jabez Lane's Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's (5th) Regt.; return of men who 
were in camp on or before Aug. 15, 1777, and who had not been absent 
subsequently except on furlough, etc., certified in Camp at Peekskill, 
Feb. 16, 1779; also, Maj. Joseph Thompson's Co., Col. Nixon's (6th) 
Regt.; pay rolls for June — Oct., 1779; also, Maj. Peter Harwood's Co., 
Col. Nixon's Regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec, 1779; reported discharged 
Jan. 1, 1780; also. Major's Co.; account of clothing delivered for the 
year 1780; receipt for said clothing dated Peekskill, Dec. 5, 1779. 

Keys, Solomon, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 10 days; roll endorsed 
"L't. Benj. Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 29, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 10 days. 

Kidder, Phineas, Chelmsford. Order on Maj. Barber, dated Cambridge, 
June 24, 1775, signed by Col. E. Bridge, for cartridge boxes for said 
Kidder and others belonging to Lieut. John Flint's Co.; also. Private, 
Capt, Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; 
company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, order for bounty coat or its 
equivalent in money dated Cambridge, Nov. 30, 1775; also, Private, 
Capt. Stephen Russell's Co., Col. Samuel Bullard's Regt., Gen. Warner's 
Brigade; enlisted Aug. 15, 1777; discharged Nov. 30, 1777; service, 3 mos., 
28 days, in Northern department, including 12 days (240 miles) travel 
home; roll dated Dracut; also, list of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner; also, 
descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the 
term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as re- 
ceived of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John Glover, at 
Springfield, July 7, i780; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; complexion, 
dark; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp July 7, 1780, 
under command of Capt. Dix; also, list of men raised for the 6 months' 
service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in 
a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months 
men raised by the town of Chelmsford for service in the Continental 
Army at North River during 1780; marched from home June 30, 1780; 
discharged Jan. 7, 1781; service, 6 mos., 19 days, including 10 days 
(200 miles) travel home. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 327 

Kyes, Daniel, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; age, 37 yrs. ; stature, 
5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, fresh; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Kyes, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Kyes, Solomon, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Lancey, Samuel, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated 
Springfield; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Con- 
tinental Army for the term of 6 months agreeable to resolve of June 5, 
1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter 
Harwood, of 6th Mass. regt., at Springfield, July 2, 1780; age, 20 yrs.; 
stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; 
marched to camp July 2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; 
also, list of men raised for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. 
Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, 
Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of 
Chelmsford for service in the Continental Army at North River during 
1780; marched from home June 30, 1780; discharged Dec. 19, 1780; 
service, 6 mos., including 10 days (200 miles) travel home. 

Lancy, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Moore's Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt. of guards; muster rolls dated Cambridge, May 9, and 
June 1, 1778; enlisted April 1, 1778; service guarding troops of con- 
vention; enlistment, 3 months from April 2, 1778; also, same Co. and 
Regt.; joined April 2, 1778; service to July 3, 1778, 3 mos., 2 days, at 
Cambridge; also. Corporal, Capt. Thomas Hovey's Co., Col. Nathan 
Tyler's Regt.; enlisted July 6, 1779; discharged Dec. 25 (also given 
Dec. 18), 1779; service, 5 mos., 25 (also given 5 mos., 17) days, at Rhode 
Island; also, same Co. and Regt.; pay roll for Dec, 1779, allowing 1 mo., 
5 days service at Rhode Island, including travel (100 miles) home. 

Lane, John. Ensign; company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John 
Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt for wages 
to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. Ford, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777; also. Ensign, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Jonathan Reed's 
Regt.; rations allowed said Lane from July 11, 1776, to Nov. 30, 1776; 
credited with 143 days' allowance. 

Larkins, Peter, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Joshua Parker's Co., Col. 
William Prescott's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 
26, 1775; service, 97 days. 

Lew, Barzillai, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 30 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; occu- 
pation, cooper; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted May 6, 1775; reported a 
negro; also, Fifer (also given Drummer), Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 6, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 3 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, l775; 
also, company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages for 
service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also, company receipt for mileage, 
given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, 
company receipt for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, 
and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Lloyd, Thomas, Boston (also given Chelmsford). Return of men raised 
to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Ebenezer Gore's (1st) 
Co., Col. William Mcintosh's (1st Suffolk Co.) Regt.; engaged for town 
of Roxbury (also given Walpole); joined Capt. Sumner's Co., Col. 
Greaton's Regt.; term, 3 years, to expire April — , 1780; reported as 
from Ireland; also, list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster 



328 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Master for Suflfolk Co., dated Boston, March 16, 1777; Capt. Sumner's 
Co., Col. Greaton's Regt.; also, descriptive list of men mustered, as 
returned by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated 
Boston, June 25, 1780; Col. Nixon's Regt.; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 
5 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, gentlemen soldier; residence, Chelms- 
ford; mustered by Capt. Chambers; also, descriptive list dated West 
Point, Jan. 20, 1781; Capt. Chambers's Co., Lieut. Col. Smith's (6th) 
Regt.; rank. Private; age, 24 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 5 in.; complexion, dark; 
hair, dark; eyes, dark; occupation, tailor; residence, Boston; enlisted 
in 1780, by Capt. Chambers; enlistment, during war; also. Private, Capt. 
Matthew Chambers's Co., Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's (6th) Regt.; return 
for wages; wages allowed said Lloyd for Jan., 1781 — ^July, 1782; reported 
sick in hospital Oct., 1781 — Jan., 1782, transferred to 2d Co. in Aug., 
1782; also, Capt. Daniel Pilsbury's Co., Lieut. Col. Smith's Regt.; return 
for wages; wages allowed said Lloyd for Aug. — Dec, 1782; reported 
transferred from Capt. Chambers's Co., Aug. 1, 1782. 

Lunn, Samuel. Private, Capt. Reuben Butterfield's Co.; enlisted Dec. 16, 
1776; discharged March 16, 1777; service, 90 days; travel home 15 days 
(300 miles) also allowed; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept, 27), 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 
probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford and Dunstable, and marched 
Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Macintir, Benjamin. Capt. Ford's Co., return of cartridges received from 
Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Macintir, Daniel. Capt. Ford's Co.; return of cartridges received from 
Nov. 4 to Jan. 6 (year not given). 

Maneng, John. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to 
Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 2.5, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Maning, John. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776. 

March [Marsh], John. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 days; company raised in Dracut, 
Chelmsford and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce 
Northern Army. 

March [Marsh], John. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by 
said March and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 
1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; 
also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for mileage, dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. John 
Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777. 

Marchel [Marshall], David. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 
1777; service, 40 days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford 
and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Marshal, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zacchcus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; reported sent with the wounded; also, Capt. Stephen Russell's 
Co., Col. Samuel Bullard's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 15, 1777; discharged 
Nov. 30, 1777; service, 3 mos., 28 days, with Gen. Warner's Brigade in 
Northern department, including 12 days (240 miles) travel home; roll 
dated Dracut. 

Marshal, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed 
"L't. Bcnj Walkers Roll." 

Marshal, Thomas, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return (probably Oct., 
1775). 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 329 

Marshall, David, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 5 da>'s. 

Marshall, Isaac, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 12 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Josiah 
Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged July 9, 
1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including travel (8 days) 
to and from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Marshall, Jacob, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner; also, 
descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the 
term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received 
of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, of 6th Mass. 
Regt., at Springfield, July 2, 1780; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; 
complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp 
July 2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, list of men 
raised for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as 
having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; 
also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Chelmsford for 
service in the Continental Army at North river during 1780; marched 
from home June 30, 1780; discharged Jan. 2, 1781; service, 6 mos., 14 
days, including 10 days (200 miles) travel home. 

Marshall, James, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner; also, 
descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for 
the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as 
received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, of 6th 
Mass. Regt., at Springfield, July 2, 1780; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 
9 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to 
camp July 2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, list 
of men raised for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. 
Paterson as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, 
Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of 
Chelmsford for service in the Continental Army at North river during 
1780; marched from home June 30, 1780; discharged Jan. 2, 1781; 
service, 6 mos., 14 days, including 10 days (200 milesj travel home. 

Marshall, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 
1775; service, 5 days. 

Marshall, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 
19, 1775; service, 9 days. 

Marshall, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col, 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 29, 1775; service, 3 mos., 10 days. 

Marshall, Samuel, Chelmsford. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said Marshall 
and others, dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also, Private, same Co. 
and Regt.; company return (probably Oct., 1775). 

Marshall, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; dis- 
charged July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including 
(8 days) to and from place of destination. Roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Marshall, Thomas, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. Benjamin W^alker's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said 
Marshall and others, dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also, muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 11 days. 



330 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Marshall, Thomas, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. 
of Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 9 days. 

Marshel, Abel. Descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co., agreeable 
to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780, as returned by Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent 
for said county; age, 16 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; 
hair, light; eyes, blue; occupation, farmer; engaged for town of Chelms- 
ford; engaged July .31, 1781; term, 6 months. 

Marshel, Samuel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; com- 
plexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 
29, 1775; also. Private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Marting, William, Walpole (also given Chelmsford). Private, Capt. Luke 
Drury's Co., Col. Jonathan Ward's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 
1775; enlisted May 1, 1775; service, 3 mos., 7 days; also, company 
return (probably Oct., 1775); reported on command at Canada; also, 
certificate dated Grafton, May 25, 1776, signed by Capt. Luke Drury, 
certifying that said Marting had been a soldier in his company and had 
enlisted in Sept., 1775, into Capt. Jonas Hubbard's Co. for the expedition 
to Quebec, and that he had not received a bounty coat for that 8 months' 
service prior to said enlistment. 

Mastes, Amos, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 7 days. 

Maxell, Elijah. Order on Capt. Ford, payable to Lieut. Eaton, dated 
Cambridge, Jan. 26, 1778, signed by said Maxell, for 20s 6d out of his 
wages; also, company receipt for wages, etc., given to Capt. Cadwallader 
Ford, dated Wilmington, May 22, 1778. 

McClaning, John, Chelmsford. List of men raised for the 6 months' service 
and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return 
dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; also, list of men mustered in 
Middlesex Co.; engaged for town of Chelmsford; mustered March 4, 
1781. 

McClannen, John. Pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Chelms- 
ford for service in the Continental Army at North river during 1780; 
marched from home June 30, 1780; discharged Dec. 10, 1780; service, 
5 mos., 21 days, including 10 days (200 miles) travel home. 

McCom, Josiah. Capt. Furbush's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; receipt for 
advance pay, signed by said McCom and others, dated Cambridge, 
June 30, 1775. 

McKawes, Hugh, Chelmsford. List of men mustered to serve in the Con- 
tinental Army, as returned by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for 
Suffolk Co., dated Boston, April 26, 1780; Col. Nixon's Regt.; age, 25 
yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; complexion, brown; occupation, gentleman 
soldier; residence, Chelmsford; mustered by Capt. Chambers; enlist- 
ment, during war. 

McKlenne, John. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to resolve of June 5, 
1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent for 
Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated Springfield; also, 
descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the 
term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received 
of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John Glover, at Springfield, 
July 7, 1780; age, 28 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 5 in.; complexion, dark; engaged 
for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp July 7, 1780, under command 
of Capt. Dix. 

Mears, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 5 days; also, receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed 
by said Mears and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt., for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, 
to April 1, 1776; also, company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 331 

Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given 
to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; 
company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged 
at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Mears, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 4 days; also, company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John 
Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given 
to Capt. John Ford, for wages due to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; 
company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged 
at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777; also. Private, Lieut. Colonel's Co., Col. John 
Bailey's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 
1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of 
Chelmsford; also, descriptive list dated Hutts, West Point, Jan. 25, 1781; 
Capt. Hayward's Co., 2d Mass. Regt.; rank, Private; age, 25 yrs. ; 
stature, 5 ft., 4 in.; complexion, dark; hair, black; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April — , 1777, by Lieut. Ball, at Chelmsford; enlistment, during 
war. 

Meears, William, Chelmsford. Private, 1st Co., Col. Bailey's Regt.; Con- 
tinental Army pay accounts for service from April 23, 1777, to Dec. 31, 
1779; also, Capt. Hugh Maxwell's (1st) Co., Col. John Bailey's Regt.; 
company return dated Camp near Valley Forge, Jan. 24, 1778; residence, 
Chelmsford. 

Melendy, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged 
July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including travel 
(8 days) to and from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck; 
also, Capt. Joshua Walker's Co., Col. Samuel Deanney's (Denny's) 
Regt.; enlisted Oct. 27, 1779; discharged Nov. 23, 1779; service, 1 mo., 
9 days, including travel (215 miles) home; company detached to join 
Continental Army and ordered to march to Claverack to serve for 3 
months; roll dated Woburn. 

Melvin, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 
19, 1775; service, 5 days. 

Menule, Charles. Pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Chelmsford 
for service in the Continental Army at North river during 1780; reported 
deserted before he arrived at camp. 

Meriam, Abraham. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt for wages to 
Oct. 1, 1776, given to Capt. John F'ord, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Minot, John, Chelmsford. Captain, 1st Co. (South Co. in Chelmsford), Col. 
Simeon Spaulding's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. of Mass. Militia; list 
of officers chosen in said regiment; ordered in Council, May 31, 1776, 
that said officers be commissioned; reported commissioned May 31, 
1776; also, return of officers who marched to camp to join Col. Dike's 
Regt., dated Dorchester, Sept. 27, 1776; said Minot, Captain, with the 
other officers of his company, marched Aug. 21, 1776; ordered in Council, 
Sept. 27, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; also, Captain, Col. 
Dike's Regt.; pay abstract for mileage to and from Dorchester Heights 
and travel allowance home; mileage (64 miles) and 2 days' travel allowed 
said Minot; warrant allowed in Council, Nov. 30, 1776; also, Captain, 
Col. Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; 
discharged July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including 
8 days (144 miles) travel to and from place of destination; roll dated 
Warwick Neck; also. Major; lists of men appearing under the heading 
"Hartwell Brook the first Everidge"; said Minot appears among men 
who "filled up the Continental Army 1777"; also, official record of a 
ballot by the House of Representatives, dated June 20, 1778; said Minot 
chosen 2d Major, Col. William Thompson's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. 



332 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of Mass. Militia; appointment concurred in by Council June 20, 1778; 
also, official record of a ballot by the House of Representatives, dated 
April 21, 1780; said Minot chosen 2d Major, Col. Jonathan Brown's 
(7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. of Mass. Militia; appointment concurred in 
by Council, April 21, 1780; reported commissioned April 21, 1780. 
Minott, John. Lieutenant, Capt. Ebenezer Withington's Co., which mustered 
April 19, 1775; service, 12 days; also, Captain, Col. Nicholas Dike's 
Regt.; list of officers of two regiments raised for defence of Boston (year 
not given, probably 1776); also. Captain; return of company officers 
of Col. Dike's Regt., showing number of men present and also those not 
joined, dated Dorchester, Sept. 21, 1776, and endorsed "Officers to be 
Commissioned"; company probably joined from Col. Brooks's or Col. 
Sawtell's Regt., Brig. Prescott's Brigade; also. Captain; list of officers 
in Col. Nicholas Dike's Regt.; ordered in Cou;icil, Feb. 1, 1777, that said 
officers be commissioned; commissions to be dated Dec. 1, 1776; also 
Captain; list of officers belonging to Col. Dike's Regt., who agreed to 
tarry at Dorchester Heights until March 1, 1777; also. Captain; Col. 
Dike's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; credited to town 
of Chelmsford; engaged Dec. 1, 1776; regiment raised to serve until 
March 1, 1777. 

Morall, Robert. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776. 

Morel, Robert. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to 
Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Morrill, Jeremiah. Capt. Charles Furbush's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said Morrill and others, dated 
Cambridge, June 30, 1775; also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent 
in money dated Cambridge Camp, Nov. 21, 1775; also, receipt dated 
Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said Morrill and others belonging 
to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt., for wages 
for services from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776. 

Needham, John. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Newton, Hananiah, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Joseph Fox's Co., Col. 
Henry Jackson's (16th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from July 10, 1777, to July 10, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; 
credited to town of Chelmsford; also. Col. David Henley's Regt.; return 
of recruits for knapsacks, dated Boston, Feb. 16, 1778; reported under 
marching orders; also, Capt. Joseph Fox's Co., Col. Henley's Regt.; 
pay roll for Nov., 1778; also, Capt. Fox's (7th) Co., Col. Jackson's 
Regt.; muster roll for April, 1779, dated Pawtuxet; enlisted July 10, 
1777; enlistment, 3 yrs. ; also, same Co. and Regt.; return dated Camp 
Providence, July 8, 1779; also, same Co. and Regt.; pay roll for July, 
1779; also, Capt. Joseph Fox's (3d) Co., Col. Jackson's Regt.; muster 
roll for Oct., 1779, dated Camp Providence; reported on command at 
Newport; also, same Co. and Regt.; regimental return made up to Dec. 
31, 1779, dated Camp at Providence; also, return certified at Camp near 
Morristown, April 30, 1780, of officers and men belonging to Col. Lee's, 
Col. Henley's, and Col. Jackson's Regts., and men belonging to Massa- 
chusetts in Col. Henry Sherburne's Regt., who were incorporated into 
a regiment under the command of Col. Henry Jackson, agreeable to the 
arrangement of April 9, 1779; Capt. Fox's Co.; rank. Drummer; resi- 
dence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; engaged July 10, 
1777; term, 3 yrs.; reported reduced to Private, July 6, 1778; also, Capt. 
Joseph Fox's (3d) Co., Col. Henry Jackson's Regt.; pay rolls for April — 
July, 1780; reported discharged July 10, 1780. 

Nickles, Jere. Capt. Ford's Co.; return of cartridges received from Nov. 4, 
to Jan. 6 (year not given). 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 333 

Osgood, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by said Osgood 
and others, dated Cambridge, June 6, 177.5; also. Private, same Co. and 
Regt.; company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, order for bounty 
coat or its equivalent in money dated Jan. 1, 1776; also. Private, Capt. 
William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army 
pav accounts for service from March 1, 1777, to March 1, 1778; reported 
deceased; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., 6th Mass. Regt., formerly commanded 
by Col. Ichabod Alden; return of men who were in camp on or before 
Aug. 15, 1777; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Alden's Regt.; return 
dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; mustered by Col. Barret, Muster Master 
for Middlesex Co., and by a Continental Muster Master; reported on 
furlough; also, 1st Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; return 
made up to Dec. 31, 1779; enlisted March 2, 1777; enlistment, 3 yrs.; 
reported died March, 1, 1778. 

Osgood, David, Chelmsford. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; receipt for advance pay, signed by said Osgood 
and others, dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775; also, order on Maj. Barber, 
dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775, signed by Col. E. Bridge, for cartridge 
boxes for said Osgood and others belonging to Lieut. John Flint's Co.; 
also. Private, Capt. Walker's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; company return 
(probably Oct., 1775); also, order for bounty coat or its equivalent in 
money dated Cambridge, Nov. 30, 1775; also, list of men raised to serve 
in the Continental Army; residence, Chelmsford; engaged for the town 
of Chelmsford; also. Private, 7th Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's (6th) Regt.; 
Continental Army pay accounts for service from April 9, 1777, to Dec. 31, 
1779; also, Capt. Elijah Danforth's Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; return of 
men who were in camp on or before Aug. 15, 1777, and who had not been 
absent subsequently except on furlough, certified at Camp near Peekskill, 
Feb. 16, 1779; also, Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's Co., Col. Nixon's (5th) 
Regt.; muster roll for May, 1779, dated Highlands; also, same Co. and 
Regt.; pay rolls for Aug.— Oct., 1779; also, Lieut. Col. Daniel Whiting's 
Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec, 1779, dated Soldier's 
Fortune; also, Lieut. Colonel's Co., 6th Mass. Regt.; return for clothing 
for the year 1780; receipt for said clothing, dated Peekskill, Dec. 5, 1779; 
also. Lieut. Colonel's (7th) Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; Continental Army 
pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to April 9, 1780; also, Lieut. 
Colonel Daniel Whiting's Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; pay roll for Jan. — 
June, 1780; reported discharged April 9, 1780; also, order on Capt. 
Howard, Paymaster, 6th Mass. Regt., payable to Phineas Osgood, dated 
Billerica, Jan. 24, 1785, signed by said David Osgood, for wages and 
clothing allowance for 1777-1779. 

Osgood, John. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Osgood, Joseph, Chelmsford. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by said Osgood and others 
dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
11 days; also, company return (probably Oct., 1775). 

Osgood, Phineas, Billerica (also given Chelmsford and Charlestown). List 
of men raised to serve in the Continental Army; residence, Billerica; 
engaged for town of Billerica; also, Private, 7th Co., Col. Thomas Nixon's 
(6th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from April 7, 
1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; reported as serving 18 mos. as Corporal, 14 mos., 
24 days as Private; also. Corporal, Capt. Elijah Danforth's Co., Col. 
Nixon's Regt.; return of men who were in camp on or before Aug. 15, 
1777, and who had not been absent subsequently except on furlough, etc., 
certified at Camp near Peekskill, Feb. 16, 1779; also, Lieut. Col. Calvin 
Smith's Co., Col. Nixon's (5th) Regt.; muster roll for May, 1779, dated 



334 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Highlands; also, same Co. and Regt.; pay rolls for Aug. and Sept., 1779; 
reported reduced to Private, Sept. 24, 1779; also. Private, same Co. and 
Regt.; pay roll for Oct., 1779; also, Lieut. Col. Daniel Whiting's Co., 
Col. Nixon's Regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec, 1779, dated Soldier's 
Fortune; also, Lieut. Colonel's Co., 6th Mass. Regt.; return for clothing 
for the year 1780; receipt for said clothing, dated Peekskill, Dec. 5, 1779; 
also, description list of men belonging to Col. Thomas Nixon's Regt., 
who enlisted for the war prior to Sept. 30, 1779, certified at Highlands; 
age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of 
Billerica; also, Capt. A. Holden's Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; Continental 
Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; 
residence, Chelmsford; also, Lieut. Col. Daniel Whiting's Co., Col. 
Nixon's Regt.; pay roll for Jan.— June, 1780; said Osgood allowed 2 mos., 
29 days' service; also, Light Infantry Co., 6lh Mass. Regt.; return of 
men in need of clothing, dated Peekskill, July 31, 1780; also, Capt. Abel 
Holden's (Light Infantry) Co., Col. Nixon's Regt.; pay rolls for Jan. — 
Dec, 1780; said Osgood made up from March 29, 1780; also descriptive 
list dated West Point, Jan. 29, 1781; Capt. Holden's Co., Col. Nixon's 
(6th) Regt., commanded by Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith; age, 20 yrs; stature, 
5 ft., 8 in.; complexion, light; hair, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Charlestown; enlisted April 7, 1777, by Capt. Danforth; enlistment, 
during war; also, Capt. Peter Clayes's (Light Infantry) Co., commanded 
by Capt. John K. Smith prior to May 1, 1781, Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's 
(6th) Regt.; returns for wages for the years 1781 and 1782; wages allowed 
said Osgood for 24 mos.; reported deserted in Feb., 1782, joined in March, 
1782, and full amount of wages allowed. 

Parker, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 3 days. 

Parker, Benjamin (also given Benjamin, Jr.), Chelmsford. Private, Capt. 
Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 8 days; also, descriptive list 
dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 
22 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roH dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
enlisted April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 12 days; also, company return 
dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Parker, Chester, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Asa Drury's Co., Col. Turner's 
Regt.; entered service Aug. 24, 1781; discharged Nov. 30, 1781; service, 
3 mos., 11 days, at Rhode Island, including travel (SO miles) home; 
roll endorsed "five Months' Service at Rhode Island." 

Parker, Daniel. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Parker, David, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging to 
Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775. 

Parker, Isaac, Chelmsford. Lieutenant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 5 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj. Walkers Roll"; also. Lieutenant, Capt. John Ford's Co.; 
list of officers belonging to Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. to be com- 
missioned; ordered in Provincial Congress, at Watertown, May 27, 1775, 
that said officers be commissioned; receipt for above commissions dated 
Watertown, May 27, 1775; also. Lieutenant, Capt. John Fiord's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, 1st Lieutenant, 
same Co. and Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, 2d 
Lieutenant, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. Nicholas Dike's Regt.; list 
of ofificers; ordered in Council, Feb. 1, 1777, that said officers be com- 
missioned; commissions to be dated Dec. 1, 1776; also, 2d Lieutenant, 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 335 

Capt. Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1776 — 
Feb., 1777; engaged Dec. 13, 1776; regiment raised to serve until March 1, 
1777, and stationed at Dorchester Heights; also. Lieutenant, Col. Michael 
Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 
1777, to Oct. 3, 1778; reported resigned Oct. 3, 1778; also, list of men 
belonging to Col. Michael Jackson's (Mass. Line) Regt., approved 
April 9, 1779; Capt. James Varnum's Co.; rank. Lieutenant; also, same 
Co. and Regt.; return of officers for clothing, dated Bcston, April 27, 
1778; also, certificate dated Medford, Feb. 15, 1779, signed by Lieut. 
Col. J. Brooks, certifying that said Parker served as Lieutenant in Col. 
Michael Jackson's Regt. from Jan. 1, 1777, to Oct. 3, 1778, when he was 
honorably discharged, and that when in service he was not absent except 
on furlough or on command; also. Lieutenant; Council warrant dated 
Feb. 15, 1779, for £36 drawn in favor of said Parker for gratuity allowed 
by resolve of May 1, 1778. 
Parker, John, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 7 days; roll endorsed "L't. Benj. 
Walkers Roll"; also, descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; com- 
plexion, dark; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 26, 1775; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; enlisted April 26, 1775; service, 3 mos., 13 days; 
also company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 
Parker, John, W'estford (also given Chelmsford). List of men raised to serve 
in the Continental Army, as returned by Capt. Zaccheus Wright and 
Capt. Pelatiah Fletcher; residence, Westford (also given Chelmsford); 
engaged for town of Westford (also given Chelmsford); joined 
Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Alden's Regt.; term to expire in 1780; 
also, Private, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's Co., Col. John Brooks's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from April 18, 1777, to 
Oct. 7, 1777; also, Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's Regt.; 
return dated Albany, Jan. 12, 1778; mustered by Col. Barrett, Muster 
Master for Middlesex Co., and by a Continental Muster Master; also, 
1st Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) Regt.; return made up to Dec. 31, 
1779; reported killed in action Oct. 7, 1777. 
Parker, Jonas, Acton (also given Chelmsford). Ensign, Capt. John Ford's 
Co.; list of officers belonging to Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. to be 
commissioned; ordered in Provincial Congress, at Watertown, May 27, 
1775, that said officers be commissioned; receipt for above commissions 
dated Watertown, May 27, 1775; also. Lieutenant, Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, 2d Lieutenant, 
same Co. and Regt.; companv return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, 2d 
Lieutenant, Capt. William Hudson Ballard's (4th) Co., Col. Asa Whit- 
comb's Regt.; muster roll dated Camp at Ticonderoga, Nov. 27, 1776; 
appointed Jan. 1, 1776; reported re-engaged for the war, Nov. 13, 1776, 
as 1st Lieutenant in Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Alden's Regt., but to 
remain in Col. Whitcomb's Regt., until Dec. 31, 1776; also Captain and 
Lieutenant, Col. Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for 
service from Jan. 1, 1777, to Dec. 31 1779; reported as serving 30 mos. 
as Lieutenant, 6 mos. as Captain; also 1st Lieutenant, Capt. William 
Hudson Ballard's (1st) Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's Regt.; return of field, 
staff, and commissioned officers (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; 
also, return of Capt. Ballard's Co., Col. Ichabod Alden's Regt., dated 
Albany, Jan. 12, 1778, signed by said Parker and James Lunt, Lieutenants; 
also. Captain Lieutenant, in command of (late) Colonel's Co., (late) 
Col. Alden's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1778, dated Cherry Valley; 
also. Captain, in a regiment formerly commanded by Col. Alden; return 
of field, staff, and commissioned officers, dated Boston, Jan. 5, 1779; 
also. Captain Lieutenant, 9th Co., Col. Alden's (6th) Regt.; muster roll 
of field, staff, and commissioned officers for March and April, 1779, 
dated Cherry Valley; appointed Oct. 1, 1778; also, Captain Lieutenant, 



336 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

in command of (late) Col. Alden's Co., 6th Mass. Regt. formerly com- 
manded by Col. Ichabod Alden; muster roll for March and April, 1779, 
dated Fort "Harkemer"; reported furloughed by Gen. Clinton; also, 
Captain, 7th Mass., Regt.; list of settlements of rank of Continental 
officers, dated West Point, made by a board held for the purpose and 
confirmed by Congress, Sept. 6, 1779; commissioned June 25, 1779; 
also, return of field, staff, and commissioned ofificers of Lieut. Col. John 
Brooks's (late Col. Alden's) 7th Regt., made up to Dec. 31, 1779; said 
Parker commissioned as Lieutenant, Jan. 1, 1777; promoted to Captain 
Lieutenant and commissioned Oct. 1, 177S; promoted to Captain and com- 
missioned June 5, 1779; service as Lieutenant, 21 mos., as Captain Lieu- 
tenant, 8 mos., 4 days, and as Captain, 6 mos., 26 days; also. Captain, Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 

1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; also. Captain, 4th Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's 
(7th) Regt.; return of ofificers, dated Sept. 9, 1780; commissioned Nov. 
11, 1777; also, same Regt.; return of officers for clothing, dated Camp 
Totoway, Oct. 16, 1780; also, returns of effectives between Oct. 26 and 
Nov. 23, 1780, dated Camp Totoway; reported absent in Massachusetts 
without leave from Oct. 19, 1780; also, Captain, 3d Co., Lieut. Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; muster roll of field, staff and commissioned officers for 
Oct. — Dec, 1780, dated Huts West Point; appointed June 5, 1779; 
also, returns of effectives between Jan. 5, and Jan. 19, 1781, dated German 
Hutts and West Point; reported under arrest; also, muster roll for Jan., 

1781, dated West Point; reported dismissed the service Jan. 24, 1781. 
Parker, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 

Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, 
Oct. 31, 1776; said Parker reported as in camp at White Plains fit for 
duty and as having lost articles in battle. 

Parker, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; said Parker reported as in camp at White Plains. 

Parker, Leonard, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; 
service, 3 mos., 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; 
regiment raised in SufTolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Con- 
tinental Army for 3 months; roll dated Woburn. 

Parker Levi. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for mileage, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Parker, Moses, Chelmsford. Lieutenant Colonel, Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
Regt. of Minute-Men; marched April 19, 1775; service, 4 days; also. 
Lieutenant Colonel, Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; engaged April 24, 
1775; service, 2 mos., 22 days; also, Lieutenant Colonel; order of the day, 
dated May 8, 1775; said Parker appointed field officer of the main guard; 
also, order of the day, dated Cambridge, May 11, 1775; said Parker 
appointed field officer of fatigue; also, Lieutenant Colonel; list of officers 
belonging to Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. to be commissioned; ; ordered 
in Provincial Congress, at Watertown, May 27, 1775, that said officers 
be commissioned; receipt for above commissions, dated Watertown, 
May 27, 1775; also. Lieutenant Colonel; order of the day, dated Cam- 
bridge, June 2, 1775; said Parker appointed field officer of fatigue for 
June 3, 1775; also, order of the day, dated June 4, 1775; said Parker 
appointed officer of the main guard; also, order of the day, dated Cam- 
bridge, June 4, 1775; said Parker appointed field officer of the main 
guard for June 5, 1775; the foregoing orders taken from Lieut. Col. 
Loammi Baldwin's Orderly Book. 

Parker, Oliver, Chelmsford. List of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, 
Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, Sept. 14, 1777; Capt. 
Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; also, Private, Capt. 
Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 337 

accounts for service from May 15, 1777, to June 1, 1778; residence, 
Chelmsford; credited to town of Chelmsford; term, 3 years; reported 
discharged. 

Parker, Reuben, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; 
service, 13 days. 

Parker, Silas, Chelmsford. Descriptive list dated June 15, 1775; Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 17 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; 
complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted 
April 29, 1775; also, Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 29, 
1775; service, 3 mos., 10 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Parker, Silas, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to resolve 
of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, Super- 
intendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated Spring- 
field; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental 
Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, 
returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John 
Glover, at Springfield, July 7, 1780; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, 
dark; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp July 7, 1780, 
under command of Capt. Dix; also, list of men raised for the 6 months' 
service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in 
a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months 
men raised by the town of Chelmsford for service in the Continental 
Army at North river during 1780; marched June 30, 1780; discharged 
Jan. 7, 1781; service, 6 mos., 19 days, including travel (200 miles) home. 

Parker, Simon. Private, Capt. Simon Hunt's Co., Col. Jacob Gerrish's 
Regt. of Guards; enlisted July 4, 1778; discharged Dec. 15, 1778; service, 
5 mos., 12 days; roll dated Winter Hill. 

Parker, Willard, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 
Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 
1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 
probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched to 
reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777. 

Parker, William, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days. Roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll." 

Parker, William. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army. 

Parker, William, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed "L't 
Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Josiah Whitney's 
Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged July 9, 1777; 
service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including travel (8 days) to and 
from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Parkhurst, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 
19, 1775; service, 3 days. 

Parkhurst, Ephraim, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 
19, 1775; service, 11 days. 

Parkhurst, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. 
Dike's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; enlisted Dec. 1, 
1776; regiment raised to serve until March 1, 1777;also, Capt. John Minot's 
Co., Col. Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; 
discharged July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including 
travel (8 days) to and from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck. 



338 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Parkhust, Josiah. Private, Capt. Joshua Lealand's Co. of Guards; enlisted 
Sept. 29, 1779; discharged Nov. 10, 1779; service, 1 mo., 13 days; 
company detached from militia by order of Gen. Hancock to man forts 
at and about Boston until Nov. 10, 1779, and stationed at Boston under 
Maj. Nathaniel Heath. 

Peirce, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 7 days; also, Sergeant, Col. Michael Jackson's 
(8th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from May 15, 
1777, to Jan. 25, 1778; credited to town of Chelmsford; reported pro- 
moted to Ensign; also, list of officers and men belonging to Col. Michael 
Jackson's Mass. Line Regt., returned probably in 1779; Sergeant, Capt. 
James Varnum's Co.; also, Ensign, same Regt.; Continental Army pay 
accounts for service from Jan. 25, 1778, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, same 
Regt.; return of officers, dated West Point, Nov. 8, 1779; also. Ensign, 
same Regt.; list of officers promoted in the Continental Army; com- 
missioned Nov. 26, 1779; also. Ensign, same Regt.; Continental Army 
pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; also, Ensign; 
return dated Phillipsburgh, July 18, 1781, made by Ezra Badlam, Lieut. 
Colonel Commandant, 8th Mass. Regt. of officers of said regiment doing 
duty upon warrants; date of warrant, Nov. 26, 1779; also, communica- 
tion addressed to His Excellency Gov. Hancock, dated West Point, 
July 3, 1782, signed by J. Vose, Colonel, requesting that a warrant might 
be issued to said Peirce as there was a deficiency of officers in his regiment; 
advised in Council, July 31, 1782, that a warrant be granted in accordance 
with Col. Vose's recommendation; certificate dated Camp Nelson's 
Point, July 14, 1782, signed by J. Greaton, Colonel, 3d Mass. Regt., 
accompanying above communication, certifies that said Peirce, Ensign, 
was entitled to a Lieutenancy in the 1st Regt., Vice Lieut. Joseph Foot, 
resigned. 

Peirce, Jonas, Chelmsford. Corporal, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, list of men probablj^ belonging to 
Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775; also. Sergeant, Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
engaged April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Peirce, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; also, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged 
July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days at Rhode Island, including travel 
(8 days) to and from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Peirce, Levi, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 10 days. Roll endorsed "L't 
Benj Walkers Roll." 

Peirce, Robert, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed "L't Benj 
Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay signed by said Peirce and 
others, dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and 
Regt.; company return (probably Oct., 1775); also, descriptive list of 
men raised in Middlesex Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of 
their arrival at Fishkill; Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Spaulding's Regt.; age, 
23 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 11 in.; residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town 
of Chelmsford; arrived at Fishkill, June 19, 1778. 

Peirce, Silas. Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, 
to reinforce Northern Army. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 339 

Peirce, Stephen, Chelmsford. Private. Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; said Peirce reported as in Camp at White Plains, fit for duty. 

Peirce, Stephen. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Peirce, Stephen. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army. 

Peirce, Stephen, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 5 days. 

Peirce, Willard, Chelmsford. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 
1776, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. 
John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also. Private, 
Capt. Reuben Butterfield's Co.; enlisted Dec. 16, 1776; discharged March 
16, 1777: service. 90 days; 15 days (300 miles) travel home also allowed; 
also. Private, Capt. James Varnum's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's Regt.; 
Continental Army pay accounts for service from April 28, 1777, to Dec. 
31, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; credited to town of Chelmsford; also, 
descriptive list dated Jan. 7, 1781; Capt. Lieut. E. Smith's (also given 
Capt. Wade's) Co., Col. Michael Jackson's (8th) Regt.; rank. Corporal; 
age, 33 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, dark; hair, brown; occupa- 
tion, farmer; birthplace, Chelmsford; residence, Chelmsford; engaged 
Feb. 5, 1780, by Sergt. Barron, at West Point; term, during war; also, 
list dated Boston, Jan. 28, 1803, returned by John Avery, Secretary, and 
J. Jackson, Treasurer, of men who had enlisted into the Continental 
Army, and actually served 3 years, and were, accordingly, entitled to 
gratuities under resolves of March 4, 1801, and June 19, 1801; regiment 
of invalids. 

Pence, Ephraim, Chelmsford. List of men raised for the 6 months' service 
and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return 
dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Perham, John. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776. 

Perham, Oliver, Chelmsford. Private, Lieut. John Flint's Co., Col. Thomas 
Poor's Regt.; enlisted June 10, 1778, 3 days preceding march; discharged 
Feb. 11, 1779; service, 8 mos., 14 days, at and about White Plains, 
including 12 days (240 miles) travel home; regiment raised to fortify 
passes of North river, N. Y.; also, Capt. Asa Lawrence's Co., Col. 
Thomas Poor's Regt.; pay rolls for June — Aug., 1778, dated Fort Clinton; 
also, (late) Capt. Asa Lawrence's Co., commanded by Lieut. John Flint, 
Col. Poor's Regt.; pay roll for Sept., 1778, dated West Point; also, 
Lieut. John Flint's Co., Col. Poor's Regt.; pay roll for Nov., 1778, 
dated West Point; also, list of 6 months men raised agreeable to resolve 
of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, Superin- 
tendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated Spring- 
field; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental 
Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, 
returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, 
of 6th Mass. Regt., at Springfield, July 2, 1780; age, 17 yrs.; stature, 
5 ft., 9 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched 
to camp July 2, 1780, under command of Capt. Phineas Parker; also, 
list of men raised for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. 
Paterson as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, 
Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of 
Chelmsford for service in the Continental Army at North river during 
1780; marched from home June 30, 1780; discharged Dec. 19, 1780; 
service, 6 mos., including 10 days (200 miles) travel home. 



340 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Perham, Samuel. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably 
raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 
1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Perham, Samuel, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 13 days. Roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll." 

Perhomn, John. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages 
to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Pierce, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Company return dated June 15, 1775 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; age, 19 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 
8 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford 
enlisted April 26, 1775; also. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Eben 
ezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; enlisted April 25 (also given April 26), 1775 
service, 3 mos., 14 days (also given 3 mos., 13 days); also, company 
return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also. Lieutenant, Col. Joseph Vose's (1st) 
Regt.; list of officers of 1st Mass. Brigade (year not given), probably 
1782 or 1783), showing dates of appointments; commissioned July 7, 
1782; also. Lieutenant, Col. Joseph Vose's (1st) Regt.; returns of 
effectives between Sept. 6, and Sept. 20, 1782, dated Camp Verplanck's 
Point and Camp West Point; reported on command at West Point from 
Aug. 1, 1782; also. Lieutenant and Paymaster, same Regt.; returns of 
effectives, dated Camp Philadelphia, July 11, and July 18, 1783; reported 
on command at West Point; also. Lieutenant; returns of effectives 
between July 25, 1783, and Aug. 22, 1783, dated Camp Philadelphia; 
reported on command at West Point. 

Pierce, Ephraim, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated 
Springfield; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Contin- 
ental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 
1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. 
John Glover, at Springfield, July 7, 1780; age, 18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 
10 in.; complexion, dark; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to 
camp July 7, 1780, under command of Capt. Dix; also, list of men raised 
for the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having 
passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. 

Pierce, Jonas, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 
6 ft.; complexion, fresh; occupation, housewright; residence, Chelms- 
ford; enlisted April 25, 1775; also. Sergeant, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, company return 
dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Pierce, Robert, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 
28, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Piper, Samuel. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Procter, Azariah, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Corporal, Capt. John Ford's Co. of 
Volunteers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; engaged Sept. 28 (also given 
Sept. 27), 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) 
days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, 
and marched to reinforce Northern Army, Sept. 30, 1777. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 341 

Procter, Daniel. Enlistment agreement dated Jan. 29, 1776, signed by said 
Procter and others, engaging themselves to serve until April 1, 1776; 
also, receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said Procter 
and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in 
Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also, 1st 
Lieutenant, Capt. Benjamin Fletcher's (1st) Co., 7th Middlesex Co. 
Regt. of Mass. Militia; list of officers commissioned July 13, 1780. 

Procter, Elijah. 2d Lieut., Capt. John Minot's (1st) Co. (South Co. in 
Chelmsford), Col. Simeon Spaulding's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. of Mass. 
Militia; list of officers chosen in said regiment; ordered in Council, May 
31, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; reported commissioned 
May 31, 1776; also. Lieutenant, Capt. John Moore's Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt. of Guards; muster rolls dated Cambridge, May 9, and 
June 1, 1778; appointed March 23, 1778; service guarding troops of 
convention; term, 3 months from April 2, 1778; also, same Co. and 
Regt.; engaged April 1, 1778; discharged July 1, 1778; service, 3 mos. 
at Cambridge. 

Procter, Levi, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. 
for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agree- 
able to resolve of April 20, 1778; Capt. Minot's Co., Col. Spaulding's 
Regt., age, 21 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 9 in.; residence, Chelmsford; engaged 
for town of Chelmsford ; arrived at Fishkill, June 19, 1778; also, list of 
men returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. 
Putnam. July 20, 1778. 

Putman, David. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28, 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 
40 days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dun- 
stable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Putnam, David, Chelmsford. Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by said Putnam 
and others, dated Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, order on Maj. Barber, 
dated Cambridge, June 24, 1775, signed by Col. E. Bridge, for cartridge 
boxes for said Putnam and others belonging to Lieut. John Flint's Co.; 
also. Private, Capt. Walker's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; company return 
(probably Oct., 1775); also, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; 
muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; enlisted Dec. 13, 1776; regiment 
raised to serve until March 1, 1777. 

Quinlen, William, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Asa Drury's Co., Col. Turner's 
Regt.; entered service Aug. 24, 1781; discharged Nov. 27, 1781; service, 
3 mos., 8 days, at Rhode Island, including travel (80 miles) home; roll 
endorsed "five Months Service at Rhode Island"; also, receipt dated 
Dunstable, March 26, 1782, for bounty paid said Quinlen by Class No. 1 
of the town of Dunstable, of which Ebenezer Bancroft was Chairman, 
to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 3 years. 

Rea, Caleb. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. John 
Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777. 

Read, Abel, Chelmsford. Descriptive list of men raised in Middlesex Co. 
to reinforce the Continental Army, agreeable to resolve of June 9, 1779, 
as returned by Brig. Gen. Eleazer Brooks to Maj. Hosmer, dated Lincoln, 
July 21, 1779; Capt. Minott's Co., 7th Middlesex Co. Regt.; age, 22 yrs.; 
stature, 6 ft., 1 in. (also given 6 ft.); complexion, light; residence, Chelms- 
ford; engaged for town of Chelmsford; reported delivered to Ensign 
Clark. 

Read, James. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said 
Read and others belonging to Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's 
(Robinson's) Regt. for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 
1776. 



342 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Read, Supply, Chelmsford. List of men raised for the 6 months' service and 
returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return 
dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; also, pay roll for 6 months men 
raised by the town of Chelmsford for service in the Continental Army 
at North river during 1780; marched from home June 30, 1780; discharged 
Jan. 9, 1781; service, 6 mos., 20 days, including 10 days (200 miles) travel 
home. 

Reed, Abel. List of men raised in Middlesex Co., for Continental service, 
agreeable to resolve of June 9, 1779, as returned by Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for said county. Nov. 24, 1779; engaged for town of 
Chelmsford; also, Maj. Keith's Co., Col. Michael Jackson's (8th) Regt. ; 
entered service July 28, 1779; discharged April 28, 1780; term, 9 months. 

Reed, Peter, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. Josiah 
Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged July 9, 
1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including travel (8 days) 
to and from place of destination. Roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Reed, Supply, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which marched 
on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 8 days; roll endorsed "L't Benj 
Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army; also, list of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated 
Springfield; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Con- 
tinental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 
1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. 
John Glover, at Springfield, July 11, 1780; age, 25 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 
6 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Chelmsford; arrived at 
Springfield, July 9, 1780; marched to camp July 11, 1780, under command 
of Ensign Bancraft. 

Rice, Benjamin, Chelmsford. List of men raised to serve in the Continental 
Army (year not given); residence, Chelmsford; engaged for town of 
Chelmsford. 

Richardson, James, Chelmsford. Fifer, Colonel's Co., Col. Thomas Marshall's 
(10th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 10, 
1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; residence, Chelmsford; credited to town of 
Chelmsford; also, Capt. Philip Thomas's (5th) Co., Col. Thomas Mar- 
shall's Regt.; subsistence allowed from date of entering service, Jan. 15, 
1777, to Feb. 6, 1777; credited with 22 days' allowance; subsistence also 
allowed for 11 days (220 miles) travel on march from Boston to Benn- 
ington; also, same Co. and Regt.; subsistence allowed from Feb. 6, 
1777, to June 2, 1777; credited with 135 days' allowance; also, same Co. 
and Regt.; muster roll for Jan., 1779, dated West Point; enlisted Jan. 10, 
1777; enlistment, 3 yrs.; also. Colonel's Co., Col. Marshall's Regt.; 
muster roll for April, 1779, dated West Point; also. Private, same Co. and 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to 
Jan. 12, 1780. 

Richardson, Josiah, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 3 days. 

Richardson, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Varnum's Co., Col. 
Michael Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from Jan. 1, 1780, to Feb. 3, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; term, 3 years; 
reported deceased. 

Richardson, Nathaniel. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed 
by said Richardson and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, 
to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col Roberson's (Robinson's) 
Regt. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 343 

Richardson, Oliver, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 7 days; also, receipt dated Chelmsford, 
April 19, 1776, signed by said Richardson and others, for wages for 
service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also, Private, Capt. John Ford's 
Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also 
given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 
43) days; company probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dun- 
stable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Richardson, Robert, Chelmsford (also given Lancaster). Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay for 1 
month, signed by said Richardson and others, dated Cambridge, June 6, 
1775; also, same Co. and Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; 
age, 23 yrs. ; stature, 6 ft. ; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted May 4, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 4, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
5 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, company receipt 
for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; 
also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 
1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 

1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777; also, Capt. John 
Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1776— Feb., 1777; 
enlisted Dec. 13, 1776; discharged Jan. 22, 1777; regiment raised to serve 
until March 1, 1777; also. Private, Colonel's Co., Col. Thomas Marshall's 
(10th) Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 12, 

1777, to Dec. 31, 1780; residence, Chelmsford; credited to town of Chelms- 
ford; also, Capt. Phillip Thomas's (5th) Co., Col. Marshall's Regt.; 
subsistence allowed from date of entering service, Jan. 15, 1777, to Feb. 6, 
1777; credited with 23 days' allowance; subsistence also allowed for 11 
days (220 miles) travel on march from Boston to Bennington; also, same 
Co. and Regt.; subsistence allowed from Feb. 6, 1777, to June 2, 1777; 
credited with 135 days' allowance; also, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll for Jan., 1779, dated West Point; enlisted Jan. 12, 1777; enlistment, 
3 yrs.; reported sick at Hartford; also. Colonel's Co., Col. Marshall's 
Regt.; muster roll for April, 1779, dated West Point; also, descriptive 
list endorsed "W point January 11th 1781"; Capt. William Parks' Co., 
Col. Benjamin Tupper's (10th) Regt.; age, 44 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; 
complexion, light; hair, light; residence, Lancaster (also given Chelms- 
ford); engaged Oct. 7, 1779, by Capt. Parks; term, during war; also. 
Private, Col. Tupper's Regt.; service from Jan. 1, 1781, 24 mos. 

Robb, John. Company receipt, dated Chelmsford, April 19. 1776, for wages 

for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., 

Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 
Robbins, Jonathan. Sergeant, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; 

muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; credited to town of Chelmsford; 

enlisted Dec. 13, 1776; regiment raised to serve until March 1, 1777. 
Robens [Robins], Ephraim. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 

Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; 

discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 

probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched 

Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 
Robens [Robins], Jonathan. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, 

Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 

1777; discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 

probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched 

Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 
Roby, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 

Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 

April 19, 1775; service, 17 days. 



344 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Rowell, William, Sandown (also given Chelmsford). Private, Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated 
Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 6, 1775; service, 3 mos., 3 days. 

Shad, Jonathan. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Shed, Ebenezer, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's 
(27th) Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 
6 ft.; complexion, dark; occupation, house wright; residence, Chelmsford; 
enlisted April 25, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll 
dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, 
company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Shed, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brook's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; said Shed reported as in Camp at White Plains and fit for duty. 

Shed, Jonathan. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army; also, order on Capt. John Ford, of Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt., payable to Daniel Proctor, dated Chelmsford, Nov. 16, 

1778, signed by said Shed, for wages for 40 days' service in 1777. 
Sherwin, Elnathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Thomas Hove^^'s Co., Col, 

Nathan Tyler's Regt.; enlisted July 15, 1779; discharged Dec. 18, 1779; 
service, 5 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island; also, same Co. and Regt.; pay 
roll for Dec, 1779, allowing 1 mo., 5 days' service at Rhode Island, in- 
cluding travel (100 miles) home. 

Silaway, Reuben. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Sillaway, Daniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 9 days. 

Siloway, Daniel. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; also, company receipt for 
mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; 
also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 
1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 
1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Simmonds, John, Boston (also given Chelmsford). Fifer, Major's Co., Col. 
Henry Jackson's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service 
from July 14, 1777, to June 1, 1779; residence, Chelmsford; reported 
deserted June 1, 1779, returned to service May 1, 1780; also, Capt. 
Nathaniel Jarvis's Co., Col. Jackson's Regt.; pay roll for Feb., 1778; 
also, same Co. and Regt.; pay rolls for June, July, and Aug., 1778, sworn 
to at Providence; also, same Co. and Regt.; pay roll for Sept., 1778, 
certified at Pawtuxet; also, Lieut. Thomas Hunt's Co., Col. Jackson's 
Regt.; pay rolls for Dec, 1778, and Feb., 1779, sworn to at Pawtuxet; 
also, Capt. Hunt's (4th) Co., Col. Jackson's Regt.; pay roll for March, 

1779, sworn to at Pawtuxet; also, Capt. Lemuel Trescott's (3rd) Co., 
Col. Jackson's Regt.; muster roll for April, 1779, dated Pawtuxet; enlisted 
June 27, 1777; enlistment, 3 years; reported furloughed Feb. 22, 1779, 
by Col. Jackson, for 25 days; also, descriptive list dated Hutts, three 
miles from West Point, Jan. 28, 1781; Capt. Hastings's Co., 9th Mass. 
Regt., commanded by Col. Jackson; rank, Fifer; age, 13 yrs.; stature, 
4 ft., 8 in ; complexion, dark; hair, dark; residence, Boston; enlisted 
Jan. 17, 1781, by Col. Jackson; enlistment, during war; reported much 
marked with small-pox. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 345 

Smiley, William. Companj' receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 

dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 

John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 

marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 

_ Jan. 1, 1777. 

Smith, John. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated 
Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Spalding, Artemas, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, 
Oct. 31, 1776; said Spalding reported as in Camp at White Plains and 
fit for duty. 

Spalding, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, 
Oct. 31, 1776; said Spalding reported as in camp and fit for duty; also 
reported as having lost articles in battle. 

Spalding, Samuel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; reported sick at Weathersfield. 

Spaulding, [Ashbel.] Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian How's 
Regt.; entered service July 28, 1780, 3 days preceding March; discharged 
Oct. 30, 1780; service, 3 mos., 8 days, probably at Rhode Island, including 
5 days (100 miles) travel home; company detached from 7th Middlesex 
Regt., and ordered part to Rhode Island and part to Fishkill; regiment 
raised to reinforce Continental Army for 3 months. 

Spaulding, Azriah, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Minot's Co., Col. 
Josiah Whitney's Regt.; arrived at destination May 10, 1777; discharged 
July 9, 1777; service, 2 mos., 9 days, at Rhode Island, including travel 
(8 days) to and from place of destination; roll dated Warwick Neck. 

Spaulding, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days. 

Spaulding, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; 
service, 3 mos., 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; 
regiment raised in Suffolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Continental 
Army for 3 months. 

Spaulding, David, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll." 

Spaulding, Henry, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 7 days. 

Spaulding, Jephthah, Chelmsford. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 
1776, signed by said Spaulding and others, for wages for service from 
Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. John Rober- 
son's (Robinson's) Regt.; also. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct, 
31, 1776; said Spaulding reported as in Camp at White Plains; also 
reported as having been sent with the wounded; also, Capt. John 
Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; 
enlisted Dec. 13, 1776; regiment raised to serve until March 1, 1777. 

Spaulding, Jesse, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775; also, enlistment agreement dated 
Jan. 29, 1776, signed by said Spaulding and others, engaging themselves 
to serve until April 1, 1776; also. Corporal, Capt. Reuben Butterfield's 
Co.; enlisted Dec. 16, 1776; discharged March 16, 1777; service, 90 
days; travel home, 15 days (300 miles), also allowed; also, order on 
Capt. Butterfield, signed by said Spaulding, for remainder of wages due for 
service in Capt. Butterfield's Co., Col. Thatcher's Regt. (year not given). 



346 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Spaulding, John, Chelmsford. Drummer, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 10 days. 

Spaulding, John, Chelmsford (probably). List of men probably belonging 
to Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775. 

Spaulding, John (also given John, 3d), Chelmsford. List of men mustered 
by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, 
June 8, 1777; Capt. Brown's Co., Col. Henry Jackson's Regt.; reported 
received State bounty; also, Drummer, Major's Co., Col. Jackson's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, 
to April 3, 1780; also, return certified at Camp near Morristown, April 
30, 1780, of officers and men belonging to Col. Lee's, Col. Henley's, and 
Col. Jackson's Regts., and men belonging to Massachusetts in Col. 
Henry Sherburne's Regt., who were incorporated into a regiment under 
the command of Col. Henry Jackson, agreeable to the arrangement of 
April 9, 1779; Major's Co.; rank. Drummer; residence, Chelmsford; 
engaged for town of Chelmsford; engaged April 3, 1777; term, 3 yrs. ; 
reported discharged April 3, 1780, term of enlistment having expired. 

Spaulding, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. Col. 
Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; service, 
3 mos., 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; regiment 
raised in Suffolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Continental Army 
for 3 months. 

Spaulding, John. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said 
Spaulding and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 
1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Spaulding, Jonas (also given Jonas, Jr.), Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated June 
15, 1775; age, 19 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, 
farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted, April 29 (also given April 27), 
1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
enhsted April 29, 1775; service, 3 mos., 10 days; also, company return 
dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, account of articles lost at the battle of Bunker 
Hill, June 17, 1775, by said Spaulding and others; also, memorandum 
of firelocks received of sundry officers and soldiers; date of delivery, Jan. 1, 
1776. 

Spaulding, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt. which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; order for advance pay, signed by 
said Spaulding and others, dated Camp at Cambridge, June 6, 1775 
also, same Co. and Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; age 
20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, dark; occupation, farmer 
residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 25, 1775; also. Private, same Co 
and Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775 
service, 3 mos., 14 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Spaulding, Joseph. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by 
said Spaulding and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to 
April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) 
Regt. 

Spaulding, Joseph, Jr., Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 8 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer 
Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 19 
yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, 
Chelmsford; enlisted April 27, 1775; also. Private, same Co. and Regt.; 
muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos., 
12 daysr also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Spaulding, Micah, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 10 days. Roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll." 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 347 

Spaulding, Robert, Chelmsford. 2d Lieutenant, Capt. John Ford's (4th) 
Co., 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia; list of officers; com- 
missioned May 31, 1776; also, 2d Lieutenant, Capt. Ford's (4th) Co. 
(North Co. in Chelmsford); list of officers chosen in said company, as 
returned by Simeon Spaulding, field officer, dated Chelmsford, July 5, 
1776; ordered in Council, Sept. 3, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; 
also, 2d Lieutenant, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's (8th) Co., Col. Eleazer 
Brooks's Regt.; list of officers of a regiment drafted from Middlesex Co. 
Militia and ordered to march to Horse Neck by Brig. Oliver Prescott, 
Sept. 26, 1776; also. Lieutenant, Capt. Wright's Co., Col. Brooks's 
Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776; 
said Spaulding reported as in Camp at White Plains and fit for duty. 

Spaulding, Samuel. Private, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; 
muster roll for Dec, 1776 — Feb., 1777; credited to town of Chelmsford; 
enlisted Dec. 19, 1776; regiment raised to serve until March 1, 1777. 

Spaulding, Silas, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 16 days; also, list of men probably belonging to 
Chelmsford, dated May 1, 1775. 

Spaulding, Simeon. 1st Lieutenant Colonel, Col. David Green's (2d Middle- 
sex Co.) Regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 
6 days; reported returned home; also official record of a ballot by the 
House of Representatives, dated Feb. 7, 1776; said Spaulding chosen 
Colonel, 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia; appointment con- 
curred in by Council, Feb. 8, 1776; reported commissioned Feb. 8, 1776; 
also, list of officers chosen in 4th Co. (North Co. in Chelmsford), as 
returned by said Spaulding, field officer and moderator, dated Chelmsford, 
July 5, 1776; also, Colonel; list of members of committees appointed 
to raise men for New York and Canada, showing number of commissions 
delivered them; said Spaulding reported as belonging to committee for 
Middlesex Co.; also, resignation dated Chelmsford, March 9, 1778, 
signed by said Spaulding, resigning his commission as Colonel of 7th 
Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia on account of advanced age; 
resignation accepted in Council, March 11, 1778. 

Spaulding, [Simeoni. Private, Capt. Amos Foster's Co., Col. Cyprian How's 
Regt.; entered service July 28, 1780, 3 days preceding march; discharged 
Oct. 30, 1780; service, 3 mos., 8 days, probably at Rhode Island, in- 
cluding 5 days (100 miles) travel home; company detached from 7th 
Middlesex Co. Regt. and ordered part to Rhode Island and part to 
Fishkill; regiment raised to reinforce Continental Army for 3 months. 

Spaulding, William. Private, Capt. Joseph Bradley Varnum's Co., Col. 
Mclntush's (Mcintosh's) Regt.; Gen. Lovel's Brigade; enlisted July 30, 
1778; discharged Sept. 11, 1778; service, 1 mo., 17 days, on expedition 
to Rhode Island, including 5 days (100 miles) travel home. Roll dated 
Dracut. 

Spaulding, Zebulon, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, 
Oct. 31, 1776; said Spaulding reported as in Camp at White Plains and 
fit for duty. 

Spauling, Jephthah, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 12 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll." 

Spoulding, Azriah. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 
probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched 
Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Spoulding, Joel. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, to 
reinforce Northern Army. 



348 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Spoulding, William. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 
probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched 
Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Sprage, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 6 days. 

Sprake, Benjamin. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Sprake (?), Nicholas. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, 
for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. John Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Sprauge, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted 
April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos., 14 days. 

Sprigu, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; 
company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 19 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 8 in.; 
complexion, light; occupation, housewright; residence, Chelmsford; en- 
listed April 25, 1775. 

Sprigue, Jonathan, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. 
Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company return dated Sept. 25, 1775. 

Stacy, William, Pepperell (also given Chelmsford). Descriptive list dated 
Feb. 20, 1782; Light Infantry Co., Lieut. Col. John Brooks's (7th) 
Regt.; age, 19 (also given 20) yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 10 in.; complexion, 
light (also given dark) ; hair, light (also given dark) ; occupation, black- 
smith; birthplace, Chelmsford; residence, Pepperell (also given Chelms- 
ford); engaged for town of Chelmsford; engaged April 22, 1782; term, 
3 yrs.; also. Light Infantry Co., Lieut. Col. Brooks's (7th) Regt.; list 
of men who died or were discharged subsequent to Jan. 1, 1781; said 
Stacy discharged June 15, 1783, by Gen. Washington; reported an officer's 
servant. 

Starns, Jonathan. Company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages to 
Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 

Stevens, Jesse, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. Col. 
Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; service, 
3 mos., 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; regiment 
raised in Suffolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Continental Army 
for 3 months; roll dated Woburn. 

Stevens, Jonathan. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, 
for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Stevens, Samuel, Chelmsford. Lieutenant, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 10 days. 

Taloy, John. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages 
for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Taylor, John. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given lo Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Thorndike, Hezekiah. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 29, 1776, 
for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's Regt.; also, company receipt 
for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 349 

1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. John Ford, for wages 
to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched from Chelmsford, 
July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. 
Tuttle, Nathaniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; 
service, 3 mos., 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; 
regiment raised in Suffolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Contin- 
ental Army for 3 months. 
Twiss, John, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 3 days. 
Twiss, Samuel. Receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, signed by said 
Twiss and others, for wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 
1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt.; 
also, Private, Capt. John Minott's Co., Col. Dike's Regt.; pay abstract 
for equipments for Dec, 1776, Jan. and Feb., 1777. [See Samuel Swiss.] 
Twist, Daniel, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. 
Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 31, 
1776; reported as in camp and fit for duty. 
Tyler, Joseph. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. Jonathan 
Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; discharged 
Oct. 20, 1777; service, 20 (also given 23) days; company probably raised 
in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched Sept. 30, 1777, 
to reinforce Northern Army. 
Tylor, Joseph, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of Militia, 
Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the alarm of 
April 19, 1775; service, 10 days. 
Underwood, Phineas, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., 
Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp at White Plains, Oct. 
31, 1776; said Underwood reported as in camp and fit for duty. 
Wakefield, Ebenezer. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John 
Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given 
to Capt. Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 
Walker, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Lieutenant, Col. Moses Parker's Co., 
which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 5 days; roll 
endorsed "L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also. Captain; list of officers belonging 
to Col. Ebenezer Bridge's Regt. to be commissioned; ordered in Provincial 
Congress, at Watertown, May 27, 1775, that said officers be commissioned; 
receipt for above commissions, dated Watertown, May 27, 1775; also, 
Captain, Col. Bridge's (27th) Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; 
engaged April 19, 1775; service, 3 mos., 15 days; also, company return 
(probably Oct., 1775); reported deceased. 
Walker, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Samuel Tay's Co., Lieut. 
Col. Webb's Regt.; enlisted Aug. 18, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781; 
service. 3 mos.. 22 days, including 11 days (212 miles) travel home; 
regiment raised in Suffolk and Middlesex Counties to reinforce Continental 
Army for 3 months. 
Walker, David, Chelmsford. Private, Col. Moses Parker's Co., which 
marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; roll endorsed 
"L't Benj Walkers Roll"; also, Capt. Benjamin Walker's Co.; order 
for advance pay, signed by said Walker and others, dated Camp at 
Cambridge, June 6, 1775; also, order on Maj. Barber, dated Cambridge, 
June 24, 1775, signed by Col. E. Bridge, for cartridge boxes for said 
Walker and others belonging to Lieut. John Flint's Co.; also. Private, 
Capt. Walker's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) Regt.; company 
return (probably Oct., 1775). 
Walker, David, Chelmsford. List of 6 months men raised agreeable to 
resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, 
Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated 
Springfield; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental 



350 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, 
returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John 
Glover, at Springfield, July 7, 1780; age, 23 yrs.; stature, 6 ft., 3 in.; 
complexion, dark; engaged for town of Chelmsford; marched to camp 
July 7, 1780, under command of Capt. Dix.; also, list of men raised for 
the 6 months' service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having 
passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780; also, 
pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Chelmsford for service 
in the Continental Army at North river during 1780; marched from 
home June 30, 1780; discharged Jan. 7, 1781; service, 6 mos., 19 days, 
including 10 days (200 miles) travel home; also, descriptive list of men 
raised in Middlesex Co., agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780, as returned 
by Joseph Hosmer, Superintendent for said county; age, 25 yrs.; stature, 
6 ft., 2 in.; complexion, light; hair, brown; eyes, blue; occupation, 
farmer (also given laborer); engaged for town of Chelmsford; engaged 
Dec. 28 (also given Nov. 28), 1781; term, 1 year. 

Warren, Benjamin, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. Oliver Barron's Co. of 
Militia, Col. David Green's Regt., which marched in response to the 
alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 9 days; also, 2d Lieutenant, Capt. 
Samuel Stephens, Jr.'s (4th) Co. (North Co. in Chelmsford), Col. Simeon 
Spaulding's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. of Mass. Militia; list of officers 
chosen by the several companies in said regiment; ordered in Council, 
May 31, 1776, that said officers be commissioned; also, 2d Lieutenant, 
Capt. Stephens's (4th) Co., 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia; 
list of officers commissioned May 31, 1776; names of officers of said 
company crossed out on list, probably because another set of officers was 
chosen later; also, 1st Lieutenant, Capt. John Ford's (4th) Co. (North 
Co. in Chelmsford), 7th Middlesex Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia; list of 
officers chosen in said company, as returned by Simeon Spaulding, 
field officer, dated Chelmsford, July 5, 1776; ordered in Council, Sept. 3, 
1776, that said officers be commissioned; commissions reported dated 
Sept. 3, 1776. 

Warren, Jeduthan. Private, Capt. John Ford's Co. of Volunteers, Col. 
Jonathan Reed's Regt.; enlisted Sept. 28 (also given Sept. 27), 1777; 
discharged Nov. 8, 1777; service, 40 (also given 43) days; company 
probably raised in Dracut, Chelmsford, and Dunstable, and marched 
Sept. 30, 1777, to reinforce Northern Army. 

Warren, Joseph, Chelmsford (also given Townsend). Return of men raised 
to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Warren's Co., Col. Jonathan 
Reed's (6th Middlesex Co.) Regt.; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted for 
town of Townsend (also given Chelmsford); joined Capt. Maxwell's 
Co., Col. Bailey's Regt.; enlistment, 3 yrs.; also, Private, 1st Co., Col. 
John Bailey's Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from 
June 1, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, Capt. Hugh Maxwell's (1st) Co., 
Col. Bailey's Regt.; company return dated Camp near Valley Forge, 
Jan. 24, 1778; residence, Townsend; also, same Co. and Regt.; muster 
roll for July, 1779, dated West Point; enlisted Jan. 1, 1777; reported 
on command at Philadelphia; also, Lieut. Colonel's Co., Col. Bailey's 
Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to 
June 1, 1780. 

Weatherby, John, Chelmsford. List of men raised from 3d Middlesex Co. 
Regt. to reinforce the Continental Army for the term of 9 months, agree- 
able to resolve of April 20, 1778, as returned by E. Brooks, Superintendent; 
also, descriptive list of men raised by the town of Danvers to serve in 
the Continental Army, agreeable to resolve of April 20, 1778; age, 27 
yrs.; stature, 5 ft., 7 in.; complexion, light; hair, dark; eyes, dark; 
residence, Chelmsford. 

Wheelock, Jonathan. Receipt dated Boston, May 24, 1782, for bounty paid 
said Wheelock by Samuel Lancey, Chairman of Class No. 2 of the town 
of Chelmsford, to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 3 years. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 351 

Whiting, Samuel. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt' 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albanv 
Jan. 1, 1777. ■'' 

Whiting, William. Private; list of men belonging to Capt. Asa Lawrance's 
Co., Col. Poor's Regt.; depositions affixed made by William Adams and 
Joseph Dows, sworn to at Chelmsford, April 23, 1841, and in Middlesex 
Co., May 6, 1841, respectively, state that in the summer of 1778 they 
enlisted for the term of 8 months and went to West Point; that they 
served m Capt. Asa Lawrance's Co., Col. Poor's Regt., near King's 
Ferry and Peekskill; that said company was made up of men from 
Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Billerica, Bedford, Tyngs- 
borough, and Dracut, and was commanded for the most part by 1st 
Lieut. John Flint. 
Wier, Jeremiah, Limerick (also given Chelmsford). Private, Capt. Henry 
Farwell's Co., Col. William Prescott's Regt.; muster roll dated Aug 1 
1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 98 days; also, return of men 
raised to serve in the Continental Army (vear not given); residence 
Chelmsford; engaged for town of Chelmsford. ' ' 

Williams, Benjamin. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John 
Ford, dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given 
to Capt. John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga- 
company marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was dischar<^ed 
at Albany, Jan. 1, 1777. "^ 

Williams, Jacob. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to 
Capt John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albanv 
Jan. 1, 1777. •" 

Willis, Zachariah, Chelmsford (also given Westford, Westfield, and Lanes- 
borough). Private, Capt. Smart's Co., Col. Calvin Smith's (late Wiggles- 
worth s) 13th Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from 
Jan 6, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1780; residence, Chelmsford (also given West- 
ford) ; credited to town of Chelmsford; also, Capt. Nicholas Blasdel's 
Co Col. Edward Wigglesworth's Regt. ; return dated Camp Valley Forge, 
l^eb. 5, 1778; mustered by Col. Barrett, County Muster Master- also 
^me Co. and Regt.; muster roll for May, 1778, dated Camp Valley 
Forge; also, same Co. and Regt.; muster roll for June, 1778, dated 
Camp Greeage"; reported at Peekskill tending the sick; also, same 
Co. and Regt.; pay roll for Oct., 1778, sworn to at Camp Providence- 
also Capt. Blasdel's Co., (late) Col. Wigglesworth's Regt.; muster roll 
for March and April, 1779, dated Providence; enlisted Jan. 6 1777- 
enhstment, 3 yrs.; reported furloughed April 23, 1779, by Maj. Porter' 
T u /- ^^^' ^'^°' descriptive list dated West Point, Jan. 25, 1781- Col 
John Greaton's (3d) Regt.; age, 39 yrs.; stature, 5 ft., A\ in.; complexion, 
^nV^'uU aai"^; eyes, dark; residence, Westfield; enlisted Nov. 15, 
n \^\ir^'^^--^^^^'^' enlistment, during war; also (late) Capt. Smart's 
iT^o'i j^^^' ^^^^•'' account of clothing delivered subsequent to Jan. 1, 
1781, endorsed "July 1781"; reported on command at West Point- 
also, list dated Jan. 18, 1802, returned by John Avery, Secertary, and 
i'. Cottin, Treasurer, of men who had enlisted into the Continental Army 
and actually served 3 years, and were, accordingly, entitled to gratuities 
under resolves of March 4, 1801, and June, 1801; 3d Mass. Regt.; 
residence, Lanesborough. 
Willson Ephraim, Chelmsford. Sergeant, Capt. Turner's Co., Col. Henry 
Jackson s Regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from June 1, 
1777, to Dec 31, 1780; also, Capt. Joseph Fox's Co., Col. Henley's 
Regt.; pay roll for Nov., 1778; also, Capt. Thomas Turner's (9th) Co., 
«_ol. Jackson s Regt.; muster roll for April, 1779, dated Pawtuxet- 
appointed June 1 1778; term, 3 yrs.; also, same Co. and Regt.; return 
dated Camp at Providence, July 10, 1779; engaged for town of Chelms- 



352 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ford; also, Capt. Turner's (5th) Co., Col. Jackson's Regt.; pay roll for 
Oct., 1779; also, same Co. and Regt.; regimental return made up to 
Dec. 31, 1779, dated Camp at Providence; engaged June 1, 1777; also, 
return certified at Camp near Morristown, April 30, 1780, of officers and 
men belonging to Col. Lee's, Col. Henley's, and Col. Jackson's Regts., 
and men belonging to Massachusetts in Col. Henry Sherburne's Regt., 
who were incorporated into a regiment under the command of Col. 
Henry Jackson, agreeable to the arrangement of April 9, 1779; Capt. 
Turner's Co.; rank. Sergeant; residence, Chelmsford; engaged July 2, 
1778; term, during war; also, Capt. Thomas Turner's Co., Col. Jackson's 
(16th) Regt.; pay roll for June and July, 1780; reported sick and absent. 

Willson, Joseph. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's 
Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Willson, Leonard. Company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for 
wages for service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John 
Ford's Co., Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Willson, Samuel. Enlistment agreement dated Jan. 29, 1776, signed by said 
Willson and others, engaging themselves to serve until April 1, 1776; 
also, company receipt dated Chelmsford, April 19, 1776, for wages for 
service from Feb. 5, 1776, to April 1, 1776, in Capt. John Ford's Co., 
Col. Roberson's (Robinson's) Regt. 

Wilson, Ephraim, Chelmsford. List of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, 
Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, July 5, 1778; Capt. Fox's 
Co., Col. Henley's Regt.; reported received State bounty; also, descrip- 
tive list dated Hutts, three miles from West Point, Jan. 28, 1781; Capt. 
Turner's Co., 9th Mass. Regt. commanded by Col. Henry Jackson; 
rank. Sergeant; age, 21 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 6 in.; complexion, light; 
hair, light; occupation, blacksmith; residence, Chelmsford; engaged, 
Jan, 1, 1780, by Col. Jackson; term, during war. 

Wilson, Samuel, Chelmsford. Capt. John Ford's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt.; 
company return dated June 15, 1775; age, 21 yrs.; stature, 6 ft.; com- 
plexion, light; occupation, farmer; residence, Chelmsford; enlisted April 
25, 1775; also. Private, Capt. Ford's Co., Col. Ebenezer Bridge's (27th) 
Regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 
3 mos., 14 days; also, company return dated Sept. 25, 1775; also, Capt. 
Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col. Brooks's Regt.; company return dated Camp 
at White Plains, Oct. 31, 1776; said Wilson reported as in Camp at White 
Plains and fit for duty. 

Wood, Solomon. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company marched 
from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, Jan. 1, 
1777. 

Worren, Jeduthan. Company receipt for mileage, given to Capt. John Ford, 
dated Ticonderoga, Aug. 28, 1776; also, company receipt, given to Capt. 
John Ford, for wages to Oct. 1, 1776, dated Ticonderoga; company 
marched from Chelmsford, July 25, 1776, and was discharged at Albany, 
Jan. 1, 1777. 

Wyer, Jeremiah, Chelmsford. Private, Capt. Henry Farwell's (1st) Co., 
Col. William Prescott's (10th) Regt.; company return (probably Oct., 
1775); reported enlisted April 19, 1775. 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 353 



LIST OF MEN ON ROLLS OF CHELMSFORD COMPANIES, BUT NOT CREDITED TO 

ANY TOWN. 



Adams, Benjamin 
Adams, Capt. Jesse 
Annis, Ezra 
Annis, Jacob 
Bailey, James 
Bailey, William 
Bancroft, Caleb 
Bancroft, Ebenezer 
Barrett, Joseph 
Barrett, Stephen 
Barrit, John 

Barron, Lieut. Jonathan 
Bell, Joshua 
Blanchard, Cuff 
Blanchard, Jeremiah 
Blodgett, Lieut. William 
Blood, Able 
Blood, Edmund 
Boldwin, John 
Bowers, Lieut. Jonathan 
Bowers, John 
Brown, John 
Burge, John 
Butterfield, Nathaniel 
Capron, Jonathan 
Carleton, John 
Carleton, John, Jr. 
Chamberlin, Capt. Samuel 
Clark, Benjamin 
Clark, Col. Jonas 
Clough, David 
Coburn, Nathan 
Coburn, Samson 
Colburn, Eleazer 
Colburn, Jerahmel 
Colby, James 
Corey, Elijah 
Corey, Samuel 
Craford, John 
Cummings, Sim(eo)n 
Didson, John 
Didson, Seth 
Durant, John 
Emerson, Joseph 
Estabrooks, Joseph 
Pips, Charles 
Foster, Jonath 
Fox, Abijah 
Fox, John 
Frost, Sart. Joseph 
Frothingham, Jabez 
Gordin, Wm. 



Green, Ebenezer 

Griffin, Uriah 

Hardee, Moses 

Harris, Chas. 

Harris, Sampson 

Harwood, Lieut. Jonathan 

Hill, Jeremiah 

Hunt, Israel 

Kilmot, Thomas 

Lane, Zibon 

Liveston, Isaac 

Longon, Daniel 

Loyd, John 

MacGould, Noah 

Maskel, Samuel 

Mearel (?), David 

Mears, Abraham 

Merrick, John 

Mills, John 

Monroe, Aaron 

Morrill, Nicholas 

Morrison, Corp. Wm. 

Palmer, Aaron 

Peak, Samuel 

Perham, Lemuel, Jr. 

Person, James 

Petingal, Daniel 

Pettingal, Joseph 

Pollard, Solomon 

Porter, Asa 

Proctor, Gershom 

Richardson, John 

Richardson, Capt. Zechariah 

Robbins, Ensign Jonas 

Russell, Amos., Sergt. 

Small, Aaron 

Smith, Thomas 

Smith, Wm. 

Spalding, Thomas (or Spaulding) 

Spaulding, Artemas 

Spaulding, Ashbel 

Sprake, John 

Stearns, W^m. 

Sterns, Wm. 

Storrs, John 

Underwood, Jonathan 

Webber, John 

Welsh, Daniel 

Whitney, Samuel 

Winning, John 

Woodward, Jonathan 



354 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Names of men found on the Town records who received 
bounty for going into the service, and whose names are not on 
the other lists: 

Chambers, Matthew; Blodgett, Henry; Blodget, Simeon; 
Fitzgerald, James; Hildreth, Zachariah; Hutchins, Thomas; 
Snydam, Thorn; Woods, Samuel. 

RECAPITULATION. 

Nimiber of records of Chelmsford men given . . . 504 
Nimiber of names on Chelmsford rolls not credited to any 

town 120 

Number of men who received bounty from the Town of 

Chelmsford, whose names are not on the above lists . 8 

Total ^632 

Nimiber twice mentioned 88 

Number of Chelmsford men who served in the Revolu- 
tionary War 544 

CHELMSFORD MEN WHO ANSWERED THE ALARM OF APRIL 19, 1775. 

Abbot, William; Abbott, Jeremiah; Adams, John; Adams, 
Robert; Adams, Thomas; Ausgood, Benjamin; Ausgood, Joseph; 
Barrit, Benjamin; Barritt, Simeon; Barron, Moses; Barron, 
Oliver; Bates, John; Blood, Josiah; Bowers, WilHam; Bridge, 
Ebenezer; Bridge, William; Britton, Samuel; Burge, David; 
Butterfield, Benjamin; Cambel, William; Chamberlin, Isaac; 
Chamberling, Aaron; Chambers, David; Chambers, John; Cham- 
bers, William; Cleaveland, Enoch; Dammon, Daniel; Danforth, 
David; Daverson, Francis; Davis, Joshua; Dunn, James, Jr.; 
Dunn, John; Dunn, William; Durant, Joshua; Esterbrooks, 
Moses; Farly, Benjamin; Farrar, Nathaniel; Fletcher, Charles; 
Fletcher, Henry; Fletcher, Josiah; Fletcher, Oliver; Fletcher, 
Samuel; Fletcher, William; Fletcher, William, 3d; Fletcher, 
Zaccheus; Ford, John; Foster, Isaac; Foster, Isaiah; Foster, 
Nathaniel; Foster, Reuben; Freland, John; Goold, Ebenezer; 
Hastings, Walter; Howard, Jacob; Howard, Willard; Keent, 
Isaac, Jr. ; Keyes, Daniel; Keyes, John; Keys, Solomon; Marshal, 
Samuel; Marshall, David; Marshall, Isaac; Marshall, Joseph; 
Marshall, Samuel; Marshall, Thomas, Jr. ; Mastes, Amos; Mears, 
John; Mears, William; Melvin, Benjamin; Minot, John; 
Osgood, Joseph; Parker, Benjamin; Parker, Benjamin, Jr.; 
Parker, Isaac; Parker, John; Parker, Moses; Parker, Reuben; 
Parker, Willard; Parker, William; Parker, William, Jr.; Park- 
hurst, Benjamin; Parkhurst, Ephraim; Parkhurst, Samuel 
(Family tradition); Peirce, Benjamin; Peirce, Jonas; Peirce, 
Jonathan; Peirce, Levi; Peirce, Robert; Peirce, Stephen, Jr.; 
Perham, Samuel, Jr.; Procter, Azariah; Reed, Supply; Richard- 
son, Josiah; Richardson, Oliver; Roby, John; Sillaway, Daniel; 
Spaulding, Benjamin; Spaulding, David; Spaulding, Plenry, Jr.; 
Spaulding, John; Spaulding, Joseph; Spaulding, Joseph, Jr.; 
Spaulding, Micah; Spaulding, Silas; Spaulding, Simeon; Spauld- 



RECORDS OF CHELMSFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTION 355 

ing, Jephthah; Sprage, Jonathan; Stevens, Samuel; Twiss, John; 
Tylor, Joseph; Walker, Benjamin; Walker, David; Warren, 
Benjamin; Wyer, Jeremiah. 

The Chelmsford men at Bunker Hill were those found on the 
roll of field and staff officers of Bridge's regiment, those on the 
roll of Ford's first enlisted company, and those on the roll of 
Walker's company. 

Chelmsford men who were wounded in the Battle of Bunker 
Hill, as given by Allen: 

Col. Ebenezer Bridge, Lieut. Col. Moses Parker, Captain 
Benjamin Walker, John Keyes, Moses Barker, James Dunn, 
Elijah Hazelton, Samuel Marshall, John Parker, Benjamin Hay- 
ward, Solomon Keyes, Robert Richardson, Joseph Spaulding, Noah 
Foster, Francis Davidson. The last name is from Bridge's Diary. 

These Chelmsford men were at Valley Forge during the 
army's terrible experience in the winter of 1777-78. The first 
four are from a List of Officers at Valley Forge, prepared by Brig. 
Gen. Philip Reade: 

Isaac Parker, 1st Lieutenant, 8th Infantry (M. Jackson); 
Walter Hastings, Surgeon, 8th Infantry (M. Jackson); Zachariah 
Hildreth, Ensign, 16th Infantry (H. Jackson); Benjamin Pierce, 
Ensign, 8th Infantry (M. Jackson); Joseph Warren, William 
Mears, Josiah Blood, Benjamin Chamberlain, Zachariah Willis, 
William Blazedell, Henry Blazedell. 

Names of soldiers from Chelmsford who died or were killed 
in the Revolutionary War: 

Lt. Col. Moses Parker, wounded at Bunker Hill, died a 
prisoner in Boston, July 4, 1775. Buried at Boston. 

Capt. Benjamin Walker, wounded at Bunker Hill, died a 
prisoner in Boston, in ye latter end of August, 1775. (Aug. 15, 
Bunker Hill Mem. Tablets, p. 123.) Buried at Boston. "He died, 
not of his wound, but of sickness." Allen says that both Parker 
and Walker had a leg amputated. 

Lt. Robert Spalding, died at Milford, Ct., in 1776, "returning 
from ye Army at New York." "The Spalding Memorial" says: 
"While on his way to join the American Army." 

John Bates, died in the Army at Cambridge; buried at 
Cambridge, December 4, 1775. 

David Spalding, Jr., died at Ticonderoga, of the smallpox, 
August 28, 1776. 

Peletiah Adams, killed at Cherry Valley, 1778, in the fall 
(Nov. 11). 

Ezra Corey reported died May 9, 1777. 

Noah Foster, killed at Bemis's Heights, Stillwater, October 7, 
1777. 

Henry Fletcher, killed at White Plains, February 3, 1780. 

Ebenezer Foster, died "in the Army," before Nov. 5, 1777. 

Samuel Wilson never returned from the army, nor were the 
time and manner of his death ever known. [Allen.] 



CHAPTER VI. 
SHAYS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898. 

SHAYS' REBELLION. 

THE War of the Revolution brought great economic distress to 
the country, and this, with a certain spirit of lawlessness, was 
the cause of Shays' Rebellion, so called from the leader, Daniel 
Shays, who had been a Captain in the Continental Army. The 
seat of the rebellion was western Massachusetts, where the people 
were under a burden of private debts and heavy taxes. The 
courts were over-crowded with lawsuits. Debtors were pressed. 
"Attachments were put upon the poor man's cattle and teams, 
and his little homestead was sacrificed under the sheriff's hammer." 
Conventions met and drew up statements of grievances. Demand 
was made that the Court of Common Pleas be abolished, that 
large amounts of paper money be issued, taxes reduced, and 
"that the General Court should no longer sit amid the baleful 
influences of a merchant-and-lawyer-infested Boston." 

The following, in the possession of the writer, will serve as 
a sample of the documents relating to this period. 

To the Honbl. The Court of Common Pleas to be Holden 
Att Worcester the 5 day of Septr. Jnstant. The Petition of the 
Inhabitants of The Town of Athol Humbly Sheweth that By 
Reason of the Great Scarcity of a Circulating Medium The Good 
People of this County are Unable to Satisfy the Executions that 
May Come Out against them Without their Property Being Sold 
Much Under the Real Value. We Your Petitioners Therefore 
Pray Your Hours That all Sivil Causeis Might be Suspended 
Except Whare the Parties are agreed to have a trial or Where itt 
appears to the Court That the Creditor is in Jmmediate Danger 
of Loosing His Property. 

And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray. 

Athol Septr. ye 4th, 1786. Simon Goddard Moderater. 

In the stimmer of 1786 the Coiu-ts at Northampton, V\^orcester, 
Great Barrington, and Concord were prevented from sitting. 
The Supreme Court at Springfield was broken up. At Worcester 
the bravery of Gen. Artemas Ward, then Chief Justice, in facing 
the bayonets of the insurgents, is well known. (See "Old Times 
in Shrewsbury," Elizabeth Ward.) At Concord the insurrec- 
tionary leader was Job Shattuck of Groton, who had been a 
captain in the Revolution. (For an account of him, see Green's 
"Groton in the Revolution.") Governor Bowdoin raised a force 
of militia under General Lincoln, and put down the rebellion. 



SHA YS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 357 

At Petersham, 150 of the insurgents were captured, and the 
rest were dispersed and fled into New Hampshire. 

The rout of Shays' men at Petersham was complete, February 
4, 1787. The vanquished rebels were treated with marked 
clemency. Governor Bowdoin's energy lost him his re-election. 

A free pardon was finally offered by Governor Hancock to all 
who had taken part in the insurrection, provided they should take 
the oath of allegiance. Fourteen of the leaders had been tried and 
sentenced to death, but were not executed, for the authorities 
saw that the great mass of the people were in sympathy with them. 
(See Minot, "Insurrections in Massachusetts.") 

McMaster (Hist, of People of U. S.) quotes this specimen of 
poetry and wit on the retreat of Shays. 

"Says sober Will, well, Shays has fled. 
And peace returns to bless our days. 
Indeed! cried Ned, I always said, 

He'd prove at last 2i fall-hack chaise; 
And those turned over and undone 
Call him a worthless Shays to run.'' 

When in 1787 the State pardoned political offenders, one 
hundred and seven from Groton, sixty-two from Shirley, sixty- 
seven from Townsend, thirty-nine from Pepperell, three from 
Ashby, ten from Westford, one from Chelmsford, and one from 
Framingham took the oath of allegiance. There were no others 
in Middlesex County. 

A meeting was held in Chelmsford, and an account of the 
proceedings was sent with a letter to the selectmen of Cambridge 
to influence them to join with others in securing the pardon of 
Shattuck. This is the reply. 

Cambridge July 13. 1787 
Gent. 

Your letter of the 6. inst. directed to the Selectmen of this 
Town containing the proceedings of a number of Gentlemen met 
at Chelmsford, & also the form of a petition in behalf of Capt. 
Shattuck We have received, & having considered them with that 
Attention they deserve when coming from such respectable 
Characters, We take the first Opportunity to return an Answer. 

In Order to justify an Oppinion that does not seem to coincide 
with yours, it may be necessary to make some Observations, which 
We hope will be received with that Candor that We are led to 
expect from persons of your known moderation. 

Mr. Shattuck was unknown to us till since the conclusion of 
the late War, We are therefore unable to bear testimony to his 
former life, either with respect to his Character as an Officer, or 
his charitable disposition as a private person. Since that time 
We have chiefly known him by the publick Inquiries that have 
been made by the Supreme Judicial Court at different times; 
but in every case it appears he has been connected with the 



358 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Tumults & opposition to Government. These Circumstances 
surely cannot Operate as an inducement for us to think very 
favorably of him. 

After the minds of many people had been misled with respect 
to the Goveminent, a circular letter was framed in the upper part 
of this County in the Course of last Summer & sent to the different 
Towns, & to this among others, requesting their Assistance at a 
County Convention. Alarmed at such a proceeding the Inhabi- 
tants at a Town meeting desired the Selectmen to protest against 
such an unconstitutional Assembly. You will undoubtedly 
recollect that their letter was published containing at large the 
reasons of their dissent. How far those reasons were satisfactory, 
will appear by the readiness with which they were adopted by 
many Towns throughout the Commonwealth. 

It makes us unhappy to find that the ill consequences which 
were then easily foreseen, soon came to pass. 

If then our sentiments were against joining with an Assembly, 
which We consider as unconstitutional when apparently justified 
by the form of an Election it can hardly be expected We should 
concur in a similar measure where even that form has not been 
observed. We were then & still are of Opinion, that the Consti- 
tution & the laws provide for every case. It has invested the 
Governor & Council with a power to pardon those Criminals 
that may be convicted in any case where they suppose the publick 
Good will be promoted, & We conceive that power could not be 
more properly lodged in any other hands. It must be presumed, 
they are the best acquainted with all the Circumstances both for 
& against the Convict; infinitely more so, than persons at a 
distance & without the means of information; & We think there 
has been no reason to distrust the Judgment or the Uprightness 
of those who are invested with that power. And further. We 
presume that if you had seen the resolve of the General Court 
passed on the 29 of June last, you would not have desired us to 
have interfered in matters of Government in the present Instance. 
In that Resolve, after specifying the particular exceptions from 
the Act of Indemnity, they declare that any further Act of Grace 
will not be consistant with the dignity of Government, & with 
the safety & protection which ought to be afforded to the peaceable 
& loyal Citizens, it becomes therefore peculiarly improper for 
individual Citizens to give their Advice in contradiction to the 
declared sense of two great branches of the Government, the 
Legislative & Judicial. These Reasons without others that 
might be added, We presume are sufficient to convince you of 
the impropriety of our joining in the proposal contained in your 
Letter. We have only to add that it is our sincere Wish that the 
happy time may come & that the period may be not far distant, 
when that Confidence in those who by the Constitution are 
invested with the Government, may be restored; without which 



SHA YS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 359 

We never can expect that the Confidence between Individuals 
which is so necessary to promote their Happiness, will be revived; 
that such an Event may soon take place is the earnest desire of 

Gent. Your Humble Servant. AARON HILL. 

Chairman of the Selectmen of said Town. 
[Original in the possession of C. O. Robbins.] 

The following petition is among the Robbins papers. It 
indicates the fact that the sympathies of a considerable number 
of people in this, as in other communities, were with the insurgents. 

Comonwelth of Massachusetts 

To His Excelency the Govener, and the Honorable the 
Councel now Setting in Boston; The petition of the Subscribers 
inhabitence of the town of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesix, 
Himibly Sheweth, that whareas Job Shattuck of Said County is 
now under the Sentance of Death For treasanable conduct against 
this Commonwelth Which conduct we Vew with abhorrance & 
Disaprobation. But we believe that he was in a grate measure 
insensable of the fatal tendancy of his conduct, and that through 
ignorance of the Laws and Constatution of the Commonwelth 
and by hearing the Complants of the people; together with the 
Insinuations of rash an inconsiderate men, he was led to Conduct 
in such a manner as he Did ; Which circomstances we think in Som 
measure extenuates his Crimenallety. Considering the above 
circomstances together with the character which according To 
information from undoubted athority the Said Shattock has 
Hear tofore Sustaned Especially as being a good officer in the 
Servis of this Commonwelth in the late war with Britain, and 
also in being Very charetable to the poor. Therefore, yoiu" 
petitioners himibly conceive that it would be Consistante with 
the Good and Safety of the Commonwelth that his life might be 
spaired and that it would have a tendancy To restore peace and 
harmony to the people of this Commonwelth, and prevent the 
dissafection of many people in the Neighbouring States; There- 
fore your petitioners htmibly and most earnestly pray that his 
Excelency and your Honours would take the matter into your 
wise Consideration and if it Can be Consistant with the Good and 
Safety ^r one Commonwelth, that the above named crimenal may 
be pardoned ; and your petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray 

John Mansfield Jonathan Snow 

Levi Snow David Dun Sen. 

Samuel Spaulding Joel Barrett 

Ebenezer Shed William Parker 

Elijah Procter Joseph Parker 

Eliakim Read Jonathan Manning 



360 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Phinehas Chamberlin 
Nathan Ames, Junr. 
James Heywood 
Joseph Heywood 
Joseph Foster 
John Adams 
Robert Adams 
Josiah Parkhurst 
Saml. Chamberlin 
Moses Hale 
John Byam 
John Byam Jun 
William Laws 
Abel Chamberlin 
Samuel Sims 
Asa Hodgman 
Zebiilon Spalding 
Henry Spaulding 
Samuel Adams 
John Spaulding 
Benja. Adams 
David Walker 
Isaac Warren 
Asa Procter 
Thomas Adams 
Jeremiah Wyer 
thomas Weber 
Isaac Chamberlin 
Andrew Spaulding 
Jacob Howard 
Isaac Clark 
John Hildreth 
Benja. Parker 
Joseph Parker 
Jedutham Parker 
Zebulan Parker 
Philip Parker 
Samuel Hadlock 
Moses Estherbrooks 
Josiah Coben 
George Furbush 
Reuben Davis 
Josyah Simonds 



Jeremiah Abbott 
Isaiah Foster 
Jeremiah Warren 
Isaiah Blood 
Jonathan Richardson 
Thomas Marshall 
Jacob Marshall 
Ebenezer Frost 
David Marshall 
Samuel Marshall 
Abel Mansfield 
Timothy Manning 
Stephen Peirce 
Seth Levingston 
Joseph Peirce 
Stephen Peirce, third 
Robert Peirce, ir. 
Stephen Peirce 
Zacheus Fletcher 
Silas Peirce 
Isaac Marshall 
Andrew Fletcher 
Joseph Moors 
Thos Hoadley 
Levi Dakin 
Michel Carter 
Andrew Fletcher 
Willard Howard 
Jacob Howard Juner 
William Bowers 

Peter Procter 

Samuel Parkhurst 

John Adams Jur. 

Timothy Adams 

Henry Spaiilding Jun 

John Reed 

David Morrison 

John Batteys 

Isaac Patten 

Wilard Mansfield 

William Mansfield 

Benjamin pelscy 

Jonathan Adams 
Abishai Crosman Eldr of the 
Babtist (sic) Chh. in Chelmsford. 



Chehnsford, July 16, 1787 
We the Subscribers approve of Fourgoing petition the Greater 
part of the Signers being Freeholders and legal Voters m town. 



SHA YS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 



361 



A PAY ROLL OF CAPT JOSEPH EMERSON COMPANY IN 

LT. COL. EBENEZER BANCROFT'S REGT. CALLED 

UPON TO RENDEZVOUS AT LANCASTER ON THE 

29 OF JANUARY, 1787, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT 

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT. 









Estab. 


Time 


Total 






per month 


in service 


wages 


Joseph Emerson 


Capt. 


£8: 0:0 


5 d 


1:16:8 


Josiah Fletcher 


Ens. 


4:10:0 


5 d 


1: 1:8 


William Fletcher 


Clerk 


2:14:0 


5 d 


0:12:4 


Andrew Spanlding 


Sargt. 


2: 8:0 


5 d 


0:11:4 


Oliver Baron 


Private 


2: 0:0 


4 d 


0: 8:0 


Aaron Chamberlain 


do 


do 


do 


0: 8:0 


Samuel Howard 






do 


do 


do 


Timothy Harrington 






do 


do 


do 


Francis Bowers 






do 


do 


do 


John Freland 






do 


do 


do 


Oliver Baron Jr 






do 


do 


do 


Philip Spaulding 






do 


do 


do 


Henry Spaulding 






do 


do 


do 


Simeon Spaulding 






do 


do 


do 


Ephraim Spaulding 






do 


do 


do 


Mattethias Spaulding 






do 


do 


do 


Benjamin Walker 






do 


do 


do 


Joseph Fletcher 






do 


do 


do 


Samuel Loufkin 






do 


do 


do 


Sampson Stevens 






do 


do 


do 


Nehemiah Ab Parker 






do 


do 


do 


Simion Blodget Jr 






do 


do 


do 


Samuel Lancey 






do 


do 


do 


Parley I. Dunklee 






do 


do 


do 






Sum Total 


£12:2:0 


Chelmsford, April 16, 1787. Joseph Emerson, Capt. 




[Massachusetts Archives 


Vol. 191, 


p. 208.] 






Time of service includes one 


day for travel home. 


Total 


wages includes rations. 


Priva 


tes entered service 


January 


27. 



A list of names of twenty-seven Chelmsford men who 
went under General Lincoln in 1787. Each man received, by 
vote of the Town, $1, or 6 shillings, bounty. 

Jacob Spaulding, Zebulon Spaulding, Jeremiah Warren, 
John Butterfield, Aaron Spaulding, Dennis MacLaine, Jesse 
Stevens, Samuel Stevens, Thomas Chamberlain, Oliver Adams, 
John Farmer, Stephen Willson, Levi Spalding, James Parker, 
William Mears, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Joseph Emerson, Jr., 
Timothy Haward, Benjamin Butterfield, Jr., Abel Marshall, 
Willard Marshall, John Macknannel, Henry Spaulding, Benjamin 
Adams, Silas Parker, Reuben Goold, Leonard Parker. 



362 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



These names are found scattered over numerous pages of the 
Town records. 

Allen gives "A list of those who were detached from the 
militia and formed a part of the Army of General Lincoln, in the 
memorable expedition through the counties of Worcester and 
Berkshire, to suppress the insurrection in 1786, commonly known 
by the name of the Shays insurrection. The company, formed 
from this and the neighboring towns, was commanded by Capt. 
(now Col.) James Varnum, of Dracut. 



1 Lt. Daniel Procter 

2 Lt. Abel Adams 
Benj. Butterfield, Jr. 
Oliver Perham 
Silas Parker 
Oliver Cory 
Jeremiah Warren 
Zebulon Spalding, Jr. 
Oliver Adams 

Benj a. Adams 
Ruben Goold, Jr. 
John McClenny 
Aaron Spalding 



John Butterfield 
Joseph Emerson, Jr. 
Timothy Howard 
Jesse Stevens 
Henry Spalding, Jr. 
Thomas Chamberlin 
Samuel Stevens 
James Parkhurst 
John Farmer 
Willard Marshall 
Abel Marshall 
Amost Prescott 
Levi Spaulding." 



The following items were obtained at the office of the Adjutant 
General, giving Chelmsford officers at this period. 



1781 Col. 

July 1 Benjamin Fletcher Captain 7th Reg Jonathan Bancroft 
Daniel Proctor 1st Lieut do do 

Samuel Stephens Capt. do do 

Joseph Emerson 1st Lieut do do 

Jonas Pierce Capt do do 

1786 

Dec 27 Joseph Emerson Capt do 

Jonas Pierce Lieut do 

Josiah Fletcher 3d Ensign do 

1787 
Sept 20 Azariah Proctor 
Ebenezer Shed 



Lieut Co 4 do 
Ensign do do 



Joseph Bryant 
do 
do 

J. B. Varnum 
do 



Committees were chosen from various towns and met at 
Concord to devise measures for suppressing the Insurgents. 

1788, March 1. The Town paid Aaron Chamberlain, Samuel 
Howard, Samuel Stevens and Oliver Barron nine shillings each 
expenses as committeemen at Concord in September, 1786 "on 
public matters relating to the Insurgents rising against the Govern- 
ment to stop the Courts sitting." 



SHAYS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 363 

FROM THE DIARY OF PARSON BRIDGE. 

1787, Jan. 17. Confusion by reason of Soldiers collecting here, 
going out against ye Insurgents. 

29. Dr. Harrington * * * marched yesterday 
with ye soldiers to Lancaster, & so to Worcester, with a view 
to suppress ye Rebels under a Vile fellow named Shays in 
Hampshire County. 

On the memorable thirtieth of January, Lincoln's men per- 
formed a march of thirty miles, without refreshment through deep 
snows, in a stormy and severely cold night; a march that would 
have done honor to the veteran soldiers of Hannibal or Napoleon. 
[Allen.] 

As in the Revolution, Chelmsford was the rendezvous for 
troops marching westward, so it was at this time. 

Nason, in his History of Dunstable, gives the route taken 
by the Dunstable men. "On the 17th of January, 1787, we 
marched to Chelmsford ; on the 18th, to Lincoln; 19th, to Weston; 
20th, to Sudbury; 21st, to Marlborough; 22d, to Worcester; 
25th, to Western; 26th, to Palmer; 27th, to Springfield, West 
25 miles; 29th, to Hatfield, 25 miles; Feb. 4th. to Petersham, 33 
miles; 7th, to Amherst, 25 miles; 8th, to Northampton, 8 miles; 
9th, to Chesterfield, 14 miles; 10th, to Partridgefield, 18 miles; 
nth, to Pittsfield, 8 miles; 13th, to Tyringham, 20 miles; 14th, 
to Sandisfield, 16 miles; 22d, to Grantville; 23d, to Springfield; 
24th, to Spencer; 25th, to Harvard; 26th, to Dunstable, the end 
of the march." 

ARREST OF CAPTAIN FORD. 

As in the height of the witchcraft excitement a century 
earlier, so, in 1787, in what might be called another popular 
delusion, there were many spite accusations, and the authorities, 
in their eagerness to put down the insurrection, were, perhaps, 
too ready to issue warrants for the arrest of men who might be 
accused or suspected. For some reason, on March 12, 1787, a 
warrant went forth to the Sheriff of Middlesex County, or either 
of his deputies, for the apprehension of Captain John Ford, which 
reads in part as follows: "The Governor and Council, upon 
information received, deeming the safety of the Commonwealth 
inconsistent with the personal liberty of John Ford of Cheknsford 
in the County of Middlesex, and that the enlargement of the said 
John Ford is dangerous to the said Commonwealth, its peace and 
safety. You are therefore hereby authorized and required 
forthwith to apprehend the said John Ford and him to commit 
to any Gaol or other safe place," &c. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 189, Part I, p. 220.] 



364 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Captain Ford was confined with the following named men: 

List of Insurgents in Boston Jail, 1787. 
Col. Luke Drury, 
Rev. Caleb Curtis, 
Mr. Daniel Beard, 
Mr. Aaron Broad, 
Capt. Jonah Goulding, 
Lieut. Henry Gale, 
Capt. Artemas Dry den, 
Capt. Job Shattuck 
Capt. Oliver Parker, 

Mr. Benjamin Page 
George Marsden 
Capt. John Ford 
Capt. Moses Harvey 
Justice Wright 



Worcester Co. 


Grafton. 


(( (< 


Charlestown. 


(( (1 


Worcester. 


(( <i 


Holden. 


<( (( 


Ward. 


(( << 


Princeton. 


i( << 


Holden. 


Middlesex Co. 


Groton. 


(( << 


" left Jail 


(( <i 


6 April. 
11 


(i (1 


Pepperell. 


<( (I 


Chelmsford. 


Hampshire " 


Montague. 



[Ford Papers. 



Province of New Brunswick, formerly 
Northampton. 



CAPTAIN FORD S PETITION. 



To his Exelency James Bowdoin, Esq., Governor of the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Honorable the Council 
of the sd Commonwealth: 

The Petition of Captain John Ford, a prisoner in the Common 
Gaol in Boston, Humbly sheweth That your Petitioner was taken 
Prisoner by a State Warrant the twenty-seventh Day of March 
Last and committed to Prison in close confinement on Suspicion 
of his being a Dangerous Person to the Commonwealth. 

That your Petitioner has ever endeavored to behave and 
conduct himself as a good subject of the Government and is 
Innocent of being aiding or assisting in the Late Rebellion in this 
State. 

That your Petitioner has a Large Family at Home: which 
must suffer by his Detention in Prison, and a large weight of 
Business, which must suffer at this Particular Season of the year, 
by his Absence. 

That your Petitioner is Disposed to Honor the Government 
in every Respect and conceives it consistent thereto that your 
Petitioner may be Liberated from his Confinement on Bail for 
appearance at Court to answer any charge that may be alledged 
against him. Your Petitioner therefore humbly requests your 
Excellency with advice of Council to grant that your Petitioner 
may be Admitted to Bail and Liberated from his present Confine- 
ment that his Family and Business maybe provided for, and your 
Petitioner as in Duty Bound will pray. 

John Ford. 
Boston Gaol, April 3rd, 1787. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 189, p. 226.] 



SHA YS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 365 

On April 11th, the Council advised the release of John Ford, 
he to give bonds in the penalty of £200 to appear at the Supreme 
Judicial Court next to be holden in the County of Middlesex. 

One will read the following with a smile, and might think that 
Robert Treat Paine was trying to fasten the whole responsibility 
for the insurrection upon Captain Ford. 

CAPTAIN ford's INDICTMENT. 

Middlesex S.S. At the Supreme Judicial Court begun and holden 
at Concord within and for the County of Middlesex on the ninth 
day of May in the year of oiir Lord seventeen hundred and eighty 
seven, by adjournment to that time, by writs from the first Tuesday 
of the same May pursuant to Law. 

The Jurors for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts upon 
their oaths present that John Ford of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex, Gentleman, being a disorderly, riotous and seditious 
person and minding and contriving as much as in him lay, unlaw- 
fully by force and arms to stir up, promote incite and maintain 
Riots, mobs, ttmiults and insurrection in this Commonwealth, 
and to disturb, impede and prevent the Government of the same, 
and the due administration of Justice from setting as by law 
appointed for that purpose, and to promote disquiets, uneasiness, 
Jealousies, animosities and seditions in the minds of the citizens 
of the Commonwealth on the tenth day of November last past 
and on divers days and times as well before as since that time at 
Groton within the County of Middlesex aforesaid unlawfully 
and seditiously with force and arms did advise, persuade, incite, 
encourage and procure divers persons, citizens of this Common- 
wealth by force and arms to oppose this Commonwealth and the 
Government thereof, and riotously to join themselves to a great 
number of riotous and seditious persons with force and arms then 
and there opposing this Commonwealth and the Government 
thereof as aforesaid, and the due administration in the same, 
and in pursuance of his wicked and seditious purposes aforesaid 
unlawfully and seditiously did procure guns, swords, gunpowder, 
provisions, blankets, and other warlike instruments offensive and 
defensive, and other warlike supplies and did deliver and cause 
them to be conveyed and delivered to the riotous and seditious 
persons aforesaid in evil example to others to offend in like manner 
against the peace of the Commonwealth and Dignity of the same. 

R. T. Paine, Atty per Repub. 
A true bill. 

Abijah Peirce, Foreman. 

Middlesex May term by Adjournment at Concord, 1787, the said 
John Ford is set to the Bar and has this Instrument read to him — 
he says that thereof he is not Guilty and thereof for tryal puts &c 

Jer. Tucker, Cler. 
[Suffolk Court Files, Vol. 1042, No. 149890.] 



366 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In the Record of the Supreme Judicial Court held at Cam- 
bridge, folio 288, under date October 30, 1787: "John Ford 
appears upon his recognizance and has the leave of Court to 
depart." 

Nothing was found against him. 

Thus this fiasco came to an end, but Captain Ford, with 
nearly three hundred in this County, took the oath of allegiance. 

Middlesex. S.S. August 31st. 1787. 

This may certify that John Ford of Chelmsford in the County 
of Middlesex, Gentleman, and James Mallon of Methuen in the 
County of Essex, Gentleman, personally appeared and Took and 
Subscribed the oath of alegiance Required by an act of the General 
Court of the 17th of June Last. 

before me 

Parker Vamxmi Justice of Peace 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 190, p. 205.] 

In volume 190, page 252 of the Archives, is an interesting 
letter from Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury to the Governor, in which 
he states his belief that the Insurrection was partly due to the 
influence of British sympathizers who wished to see the Govern- 
ment meet with disaster. 

These two records may be of interest. 

Aug. 18, 1794. It was ordered that the Town Treasurer 
should pay six shillings [$1.] to each of the following (the list 
returned by Capt. Josiah Fletcher) "who were minute-men who 
were called for * * *" 

Sergeant John Ford, William Cory, John Peirce, Benjamin 
Brown, John Glynn, James Foster, Zechariah Spaulding, Ebenezer 
Spaulding, Elijah Richardson, John Willard, Abel Stevens, John 
Putnam, Jeremiah Abbott, Simeon Richardson, James Twiss, 
Simeon Wilson, Philip Melvin, Joseph Hutchenson. 

Regimental order. Dracutt Dec. 22d, 1798. 

The Commandant of the Regiment calls on all the Com- 
missioned Officers of the Regiment to meet at the house of Oliver 
Barron, Esq., in Chelmsford on Wednesday the 26th instant at 
2 o'clock P. M. there to consult on certain papers presented. A 
strict attendance is wished. By order of Lt. Col. Hildreth 

William Bridge, Adjt. 
[Endorsed.] Public Service 

Ensign Josiah Richardson, 

Chelmsford 
[Fiske Papers.] 



SHA YS' REBELLION— WARS OF 1812, 1848, 1898 367 

WARS OF 1812, 1848 AND 1898. 

No official record has been found of Chelmsford men who 
served in the War of 1812 or in the Mexican War in 1848. The 
same is true of the War with Spain in 1898, in which John Larkin, 
John Finnegan and Bert Warren Chandler served. Gardner 
Fletcher was an orderly sergeant in 1812, stationed in Boston 
Harbor. 

Mention has been made of Captain Thomas Pitts in the War 
of 1812. Nathaniel Manning was in the United States service 
in 1814. William M. Wheeler was a drummer in this war, serving 
about seventy days at Fort Warren. 

A. E. Brown, in "Old Hearthstones," (page 282) quotes Mrs. 
Mary Shedd, daughter of Sherebiah Spaulding, as saying that her 
father was in the second War with England (1812.) 

In 1814 the Town voted to provide cartridges and canteens 
to the number of 150 for the miHtia; also knapsacks and 18 sheet- 
iron kettles; the canteens to be made of white pine heads, and 
ash or white oak hook. All who should go into the service were 
to be paid $15 a month. Horses and wagons were to be engaged 
to carry the soldiers' baggage. 

Jeduthan Parker was Captain of the militia in 1812, but his 
company did not go into service. 

Oliver Scripture of Chelmsford was commissioned Sep. 13, 
1813 as Surgeon's Mate, 3d Regt., 2d Brig., 3d Div. Removed 
and discharged July 23, 1819. 

William Meredith, according to the record at West Chelms- 
ford, served and died in the Mexican War. 



CHAPTER VII. 
THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5.* 

IT is unnecessary to give here a history of the War of the 
Rebellion. The great struggle was actually begun by the bom- 
bardment of Fort Sumpter, April 12th-13th, and its evacuation on 
the 14th, 1861. April 15th, President Lincoln called for 75,000 
three months volunteers. The last struggle of the war took 
place in Texas, May 13, 1865, where the colored troops fired the 
last volley. On April 9th, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appo- 
mattox Court House. On the 26th, Johnston surrendered to 
Sherman in North Carolina and on May 26th, Kirby Smith gave 
up the struggle in Texas, and the war was over. 

The total cost of the war was more than eight billion dollars. 
More than two and a half million Northern men were called into 
the service. More than half of these saw actual service, of whom 
nearly 60,000 were killed in the field and about 35,000 were 
mortally wounded. Disease killed 184,000. The actual loss to 
the country, including both sides, was certainly a million -men. 

The young fellows from comfortable homes and bountiful 
tables were not fond of salt horse or pork and hard-tack. Henry 
S. Perham, writing home from Camp Suffolk, Virginia, in October, 
1862, says: "I should like to call around to David Perham 's house 
and get a good, warm supper tonight, say flap- jacks and molasses 
with a cup of milk, or good warm biscuit and a cup of tea. I can't 
say that I admire soldiers' fare very much. It would not be so 
bad if I could go to Mother's cupboard once in a while. But 
we have only seven months more. I suppose there are some 
good things on the way for me from home. Henry Putnam is 
expressman for the regiment and goes to Norfolk every day to 
look after the boxes." 

At home every agency available was brought into use to 
furnish such relief as was possible to the soldiers at the front. 

A fair and a concert of noteworthy excellence were given for 
the benefit of the Sanitary Commission. The singers and orchestra 
were Chelmsford people. The director was known as "Father" 
Thurston, a man of some ability in his line, who came from out of 
town. The concert was repeated in various places in the neighbor- 
hood. The Soldiers' Aid Society collected considerable money, and 
made or furnished hundreds of articles for the soldiers: blankets, 
quilts, socks, shirts, bandages, towels, mittens, comfort bags, 
and so forth, with articles of food such as the soldiers would not 
have in camp: pickles, current jelly, wine, dried apples, corn- 

*See the Town's action at this period in Chapter: "Annals." 



V 



l?i^^^ 






N; 









.-it ■<• 












e^ 












■^r.-. 



'**"-.^ Ni/' 









■p. 













.1 



'^. 




'^i^V 



n 






>4 






c* , 



^ 



t\~ 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 369 

starch. Mittens were knit with the forefinger free, to pull the 
trigger. Picking lint, to send for the surgeons to use, was the 
children's occupation. 

In 1862 the officers were: treasurer, Mrs. H. W. Morse; 
secretary, Miss M. E. Perham. The weekly meetings were held 
at the homes of the following ladies: Mrs. Dr. Bartlett, Mrs. 
Charles Proctor, Mrs. G. D. Furber, the Misses Winn, Mrs. 
E. F. Webster, Mrs. H. W. Morse, Mrs. E. A. Upham, Mrs. 
Jabez Stevens, Mrs. Clement Upham, Mrs. Dr. Howard, Mrs. 
Eliza Fiske, Mrs. Joel Adams, Mrs. Solomon Parkhurst, Mrs. 
Joseph Reed, Mrs. David Perham, Mrs. Owen Emerson, Mrs. 
N. P. Dadmun, Mrs. Francis Parker, Mrs. Loammi Chamberlain, 
Mrs. Joseph Fletcher, Mrs. Charles E. Reed and Mrs. WilHam 
Fletcher. They met at Central Hall to quilt and during the 
sinnmer of 1864 met there regularly. Mr. S. S. Parkhurst received 
the thanks of the Society for the use of the hall. 

In 1863 the officers were: president, Mrs. Joseph Reed; 
vice-president, Mrs. David Perham; secretary, Miss M. E. Perham; 
treasurer. Miss M. E. Richardson. 

The next year the officers were: president, Mrs. David 
Perham; vice-president, Mrs. Loammi Chamberlain; secretary, 
Miss M. E. Perham; treasurer. Miss Nellie Richardson; directors, 
Mrs. J. C. Bartlett, Mrs. N. P. Dadmun and Mrs. Charles Proctor. 

THE CHELMSFORD VETERANS* ASSOCIATION. 

This organization was formed April 21, 1891. President, 
Henry S. Perham; vice-president, John C. Hobbs; secretary, 
George A. Parkhurst; treasvu-er, James P. Emerson; executive 
committee, Daniel P. Byam, J. R. Fletcher and Royal S. Ripley. 
The following is from the Record Book. 

Members of Chelmsford Veterans' Association, 1915: 

Charles L. Adams, South Chelmsford 

Joseph E. Adams, Chelmsford 

George Alexander, Chelmsford 

J. A. Bartlett, Chelmsford 

Daniel P. Byam, South Chelmsford 

J. P. Emerson, Chelmsford 

Francis Hutchinson, Chelmsford 

William H. Hills, Chehnsford 

W. W. Kilboume, Chelmsford 

C. T. Melvin. Chehnsford 

George H. Smith, North Chehnsford 

George G. Stetson, North Chelmsford 

A. G. Charles, Chelmsford 

J. J. Middleton, Chehnsford 

A. J. Boise, Chelmsford 

H. H. Emerson, South Chelmsford 

Burt Emerson, Chehnsford 

Thomas Smith, Chehnsford 



370 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Members of Chelmsford Veterans' Association — Continued. 
J. H. Stewart, Chelmsford 
E. A. Bartlett, East Chelmsford 
Luther C. Titcomb, South Chelmsford 



DECEASED 


COMRADES. 








Name 


Age 


Date of Death 


Alfred Day- 


68 


June 


21, 1894 


Charles S. Reed 


63 


April 


16 


1898 


Melvin E. Dam 


54 


May 


30 


1898 


Albian J. Lamphere 


58 


Nov. 


15 


1898 


John H. Nichols 


70 


Dec. 


9 


1898 


James W. Patchen 


74 


May 


11 


1899 


Nathan B. Lapham 


60 


July 


24 


1899 


Charles E. A. Bartlett 


63 


April 


4 


1900 


Robert Fletcher 


73 


Sept. 


21 


1902 


Homer E. Thayer 


64 


Oct. 


13 


1902 


Samuel J. Garland 


68 


Feb. 


5 


1903 


A. Howard Richardson 


69 


March 


16 


1903 


Henry R. Hodson 


56 


Oct. 


17 


1903 


George A. Parkhurst 


70 


Feb. 


3 


1904 


Arthur B. Chapin 


72 


April 


15 


1904 


Riley Davis 


62 


July 


17 


1904 


Wm. A. Kneeland 


65 


Sept. 


23 


1904 


Henry Herbert Emerson 


63 


Oct. 


22 


1904 


Morrill C. Gove 


81 


April 


21 


1905 


Loren Loker 


94 


April 


28 


1905 


George F. Locke 


64 


April 


28 


1905 


Henry S. Perham 


62 


Feb. 


25 


1906 


Benjamin M. Fletcher 


79 


Nov. 


10 


1906 


Henry Adams Cobum 


65 


Dec. 


7 


1906 


John F. Buckley 


63 


Dec. 


15 


1907 


Charles D. Clark 


75 


Dec. 


19 


1907 


Jonathan Wright 


— 


March 


17 


1909 


William R. Fowle 


— 


Oct. 


22 


1909 


Jessee H. Parker 


— 


Nov. 


2 


, 1909 


Lorenzo Sweetser 


— 


March 


2 


, 1910 


William A. Ingham 


— 


March 


16 


, 1910 


S. L. Dutton, M. D. 


— 


May 


27 


1910 


James Thomas 


70 


Jan. 


28 


, 1911 


H. L. Knowlton 


69 


March 


21 


, 1912 


John C. Hobbs 


75 


March 


30 


1912 


Owen Burnes 


— 


July 


4 


1912 


J. R. Fletcher 


— 


Nov. 


28 


1912 


Charles M. Connell 










A. G. Parkhurst 


— 


Feb. 


7 


, 1913 


C. H. Greenleaf 


75 


March 


15 


, 1913 


R. S. Ripley 


72 


March 


28 


, 1913 


Joseph Marshall 


74 


Nov. 


30 


, 1913 


Wallace W. Joslyn 


74 


Oct. 


2 


, 1913 


A. P. Goddard 


— 






1915 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 



371 



LIST OF CIVIL WAR VETERANS BURIED IN FOREFATHERS' CEMETERY, 
CHELMSFORD CENTRE. 



David Carleton 
William Carlton 
Jos. B. Emerson 
Benj. M. Hildreth 
Henry B. Lovering 
Calvin Allen 
Fitz Henry Spalding 
Charity L. Dunn 
Charles Rolf 
C. E. A. Bartlett 
Charles F. Fletcher 
George B. Lamphere 
Levi Lamphere 
Elijah N. Day 

George E. Reed 
Paul Kitridge 
Nelson C. Cook 
John Esty 
Samuel C. Hunt 
Alfred Day 
Warren A. Blackmer 
Adams Emerson 
John H. Nichols 
James W. Patchen 
Howard Richardson 
George A. Parkhiirst 
A. J. Loker 
Loren Loker 
C. S. Manchester 
W. A. Kneeland 
Edward A. Parkhurst 
Charles S. Reed 
Herbert H. Emerson 
Henry S. Perham 
David A. Copeland 
Charles D. Clark 
Jonathan Wright 
Samuel L. Dutton 
William R. Fowle 
Josiah R. Fletcher 
Albion J, Lamphere 
John C. Hobbs 



Co. F, 23d Mass. Regt. 
Co. B, 39th " 
Co. B, 6th 
Co. G, 33d " 



Co. G, 33d 
Co. K, 6th 

Capt.. Co. K, 6th 
Co. K, 6th 
Co. D, 30th " 
Co. E, 26th " 
Co. K, 6th 

also Co. D, 4th Cavalry 
Co. C, 30th Mass. Regt. 
Co. H, 10th Vt. 
Co. H, 10th " 



Co. C, 6th Mass. " 
Co. A, 26th " 
30th " 
Co. B, 2d N. H. 
Co. I, 105th Ohio " 
Co. B, 6th Mass. 
Co. K and B, 6th Mass. Regt. 
Co. C, 34th Mass. Regt. 
Co. E, 57th " 
Co. B, 47th " 
Co. D, 9th Vt. 

Co. K, 6th Mass. 

Co. K, 6th " 

Co. K and B, 6th Mass. Regt. 

Co. A, 1st Mass. Regt. 

Co. D, 2d Wisconsin Regt. 

Co. K, 6th Mass. Regt. 

Asst. Surg. , 1st Mass. Heavy Artl'y 

nth Mass. Battery 
Co. K, 6th Mass. Regt. 
Co. E, 26th " 
Co. A, 6th " Inf. 



James Thomas 



PINE RIDGE CEMETERY. 

1st Heavy Artillery 



372 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



LIST OF VETERANS BURIED IN RIVERSIDE CEMETERY, NORTH 

CHELMSFORD 



William H. Davidson 


30th Mass. 


Infy 


E. H. Ripley 


Navy 




J. V. Pierce 


33d •' 


<i 


Steams L. Ripley 


26th " 


" 


E. F. Joslyn 


42d 


(1 


J. Griffin 


58th " 


(( 


L. W. Campbell 


33d " 


" 


J. W. Hood 


1st 


Cav. 


R. S. Burnham 


6th 


Infy 


George H. Barton 


30th " 


(< 


James H. Barton 


26th " 


(< 


John H. Butterfield 






John F. Sweet 


6th 


(< 


Jefferson Wright 


35th " 


<( 


J. F. Smart 


6th 


<< 


George Lawrence 






C. R. Sprague 






Charles M. Connell 


Vt. Cav. 




R. S. Ripley 


30th Mass. 


Infy 


Miller 


33d " 


11 


Also three graves of unknown comrades. 





LIST OF CIVIL WAR VETERANS BURIED IN HEART POND CEMETERY, 
SOUTH CHELMSFORD. 



Henry S. Spaulding 
Robert Fletcher 
Albert E. Pike 
Ephraim A. Byam 
Stillman Byam 
Nathan B. Lapham 
George F. Locke 
Benjamin M. Fletcher 
Homer E. Thayer 
Lorenzo Sweetser 
Lieut. Harry Meserve 
Samuel J. Garland 
Robert N. Kendall 
Rufus E. Byam 
Thomas J. Hutchins 
Haskell Leach 



Co. E, 26th Regt. Mass. Vols. 

Co. E, 26th 

Co. E, 26th 

Co. E, 26th 

Co. K, 6th 

Co. K, 6th 

Co. F, 13th " N. H. 

Co. G, 13th 

12th " Vermont 

35th " Mass. 
Co. A, 33d 

10th " Conn. 
Co. A, 15th " Mass. 
Co. C, 6th " Ohio 
Co. E, 33d " Mass. 

15th Mass. Light Battery 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1 861-5 



373 



LIST OF VETERANS BURIED IN THE WEST CHELMSFORD CEMETERY. 



John F. Buckley- 
John Fox 
William Fox 
David Le Duke 
Alfred G. Parkhurst 
George Curtis 

Joseph Marshall 

George Thurlow 
Higgins 
Henry Hodson 
Arthur Holt 
George Pelsue 
J. C. Bos well or Bus well 
Clark Clapper 
Henry Cobum 



33d Regt. Mass. Vol. Militia 



Co. C, 6th Mass. Regt. 

1st Co. Sharp Shooters 

Co. A, 6th Mass. Regt. 

Co. G, 19th " 

Co. E, 2d " Heavy Artillery 

Co. B, 5th " Infantry 



Co. G, 14th 



Heavy Artillery 



At the time of Lincoln's second election to the Presidency 
a liberty pole was raised in the Centre Village at the southeast 
corner of the common, November 7, 1864. The whole cost of the 
flag and staff was $288.12. The bill calls for one 12 yard Am. 
Ensign-$95. 

The money was raised by subscription, the collectors being 
Mr. N. P. Dadman and Dr. N. B. Edwards. Mr. David Perham 
was treasurer. The executive committee were: David Perham, 
H. W. B. Wightman, N. P. Dadman, E. S. Parkhurst, Sanford 
Hazen, A. G. Green and L. Chamberlain, the builder of the 
Revolutionary monument. 

1913, August 30, Company K, M. V. M., celebrated the 
50th Anniversary of their return home from the war (June 3, 1863), 
at the Town Hall in Chelmsford Centre. 

The following record was printed on the notice of the meeting 
sent to the Associates: 

RECORD OF COMPANY K, M. V. M., 1862-1863 



Capt. Charles E. A. Bartlett 
1st Lieut. William F. Wood 
2nd Lieut. Shapleigh Morgan 
Sergt. Charles A. Barker 

George A. W. Vinal . 
" Jona S. Davis 
" Charles H. Sweeney . 



Died April 4, 1900 

Died 

Died 1904 

Died 1904 

Died 1906 

P. O. Address, Derry, N. H. 

P. O. Address, Maiden, Mass. 

407 Lyme St. 



374 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Corporal Josiah R. Fletcher 
" Rollin Perkins 
" Edwin Bowman . 

William T. Wilson 
" Edward E. Lapham 
" Albert O. Davidson 

William E. Clark 
" Milo J. Proctor 



Died Nov. 29, 1911 

Died Nov. 26, 1905 

. P. O. Address, Philadelphia, Pa. 

P. O. Address, Carlisle, Mass. 

P. O. Address, Watertown, Mass. 

Died 1871 

. P. O. Address, Roxbury, Mass. 
58 Sherman St. 
. Died February 26, 1906 



Henry S. Perham 
Musician Arthur Jones 

Wagoner Roswell S. Bumham Died 1908 

Stillman Byam Died July 9, 1878 

Daniel P. Byam . . . P. O. Address, South Chelmsford 

George A. Byam Died June 24, 1912 

George F. Butterfield P. O. 131 Eliot Ave., West Newton, Mass. 

Richard Bums Died Sept. 21, 1894 

James L. Boston P. 0., Strong, Me. 

Kirk H. Bancroft 

Patrick Buckmaster Died July 27, 1910 

John Buckley Died 



George W. Bridges 
Michael Burrows 
John T. Billings 
Dennis Crehen 
John Crehen 
Thomas Carney . 
John H. Colburn . 
Charity L. Dunn . 
Joseph V. Danforth 
Alonzo A. Davis . 
Elijah N. Day 
Herbert H. Emerson 
Amos B. French . 
Charles F. Fletcher 



Died 



Died Sept., 1907 

P. O. 35 West Ninth St., Lowell, Mass. 

Died 

Died 

Died Apr. 8, 1910 

Died 

Died Oct. 23, 1904 
P. O., 36 Marlborough St., Lowell, Mass. 

Died 

John P. Fisher P. O., Medford, Mass. 

George W. Gragg Died 1903 

Byron H. Griswold Died 1911 

Joseph Hallowell Died July 12, 1897 

Henry H. Ingalls Died Oct. 26, 1864 

Franklin Jaquith P. 0., Billerica, Mass. 

Nelson E. Jewett P. O., New Bedford, Mass. 

Nathan B. Lapham Died July 14, 1899 



Thomas Lines 
Daniel Murphy 
Dennis Murphy 
John McEneany 
Michael McNulty 
John McCarthy 



P. O. 



Lowell, Mass., 163 Howard St. 

Died 

Died 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 



375 



Henry E. Putnam. 
John Parkhurst 
George A. Parkhurst 
Amos A. Parkhurst 
John Pierce . 
James B. Peck 
Peter Pendergast 
Oliver Pasho . 
Hiram F. Russell 
Charles F. Reed 
Charles L. Richardson 
John Reall 
Benjamin Sharp . 
Henry Sharp 
William H. Smith 
Henry W. Stevens 
Jesse A. Sargent . 
Edward Sullivan 
Peter H. Staples 
Elbridge Steams . 
Hudson F. Smiley. 
George A. Seaver 
John T. Smith 
James Welch 
Jonathan Wright . 
John Webb 



Died May 27, 1904 

P. O., Boxford, Mass. 

Died Feb. 3, 1904 

P. O., Escanaba, Mich. 

P. O., So. Paris, Me. 

. Died 

Died Apr. 28, 1903 

Died 1905 

Died Apr. 2, 1903 

Died Apr. 16, 1898 

Died 



P. O., Lowell, Mass., 15 Hazeltine St. 

P. O., Rockland, Me., 21 Trinity St. 

Died Mar. 14, 1904 



Died Apr. 29, 1903 
P. O., Chicago, 111. 



Died March 17, 1909 



It has been the custom for the Town to appropriate annually 
$100 or more for the celebration of Memorial Day, May 30th, 
which is done by a procession, with music, consisting of veterans. 
Town officials, clergymen, school children and others; G. A. R. 
ritual in Forefathers' Cemetery; saluting the Revolutionary 
monument ; exercises with address in the Town Hall ; and a dinner. 



TROOP F CAVALRY, M. V. M. 

In the year 1864, when raids on the Canadian border were 
being made by those in sympathy with the Southern Confederacy, 
Christopher Roby of Chelmsford, who at one time was a member 
of the Governor's Horse Guards of New Hampshire, made appli- 
cation to Adjutant-General Schouler of Massachusetts for 
permission to raise a troop of cavalry that would be in readiness 
for any call that might be made to suppress the depredations 
referred to. 

The permission was granted, provided a troop of 100 men 
could be recruited. This the energetic Roby speedily accomplished 
and at Chelmsford Centre, Sept. 5, 1864, the troop was organized. 
The election for officers resulted in the choice of Christopher 
Roby, Captain; Edgar S. Parkhurst, 1st Lieut, and Warren C. 



376 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Hamblet 2nd Lieut., all residents of Chelmsford, the rank and 
file being made up by men from Chelmsford, Carlisle, Billerica, 
Dracut and Westford. 

Its organization complete, the troop became a portion of the 
Mass. Vol. Militia. The troop held its first encampment at 
Westford in 1865. While in camp the troop was presented with 
a stand of colors by Col. Charles H. Dalton, a grandson of Capt. 
Noah Spalding, of Chelmsford, who in olden times commanded a 
company of troopers in Chelmsford. The troop adopted the 
name of "The Spalding Light Cavalry." The town of Chelms- 
ford previous to this organization supported two mounted 
bodies, — one antedating the war of the Revolution, and the 
other during the War of 1812. Soon after the troop was organized, 
it was designated as "Company F Unattached Cavalry." 

While the troop, in the performance of its annual tour of 
duty, had been attached, as a rule, to the First Brigade until May 
19, 1906, at which time it was assigned to the First Squadron 
of Cavalry, nevertheless, during a brief portion of its existence 
it was attached to the Second Brigade, and in a few instances 
also performed service with the Third Brigade. For the 
purpose of further instruction and drills, the troop was 
divided into squads, and squads have at various times been 
established at Ayer, Billerica, Carlisle, Chelmsford Centre, 
Dracut, Groton, Lowell, North Chelmsford, Pepperell, West 
Chelmsford and Westford. 

On July 24, 1866, H. Herbert Emerson of Chelmsford was 
appointed adjutant with the rank of 1st Lieutenant, which office 
he held until 1874, when Elijah D. Bearce of Chelmsford succeeded 
him and held that office until it was abolished in 1878. 

On July 24, 1866, Levi Howard of Chelmsford was appointed 
Asst. Surgeon with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Capt. Roby 
continued in command until 1877, a period of thirteen years, 
when he was succeeded by Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher of Westford. 
The troop was disbanded Jul}^ 1, 1907. 

The following list of officers of the troop, with the residences 
on the date of their election or appointment, will clearly indicate 
that Chelmsford has furnished her full quota. 



CAPTAINS. 

Name Residence Term of Service 

Christopher Roby Chehnsford 1864—1877 

Sherman H. Fletcher Westford 1877—1888 

Horace W. Wilson Carlisle 1888—1893 

Elisha H. Shaw Chelmsford 1893—1898 

Amos R. Leighton Westford 1899—1900 

John J. Monahan Chelmsford 1900—1905 

Edward H. Keyes Chelmsford 1905—1907 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 
ADJUTANT (with rank of 1st Lieut.) 



377 



NAME 

H. Herbert Emerson 
Elijah D. Bearse 



RESIDENCE 

Chelmsford 
Chelmsford 



TERM OF SERVICE 

1866—1874 

1874—1878 



ASSISTANT SURGEON (with rank of 1st Lieut.) 



Levi Howard 
Joseph B. Heald 
Walter H. Leighton 
Joseph B. Heald 
Amasa Howard 
Arthur G. Scoboria 



Chelmsford 

Westford 

Lowell 

Westford 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 



1866—1878 
1878—1883 
1883—1886 
1886—1888 
1889—1900 
1900—1907 



Edgar S. Parkhurst 
Warren C. Hamblett 
Allan Cameron 
Arthur M. Clement 
Nathan B. Lapham 
Arthur M. Clement 
William L. Kittredge 
Horace W. Wilson 
Elisha H. Shaw 
Amos R. Leighton 
John J. Monahan 
Edward H. Keyes 
Edward Fisher 



FIRST LIEUTENANTS 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Dracut 

Chelmsford 

Boston 

Westford 

Carlisle 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 

Westford 



1864—1866 
1866—1867 
1867—1872 
1872—1873 
1874—1878 
1878—1883 
1883—1885 
1885—1888 
1889—1893 
1893—1898 
1899—1900 
1900—1905 
1905—1907 



Warren C. Hamblett 
Allan Cameron 
James A. Davis 
Benjamin F. Day 
Sherman H. Fletcher 
Arthur M. Clement 
William L. Kittredge 
Horace W. Wilson 
Everett C. Williams 
Elisha H. Shaw 
Amos R. Leighton 
William J. Quigley 
Edward H. Keyes 
Elisha H. Shaw 
Edward Fisher 
Edward S. Ricker 



SECOND LIEUTENANTS 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Dunstable 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Boston 

Westford 

Carlisle 

Groton 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 

Chelmsford 

Westford 

Carlisle 



1864—1866 

186&— 1867 

1867—1871 

1871—1874 

1874—1877 

1877—1878 

1878—1883 

1883—1885 

1885—1888 

1888 

1888—1893 

1893—1899 

1899—1900 

1900—1903 

1903—1905 

1905—1907 



378 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE CIVIL WAR. 

Two hundred and eighteen men served to the credit of 
Chehnsford in the Army during the Civil War, and twenty-three 
in the Navy, not including three who were rejected after being 
mustered in, and ten who were credited elsewhere. Of this 
number, twenty-five were killed, or died, in the service. 

The following list was prepared with painstaking care by Mr. 
Henry S. Perham, Chairman of a committee appointed by the 
Town for that purpose. Residents of Chelmsford who served 
to the credit of other towns or cities are included, and the name 
of such town or city is given. This list bears the date 1899. 

RECORD OF THE SERVICE OF CHELMSFORD SOLDIERS AND SAILORS WHO SERVED 
IN THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865. 



Abbott, George A. Mustered in, Aug. 11, 1862, for 3 years. Co. A, 33d 
Regt. Inf., which became Co. I, 3d Cavalry. Deserted, Nov. or Dec, 
1862. Enlisted and mustered in Aug. 10, 1864, for 1 year. Co. C, 4th 
Heavy Art'y. Reported under President Lincoln's Proclamation of 
March 11, 1865, as deserted from 33d Regt., and returned to 3d Cav. 
Mustered out with Company at Alexandria, Va., June 9, 1865. Age, 
20. Single, born Montpelier, Vt. Credited at 2d enlistment to Lawrence. 

Abbott, Solomon. Enl., June 10, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 7, 1862, for 
3 years. Co. H, 33d Inf. Mustered out, June 22, 1865. Prisoner from 
March 26, 1864 to May 5, 1865. Age, 23. Single, son of Dominicus and 
Sally Abbott. Residence given on roll, Lowell. 

Ackroyd, George H. Enl. and mustered, Aug. 12, 1862, for 3 years. Co. E, 
33d Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 18. 

Andrews, John. Enl. and mustered, Sept. 1, 1864, for 3 years. Co. L, 4th 
Cav. When Regt. was mustered out, reported as absent sick. Age, 23. 
Married. Residence, Boston. 

Austin, Charles O. Enl. and mustered, Nov. 30, 1864, for 1 year. Co. C, 
1st Batt'n Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, Oct. 20, 1865. Age, 18. Resi- 
dence, Methuen. 

Baker, George E. Mustered in, Dec. 13, 1864, for 1 year. 6th Mass. Battery. 
Mustered out, Aug. 7, 1865. Age, 21. Residence, Lowell. 

Baker, John M. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 8, 1864, for 3 years. Co. I, 
2d Regt. Inf. Admitted to 1st Div., 2d A. C. Hospital, Sept. 1, 1864. 
Returned to duty, Sept. 22, 1864. No further record. Age, 26. Married. 
Residence, New York City. 

Balcomb, Horace A. Enl. and mustered, April 22, 1864, for 3 years. Co. A, 
26th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 24. Married. 

Barker, Charles Alfred. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862. Sergt. Co. K, 6th 
Regt. Inf., for 9 months. Promoted to 1st Sergt., March 14, 1863. 
Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 21. Single. Born, Prospect, Maine, 
son of Dr. Thos. C. and Rebecca (Abbot) Barker. 

Barr, John. Enl. and mustered, Nov. 30, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 61st 
Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 16, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Boston. 

Barritt, Patrick. Enl. and mustered, Oct. 9, 1861, for 3 years. Co. F, 30th 
Regt. Inf. Died, Oct. 7, 1862, at Carrollton, La. Age, 42. Married. 

Barron, Edward H. Enl. and mustered, Nov, 28, 1864, for 1 year. Co. B, 
1st Heavy Art'y. Mustered out, Aug. 16, 1865. Previous service, 
3 years in U. S. Navy, on U. S. Ship Minnesota, from April 10, 1861 to 
April 13, 1864. 2d enlistment, credit Chelmsford. Res., East Boston. 
Age, 21. Born, Halifax. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 379 

Bartlett, Charles Edwin Adams. Commissioned, Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered 
in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. Captain, Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. 
Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 26. Married. Born, Chelmsford, 
son of Dr. J. C. and Maria (Adams) Bartlett. 

Bartlett, Erastus A. Enl., Aug. 3, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 9, 1862, for 3 
years. Co. A, 33d Regt. Inf. Wounded, July 3, 1863, at Gettysburg, 
Pa. Mustered out, May 16, 1865. Age, 20. Born, Lowell, son of 
Nathaniel and Mary (Churchill) Bartlett. 

Bartlett, Joel Adams. Mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Co. B, 
6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 21. Born, Chelms- 
ford, son of Dr. J. C. and Maria (Adams) Bartlett. 

Barton, James H. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 17, 1861. Co. G, 26th Regt. 
Inf., for 3 years. Re-enlisted, Jan. 3, 1864. Died at sea, July 17, 1864. 
Age, 45. Married, left 7 children. 

Birch, James. Enl., Aug. 11, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 20, 1862, for 3 years- 
Co. K. 38th Regt. Inf. Discharged for disability, Sept. 24, 1863. Age, 
44. Married. Residence, Portland. 

Bladden, Thomas G. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 13, 1864, for 3 years. Co. 
E, 39th Regt. Inf. Transferred to Co. F, 32d Regt. Inf. Discharged, 
July 15, 1865, by order War Dept. Age, 38. Married. Residence, 
South Reading. Name on muster out roll, Blenden. 

Boies, Andrew J. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 11, 1862, for 3 years. Co. E, 
33d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 25. Married. 
Born, Calais, Maine, son of James and Mary Ann Boies. Name on muster 
roll, "Boice." 

Bokett, James. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 3 years. Deserted, 
April 13, 1865, at Port Hudson. Age, 29. Married. Res., Lowell. 

Bond, Phineas S. Enl. and mustered in, July 2, 1861, for 3 years. Co. C, 
16th Regt. Inf. Appointed Corpl., Nov. 1, 1862. Sergt., July 12, 1863. 
Mustered out, July 27, 1864. Age, 25. Single. 

Boston, James Laforest. Enl. Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 
for9months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age24. 
Single. Born, Avon, Maine, son of Joseph, Jr., and Betsy (Sprague) Boston. 

Bowley, Leander G. Enl. and mustered in May 25, 1861, for 3 years. Co. B, 
2d Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Dec. 30, 1863. Appointed, 1 Sergt. Com- 
missioned 2d Lieut., July 3, 1865. Mustered out, July 14, 1865. Age, 
18, son of William and Mary Bowley. Born, Temple, Me. 

Brooks, Charles A. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 4, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 
26th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Feb. 1, 1864. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 
1865. Age, 21. Residence, Acton. Re-enlistment credit, Chelmsford. 

Brown, Edmund H. Enl. and mustered in, July 12, 1861, for 3 years. Co. G, 
16th Regt. Inf. Discharged, disability, Dec. 5, 1862. Age, 24. Single. 

Brown, Frederick C. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 
61st Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 16, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Boston. 

Brown, George P. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 29, 1864, for 1 year. Co. M, 
4th Cavalry. Mustered out, Nov. 14, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Lowell. 

Brown, John T. Enl., Aug. 23, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps. Prior 
service in 20th Mass. Regt. Born, New York City. 

Buckley, John F. Enl., July 26, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 
years. Co. E, 33d Regt. Inf. Promoted Corpl., March 1, 1863. Sergt., 
July, 1864. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 19. 

Buckmaster, Patrick. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 
for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 
Age, 21. Born, Ireland, son of Patrick and Ellen (Lane) Buckmaster. 

Buzzell, George W. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 29, 1863. 40th Regt. Inf. 
Discharged for disability, June 21, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Gil- 
manton, N. H. 

Byam, Daniel P. Enl. and mustered, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. Co. K, 
6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Enl., March 31, 1864, 
for 3 years, U. S. Army, Signal Corps. Discharged, Nov. 10, 1865. 
Age, 20. Born, Chelmsford, son of Marcus D. and Mary (Proctor) Byam. 



380 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Byam, Ephraim Albert. Enl., Sept. 11, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 26th 
Regt. Inf. Died, Oct. 6, 1861, at Chelmsford. Age, 18. Born, Chelms- 
ford, son of Stillman and Mary Ann (Carpenter) Byam. 

Byam, George A. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, for 9 months. 
Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 18. Born, 
Hudson, N. H., son of Amos Adams and Mary A. (Bowers) Byam. 

Byam, Stillman. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 
months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 44. 
Married. Son of Solomon and Abi (Adams) Byam. 

Cade, John. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1864, for 3 years. Co. I, 33d 
Regt. Inf. Recruit, never joined regiment. Age, 22. Residence, New 
Bedford. 

Callahan, Bartlett O. Enlisted, Aug. 17, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps. 
Prior Service, 27th Indiana Regt. Dis., Oct. 30, 1862. 

Callahan, James. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 19, 1864, for 3 years. Co. M, 
3d Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, Sept. 18, 1865. Age, 30. 

Carl, Anthony. Mustered into United States Service for 3 years. Jan. 16, 

1863. Nothing further obtainable. 

Casey, James. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 12, 1864, for 3 years. Co. H, 
27th Regt. Inf. Taken prisoner at Battle of South West Creek, March 8, 
1865. Regt. mustered out, June 26, 1865. Absent when Regt. mustered 
out. 

Clancey, Daniel. Enl., Aug. 16, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps, 2d Battalion. 

Clogston, William Hvslop Sumner. Enl., Dec. 2, 1863. Mustered in, Jan. 2, 

1864, for 3 years. Co. F, 2d Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, Sept. 3, 1865. 
Age, 30. Born, Dorchester, Mass., son of John G. and Mary (Howe) 
Clogston. 

Cob urn, George B. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 19, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 

26th Regt. Inf. Deserted, Nov. 18, 1861. Subsequent service as 

George D. Coburn, credit, Lowell, Co. G, 6th Regt. Inf., for 9 months 

from Aug. 31, 1862, to June 3, 1863. Also, Co. G, 6th Regt. Inf., for 

100 days. Age, 18. 
Cochrane, Thomas. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 31, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 

30th Regt. Inf. Died, Aug. 26, 1863, at New Orleans, La. Age, 21. 

Married. 
Coffey, Henry. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 6, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 61st 

Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 16, 1865. Age, 19. Residence, Boston. 
Collier, John A. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 13, 1862, for 3 years. Co. K, 

20th Regt. Inf. Discharged for disability, Dec. 29, 1863. Age, 37. 

Married. 
Collins, John C. Enl. and mustered in, July 29, 1863, for 3 years. Co. B, 

13th Regt. Inf. Deserted, Nov. 26, 1863. —Substitute. Age, 25. 

Residence, Concord. 
Connelly, James. Enl., Aug. 19, 1861. Mustered in, Aug. 28, 1861, for 3 

years. Co. G, 19th Regt. Inf. Wounded, June 30, 1862. Discharged, 

March 25, 1863. Disability. Enl., Dec. 30, 1863. Credit of Lowell, 

for 3 years. Co. B, 1st Regt. Cav. Transferred, Apr. 29, 1865, to 

Veteran Reserve Corps. Discharged, Nov. 27, 1865, from C. G, 14 

V. R. C. Age, 24. 
Conway, Michael. Enl., May 5, 1864, for 3 years. 26th Regt. Inf. 

Rejected, May 10, 1864, as unqualified. 
Corthell, William E. Enl., Aug. 16, 1864. 6th Independent Co. Veteran 

Reserve Corps. Mustered out, Aug. 31, 1866. Prior service, Cr. 

Boston. Co. D, 3d Cav. Mass. Aug. 31, 1862, to Aug. 25, 1863. Dis- 
charged for disability. Born, Boston. 
Cotter, John J. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 1 year. Co. B, 

1st Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, Aug. 16, 1865. Age, 21. Married. 

Residence, East Boston. 
Cumber, George. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 years. Co. G, 

33d Regt. Inf. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps., July 1, 1863. 

Re-enlisted, Cr. Dracut, Aug. 23, 1864. No further record. Age, 44. 

Married. Residence, Boston, 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1 861-5 381 

Curtis, George. Enl., Sept. 2, 1861. Mustered in, Sept. 3, 1861, for 3 years. 
1st Co. Sharp Shooters. Re-enlisted as Sergt., Credit, Bedford, Feb. 16, 

1864. Died, May 28, 1864, of wounds received in action, May 18, 1864, 
at Spottsylvania. Age, 22. 

Gushing, Edward F. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 3, 1861. Co. H, 26th 
Regt., for 3 years. Re-enlisted, Jan. 3, 1864. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 

1865. Age, 19. Believed to belong to Chelmsford. Roll gives Residence 
and Cr., Lowell. 

Cutler, Benjamin P. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 5, 1864, for 3 years. Co. F, 
4th Regt. Cav., Corpl., July 26, 1865. Mustered out, July 26, 1865. 
Age, 30. Married. Residence, Boston. 

Dalley, Edward. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 years. Co. G» 
33d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 29. Residence, 
Lowell. 

Daly, Simon. Enl., Aug. 14, 1862. Mustered in, Nov. 1, 1862, for 3 years. 
Co. G, 3d Regt. Cav. Volunteered for Forlorn Hope, intended for 
assault of Port Hudson. Discharged, May 20, 1865. Age, 21. Son of 
James Daly, born, Ireland. 

Davidson, Henry W. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 7, 1861, for 3 years. 
Musician, Co. D, 30th Regt. Inf. Died, June 3, 1862, at New Orleans, 
La. Age, 21. 

Davis, Alonzo A. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 
months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Davis, Andrew. Enl. and mustered in, March 8, 1865, at Hilton Head, S. C« 
103d U. S. Regt. Colored Troops. No further record. Age, 25. Resi- 
dence, Georgetown, South Carolina. 

Day, Benjamin F. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 
months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, . 
Married. Born, Avon, Maine, son of Benjamin and Polly (Jacobs) Day. 

Day, Elijah N. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 
months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Enl., 
March 26, 1864. Mustered in, March 31, 1864, for 3 years. Co. D, 
4th Regt. Cav. Died, June 29, 1864, at Jacksonville, Fla. Age, 23. 
Single. Born, Strong, Maine, son of John and Martha (Norton) Day. 

Decatur, Webster C. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 14, 1862, for 3 years. Co. 

E, 33d Regt. Inf. Died, March 14, 1863. Age, 18. 

Deery, Patrick. Enl. and mustered in, June 13, 1861, for 3 years. Co. B, 
11th Regt. Inf. Killed in action, July 2, 1863, Gettysburg. Age, 21. 

Dunn, Charity Lunn. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 
for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 
Enl., Dec. 12, 1863. Mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, for 3 years. Co. E, 2nd 
Heavy Art'y- Died, Oct. 5, 1864 (fever), at Newbern, N. C. Age, 21. 
Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Senter and Jane (Stone) Dunn. 

Dunn, Timothy. Enl., July 25, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 years. 
Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Promoted to Corpl., March 5, 1864. Mustered 
out, June 11, 1865. Age, 28. Single. Residence, Dracut. 

Dutton, Samuel Lane. Commissioned and mustered in, Aug. 11, 1862. 
Asst. Surgeon, 1st Heavy Art'y-, for 3 years. Promoted to Surgeon, 
with rank of Major, 40th Regt. Inf., March 7, 1864. Surgeon in Chief 
3d Brig., 1st Div., 18 A. C. Resigned and discharged. May 11, 1865. 
Age, 26 and 28. Married. Born, Acton, son of Solomon Lane and 
Olive Charlotte (Hutchinson) Dutton. 

Dyar, Albert Atherton. Enl., Aug. 25, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 
for 9 months. Co. E, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 
Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 29, 1863, for 3 years. 15th Light Batt'y. 
Mustered out, Aug. 4, 1865. Born, Sept. 26, 1826, Lowell, son of Albert 

F. and Mary (Atherton) Dyar. 

Emerson, Adams. Commissioned, Aug. 29, 1862, for 3 years. 2d Lieut., 
Co. C, 30th Regt. Inf. 1st Lieut!, May 7, 1863. Dismissed, Feb. 23, 
1865. Son of Dudley Bailey and Lucy (Adams) Emerson. 



382 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Emerson, Burt. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 14, 1861, for 3 years, Co. C, 30th 

Regt. Inf. Transferred for Promotion to 1st Regt. La Native Guards, 

Lieut. 76, U. S. Colored Inf. Discharged as 1st Lieut., Sept. 13, 1864. 

Age, 23. Married Rhoda Wheeler. Born Chelmsford, son of Bryant and 

Hannah (Bradford) Emerson. 
Emerson, Henry Harrison. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 14, 1861, for 3 years, 

Co. C, 30th Regt. Inf. Discharged, Sept. 16, 1862, for disability. Age, 

20. Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Bryant and Hannah (Bradford) 

Emerson. 
Emerson, Henry Herbert. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months, Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 

20. Single. Born Chelmsford, son of Owen and Louisa (Butterfield) 

Emerson. Name given on muster roll, Herbert H. 
Emerson, James Pitts. Enl., Aug. 25, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months, Co. H, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 19. 

Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Bryant and Hannah (Bradford) 

Emerson. 
Emerson, Joseph Bradford. Mustered in, July 7, 1864, for 100 days, Co. B, 

6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 31. Married Sarah 

Byam. Born, Chelmsford, son of Bryant and Hannah (Bradford) 

Emerson. 
Emerson, Rufus Webster. Enl., July 25, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, 

for 3 years, Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf., Corpl., April 8, 1863. Mustered out, 

May 22, 1865. Born, Chelmsford. Married Martha Parkhurst. Son 

of Bryant and Hannah (Bradford) Emerson. 
Everett, Jerry. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 30, 1864, at Vicksburg, Miss., 

3d U. S. Colored Cav. Age, 32. Residence, Houston Co., Georgia. 
Farrell, Michael J. Enl. and mustered in. May 4, 1864, for 3 years, Co. A, 

26th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 18. Single. 

Residence, Lowell. 
Parson, Frank E. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 6, 1861, for 3 years. Musician, 

Co. B, 30th Regt. Inf. Discharged, May 27, 1862, disability. Enl., 

Sept. 1, 1864, credit Lowell, Veteran Reserve Corps. Age, 18. Born, 

Lowell, son of Samuel and Elsie (Lane) Parson. 
Parson, Frederick E. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 1, 1861, for 3 years. 

Musician, Co. B, 30th Regt. Inf. Discharged, May 27, 1862, disability. 

Age, 17. Born, Lowell, son of Samuel and Elsie (Lane) Parson. 
Parwell, Coleman S. Enl., Dec. 21, 1863, mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, for 3 

years. Co. E, 2d Heavy Art'y- Transferred to Co. C, June, 1864. 

Died, Nov. 5, 1864, at Newbern, N. C. Age, 23. Single, son of John 

and Dorcas (Hall) Parwell. 
Fay, John. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 6, 1864, for 3 years. 2d Cav. No 

further record. Age, 21. Single. Residence, New York City. 
Fish, Prank P. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 13, 1864, for 1 year. 7th Mass. 

Batt'y. Mustered out, Nov. 10, 1865. Age, 18. Single. Residence, 

Tyngsboro. 
Fletcher, Charles P. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Enl., 

March 9, 1865. Orderly Sergt., Co. H, 12th Regt. Maine Inf. Mustered 

out with Regt. Age, 18. Born, Chelmsford, son of William and Diantha 

(Dustin) Fletcher. 
Fletcher, Josiah Richardson. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months. Corpl., Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Age, 40. Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Capt. Josiah and Hannah 

(Fletcher) Fletcher. 
Fletcher, Robert. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 10, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 

26th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 1865. 

Age, 33. Married Mary Jane (Spaulding). Born Scotland, son of 

William and Elizabeth (Scott) Fletcher. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1 86 1-5 383 

French, Amos B. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 

months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 18. 

Single. Born, East Chelmsford, son of Thomas T. and Sarah J. (Pierce) 

French. 
Gay, Edward. Enlisted, prior to Aug. 8, 1862. Co. H, 13th Regt, U. S. Inf. 

(Selectmen's statement, nothing further obtained.) 
Gibney, Owen. Enl., Aug. 15, 1862, mustered in, Nov. 1, 1862, for 3 years. 

Co. G, 3d Regt. Cay. Deserted, Dec. 3, 1862, at New York City. Age, 

21. Married. Residence, Lowell. 
Gilmore, William P. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 2, 1861, for 3 years. Co. 

L, 3d Regt. Cav. Transferred to Co. K, 3d Veteran Reserve Corps. 

Discharged, Nov. 1, 1864. Age, 18. 
Gray, George A. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 15, 1863, for 3 years. 7th 

Batt'y- Priorservice, Aug. 31, 1862toJune3, 1863, forQmonths. Co. C, 

6th Regt. Inf. Age, 25. Married. 
Gray, James. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 9, 1862, for 3 years. Co. I, 3d 

Regt. Cav. Died, July 17, 1863, at New Orleans, La. 
Griffin, Addison. Enl., Aug. 4, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 4, 1862, for 3 years. 

Co. I, 23d Regt. Inf. Killed, Dec. 16, 1862, Battle Whitehall, N. C. 

Age, 26. Married. Residence, Gloucester. 
Griffin, George. Enl. at Vicksburg, Miss., Oct. 12, 1864. Mustered in, 

Oct. 13, 1864. 3d Regt., U. S. Colored Cav. Age, 18. Residence, 

Woodville, Miss. 
Griffin, James. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 2, 1864, for 3 years, Co. K, 

58th Regt. Inf. Discharged, June 22, 1865, by order War Dept. Age, 18. 

Residence, Wrentham. 
Hannaford, William Nelson. Drafted and mustered in, Julv 11, 1863, for 

3 years. Co. G, 32d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 29, 1865. Age, 20. 

Single. Born, Billerica, son of Ira N. and Emily (Durant) Hannaford. 

Name given on roll, William H. Hannaford. 
Hathaway, Solon A. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 2, 1861, for 3 years. 1st 

Co. Unattached, and Co. L, 3d Regt. Cav. Discharged, June 14, 1862, 

for disability. Age, 18. 
Hemminway, Jim. Enl. and mustered, March 8, 1865, at Hilton Head, S. C. 

Served in 103d Regt., U. S. Colored Troops. Age, 30. Residence, 

Florence, South Carolina. 
Herbert, Jacob. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 6, 1864, for 3 years. Co. L, 

5th Regt. Cav. (Colored). Mustered out, Oct. 31, 1865, as absent sick. 

Age, 23. Married. Residence, Taunton. 
Hildreth, Benjamin M. Enl., July 25, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Corpl., Aug. 6, 1864. Mustered out, 

June 11, 1865. Age, 36. Married Mary Clogston. Born, Chelmsford, 

son of Moses and Eliza (Murdock) Hildreth. 
Hildreth, George V. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 26, 1861, for 3 years. Corpl., 

Co. E, 26th Regt. Inf. Discharged, Sept. 11, 1862, as Private, for 

disability. Age, 23. Married Maria J. . Son of Moses and Eliza 

(Murdock) Hildreth. Born, Chelmsford. 
Holt, Abner Dumont. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Sergt., Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Age, 23. Single. 
Holt, Henry H. Enl. and mustered in. May 25, 1861, for 3 years. Co. A, 

2d Regt. Inf. Discharged, May 28, 1864. Expiration of service. 

Subsequent service, 6th Regt. Inf., for 100 days. Age, 20. Single. 
Hoyt, Charles N. Enl. and mustered in, May 25, 1861, for 3 years. Co. A, 

2d Regt. Inf. Discharged, April 23, 1863, for disability. Age, 20. 

Single. Residence, Lowell. 
Hoyt, Reuben G. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 21, 1863, for 3 years. 7th 

Mass. Batt'y- Mustered out, Nov. 10, 1865. Age, 27. Married. 

Residence, Lowell. 
Humphrey, John. Enl., Aug. 25, 1862, mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 

months. Co. D, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 32. 

Married. 



384 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Hunter, Joel Aclon. Enl. and mustered in, Julv 2, 1861, for 3 years. Co. C, 

16th Regt. Inf. Wounded at Fair Oaks,' June 21, 1862. Discharged, 

Oct. 3, 1862, disabihty. Enl., Dec. 30, 1863. Mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, 

for 3 years. 11th Light Batt'y- Mustered out as Corpl., June 16, 1865. 

Age, 20. Single. Born, Tyngsboro, son of Joel, Jr., and Judith (Carkin) 

Hunter. 
Hunter, Winfield S. Enl., Aug. 1, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 11, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. E, 33d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 18. 

Residence, Tyngsboro. Son of Joel and Judith (Carkin) Hunter. 
Ingalls, Henry Harrison. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Co. B, 6th Regt. Inf. Died, 

Oct. 26, 1864, at Chelmsford. Age, 21, and 23. Single. Born, Lowell. 

Son of Joseph and Eliza (Curtis) Ingalls. 
Jackson, James. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 11, 1861, for 3 years. Co. A, 

26th Regt. Inf. Discharged, Oct. 16, 1862, for disability. Age, 18. 
Jenkins, John. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 5th 

Regt. Cav. (Colored). Mustered out, Oct. 31, 1865, as absent sick. 

Age, 38. Single. Residence, Robertson, Maine. 
Jewett, Nelson E. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. Co. 

K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 23, Single. 
Johnson, William A. Enl. and mustered in, May 4, 1864, for 3 years. Co. A, 

26th Regt. Inf., musician. Discharged, May 23, 1865, disability. Age, 

18. Single. Residence, Vermont. 
Jones, Frank N. P, Drafted and mustered in, July 17, 1863, for 3 years. 

Co. F, 32d Regt. Inf. Died, Sept. 16, 1864, prisoner of war, Anderson- 

ville, Ga. Age, 21. Married. Roll says residence, Chelmsford, credit, 

Fitchburg. Selectmen's book says "Substitute." Was drafted at 

Greenfield. Letter W. D. 
Juggins, William. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 8, 1864, for 1 year. 6th Mass. 

Batt'y- Mustered out, Aug. 7, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Cambridge. 
Kearns, James. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 7, 1864, for 1 year. 6th Mass. 

Batt'y. Mustered out, June 5, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Boston. 
Kelly, Daniel. Enl., Aug. 13, 1862. Mustered in, Nov. 1, 1862, for 3 years. 

Co. G, 3d Cav. Deserted, Nov. 6, 1862, at New York City. Age, 21. 

Single. Residence, Lynn. 
Kirwan, Michael. Enl. and mustered in, April 28, 1864, for 3 years. Co. A, 

2d Regt. Inf. Never joined Regiment. Age, 22. Married. Residence, 

Newburg, N. Y. 
Lamphere, Albion J. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 14, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 

26th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Feb. 1, 1864. Credit, Acton. Mustered 

out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 21. Single. Born, Lebanon, N. H., son of 

Levi and Mary (Sawyer) Lamphere. 
Lamphere, George B. Enl., Jan. 1, 1862. Co. C, 30th Regt. Inf. Re- 
enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Credit, Lowell. Died, at Winchester, Va., Oct. 

21, 1864, of wounds in Battle of Cedar Creek. Age, 25. Married. 

Born, Lebanon, N. H., son of Levi and Mary (Sawyer) Lamphere. 
Lamphere, Levi, Jr. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 2, 1861, for 3 years. Co. 

E, 26th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 

1865. Age, 19. Single. Born, Lebanon, N. H., son of Levi and Mary 

(Sawyer) Lamphere. 
Lapham, Edward Everett. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Enl. and mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Co. B, 6th Regt. Inf. 

Appointed Corpl. Mustered out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 21 and 23. 

Single. Born, Littleton, son of William and Elizabeth (Creasy) Lapham. 
Lapham, Nathan Brown. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 

23. Single. Born, Groton, son of William and Elizabeth (Creasy) 

Lapham. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-3 385 

Lawrey, James. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 6, 1864, for 3 years. First 

Heavy Art'y- Unassigned. Deserted, Sept. 4, 1864. Age, 25. Single. 

Residence, Hingham. 
Lewis, James. Mustered in, Jan. 16, 1863, to U. S. Service, for 3 years. 

(Certificate of Asst. Adjt. Genl., Jan. 20, 1863.) Nothing further obtain- 
able. Credited, Chelmsford. 
Lynch, Michael. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 30, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 

61st Rcgt. Inf. Mustered out, July 16, 1865. Prior service as Michael 

Barrett, Co. K, 59th Regt. Inf. Deserted, Aug. 20, 1864. Age, 21. 

Residence, Boston. 
Lyons, Stephen. Enl. and mustered in, April 23, 1864, for 3 years. 5th 

Mass. Batt'y- Deserted. Never joined Battery. Age, 23. Single. 

Residence, Lowell. 
Marr, William. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 17, 1864, for 1 year. 7th Mass. 

Batt'y- Mustered out, Nov. 10, 1865. Age, 21. Single. Residence, 

Lowell. 
Martin, Michael. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 20, 1864, for 3 years. 1st 

Heavy Art'y- No further record. Age, 30. Single. Residence, 

Boston. 
Marvis, Frank. Enl. and mustered in, July 28, 1863, for 3 years. Co. K, 

13th Regt. Inf. Substitute. Deserted, Aug. 22, 1863. Sentenced to 

Prison during war. Dishonorably disch. Age, 21. Residence, ('). 
Masterson, Michael. Enl., Sept. 18, 1862. Mustered in, Oct. 27, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. H, 3d Regt. Cav. Discharged, Feb. 20, 1863. Disability. 

Age, 21. Single. Residence, Lowell. 
McAlier, Joseph. Enl., Jan. 4, 1864. Mustered in, Jan. 19, 1864, for 3 

years. Co. G, 59th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 12, 1865. Age, 27. 

Single. 
McCabe, John T. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 7, 1861, for 3 years. Co. D, 

30th Regt. Inf. Died, Nov. 14, 1862, at New Orleans, La. Age, 36. 

Married. Residence, given on roll, Lowell. Should be Chelmsford. 
McDermott, Thomas. Enl and mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, for 3 years. Co. 

B, 17th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 11, 1865. Age, 30. Married. 

Residence, Chelmsford. Credit, Charlestown. 
McEneany, John. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 

months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 21. 

Single. Born, Ireland. 
McEneany, Patrick. Mustered in, July 23, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 17th 

Regt. Inf. Discharged, Dec. 2, 1861. Disability. Age, 28. Married. 

Residence given on roll, Georgetown. Selectmen's statement of men 

in service, Aug. 26, 1862, has name. 
McEneany, Peter. Enl., Aug. 16, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 16, 1862, for 3 

years. Co. I, 20th Regt. Inf. Killed in action, Dec. 11, 1862, at 

Fredericksburg. Age, 19. Single. Born, Ireland. 
McEnnis, Edward. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 10, 1861, for 3 vears. Co. D, 

26th Regt. Inf. App. Corpl., Dec. 22, 1862. Sergt., Jan. 24, 1864. 

Discharged, April 22, 1865. Age, 22. Single. Born, Ireland, son of 

Philip and Roseanna (Farley) McEnnis. Died, W. Chelmsford, Apr. 

29, 1893. 
McEnnis, James. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 17, 1861, for 3 years. Corpl., 

Co. B, 30th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Wounded, Oct. 19, 

1864. Battle Cedar Creek. Discharged, July 27, 1865. Disability. 

Age, 19. Single. Born, Ireland, son of Philip and Roseanna (Farley) 

McEnnis. Died, West Chelmsford, June 5, 1882. 
McGregor, James. Enl., July 23, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps. Prior 

service in 30th Regt. Age, 46. Born, Scotland. 
McGuire, John. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 3 years. 1st 

Heavy Art'y. Discharged, Dec. 28, 1864. Rejected Recruit. Age, 28. 

Residence, Boston. 
McGuire, Thomas. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 10, 1864. 7th Mass. Batt'y. 

Mustered out, Oct. 13, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Freetown, N. B. 



386 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mcintosh, George. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 29, 1864, for 1 year. 6th 
Mass. Batt'y- Mustered out, Aug. 7, 1865, as Artificer. Prior service 
in Co. E, 7th Regt. Inf. Mustered in, June 15, 1861. Discharged, 
April 17, 1863, for disability. Age, 32. Residence, Dorchester. 

McKeever, John. Enl., April 28, 1864. Mustered in, April 28, 1864, for 3 
years. 2d Regt. Inf. Recruit. Never joined Regiment. Age, 34. Resi- 
dence, Baltimore. 

Mealey, Richard. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 19, 1863, for 3 years. 7th 
Mass. Batt'y- Mustered out, Nov. 10, 1865. Age, 36. Married. 

Moran, John. Enl., Aug. 22, 1862. _ Mustered in, Sept. 4, 1862, for 3 years- 
Drummer, Co. C, 3d Cav. Discharged, Feb. 19, 1863, for disability- 
Age, 17. Son of Michael and Jane Moran. Roll gives residence, 
Roxbury. 

Morgan, Charles C. Mustered in, July 25, 1864, for 100 days. Co. B, 5th 
Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Nov. 16, 1864. Age, 21. 

Morrissey, James. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 30, 1864, for 3 years. Co. C, 
1st Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, June 18, 1865. Age, 28. Single. 
Residence, Boston. 

Murphy, Daniel. Enl. and mustered in, Oct 31, 1861, for 3 years. Co. B, 
30th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Corpl., Aug. 5, 1864. 
Mustered out, July 5, 1866. Age, 27. Married. 

Murphy, James. Substitute. Mustered, July 24, 1863, Co. A, 13th Inf., 
for 3 years. Transferred to Navy, April 16, 1864. 

Murphy, William. Enl., April 28, 1864, for 3 years. Co. G, 2d Regt. Inf. 
Mustered out, July 14, 1865. Age, 21. Single. Residence, Phila- 
delphia 

Murray, Timothy. Enl. and mustered in. May 6, 1864, for 3 years. Co. D, 
26th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, 
Lowell. 

Neiman, Henry. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 9. 1864, for 3 years. Co. C, 
2d Cav. Mustered out, Aug. 1, 1865, as absent sick. Age, 40. Single. 
Residence, Hanover. 

Nevens, George H. Enl., Jan. 4, 1864, 15th Batt'y, lor 3 years. Rejected, 

Jan. 7, 1864. Rejected recruit. 
Noonan, Michael. Enl., Sept. 14, 1861. Co. E, 26th Regt. Died, Sept. 

19, 1863, at New Orleans. Age, 30. 
Osgood, George A. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 9, 1862, for 3 years. Co. A, 

33d Regt. Inf. Corpl., Aug. 12, 1863. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. 

Age, 19. 
Parkhurst, Alfred Gilman. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. 

Co. C, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 24. Single. 

Born, Dunstable, son of Americus and Sally (Roby) Parkhurst. 
Parkhurst, Amos A. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 

19 Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Amos and Mary J. (Durgin) 

Parkhurst. 
Parkhurst, Charles W. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 5, 1861, for 3 years. 

Corpl., Co. E, 26th Regt. Inf. Sergt., Sept. 14, 1863. Re-enlisted, 

Jan. 1, 1864. Mustered out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 22. Single. Born, 

Chelmsford, son of Rev. John and Celia (Burrows) Parkhurst. 
Parkhurst, George Adams. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 

1862, for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 

1863. Mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Corpl., Co. B, 6th 
Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 29. Single. Born, 
Chelmsford, son of Solomon and Lucina (Adams) Parkhurst. 

Parkhurst, John 3d. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 
9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 
35. Married. Born, Chelmsford, son of Rev. John and Celia (Burrows) 
Parkhurst. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 387 

Patch, William T. Musician, Co. D, 6th Regt., for 3 months. Was not 
mustered in. Wounded at Baltimore, April 19, 1861. Age, 27. Born, 
Tyngsboro, son of Asa and Mary (Tyng) Patch. 
Pearson, Oscar. Enl. and mustered in, Feb. 10, 1864, for 3 years. Musician, 

Co. F, 2d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 14, 1865. Age, 18. 
Perham, Henry Spalding. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 
for 9 months. Corpl., Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Discharged, at Suffolk, 
Va., March 17, 1863. Disability. Loss of sight, right eye. Mustered 
in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Corpl., Co. B, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered 
out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 18. Born, Chelmsford, son of David and 
Eleutheria (Waite) Perham. 
Pierce, John. Enl., Aug. 30. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. 
Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 18. Born, 
Chelmsford, son of Stephen and Mary Pierce. 
Pierce, Jonas V. Enl., June 25, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 
years. Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Died, June 21, 1863, at Washington, 
D. C. Age, 22. Single. 
Pike, Albert E. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 5, 1861, for 3 years. Co. E, 
26th Regt. Inf. Discharged, Nov. 22, 1862, to join Regular Army, Co. 
C, 2d Regt. U. S. Art'y. Died, Aug. 17, 1863, at Chelmsford. Age, 
18. Son of Joseph F. and Eliza Pike. 
Pike, William H. Served in Navy five years, from 1858 to 1863. Re-enlisted 
in Regular Army, Co. C, 6th Regt., U. S. Cavalry. Selectmen's statement, 
Aug., 1864, at Adjt. Gen. Office. (See Navy). Enl., Jan. 3, 1857, in 
3d U. S. Artillerv, for 5 years. Discharged, Jan. 3, 1862, and Enl. in 
6th U. S. Cav., Jan. 18, 1862, for 3 years. Discharged, as 1st Sergt., 
Jan. 18, 1865. (Statement of Pike, Mch. 21, 1899.) 
Popples, Daniel. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 6, 1864, for 3 years. Co. L, 
4th Regt. Cav. Corpl., Sept. 28, 1864. Sergt., June 12, 1865. Mustered 
out, June 12, 1865. Age, 30. Single. Residence, New York City. 
Post, Cornelius H. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1864, for 1 year. Co. N, 
2d Heavy Art'y- Transferred, Dec. 16, 1864, to 17th Mass. Regt. Inf. 
Died in hospital, at Beaufort, N. C. Age, 42. Single. Residence, 
Patterson, N. J. 
Proctor, Josiah Kendall. Enl., Dec. 3, 1863. Mustered in, Dec. 22, 1863, 
for 3 years. Co. K, 2d Regt. Heavy Art'y. Mustered out, Sept. 3, 
1865. Age, 18. Born, Chelmsford, son of Calvin and Honora (Peckins) 
Proctor. 
Proctor, Milo J. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 
months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Discharged, Nov. 16, 1862, for dis- 
ability. Age, 21. Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Charles and 
Jenette (Way) Proctor. 
Putnam, Henry E. Enl., Aug. .30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 
9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 
36. Married. Born, Andover, Vermont. 
Putney, Samuel Franklin. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 3 years. 
Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 24. Married. 
Born, Dracut, son of Samuel and Sarah (Blosson) Putney. 
Quinlan, Michael. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 8, 1864, for 1 year. 7th 
Mass. Batt'y. Mustered out, Nov. 10, 1865. Age, 24. Single. Resi- 
dence, Lowell. 
Radcliffe, George E. Enl., Dec. 21, 1863. Mustered in, Feb. 9, 1864, for 
3 years. Co. D, 59th Regt. Inf. Transferred, June 1, 1865, to Co. D, 
57th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 30, 1865, as absent sick. Age, 40, 
Single. 
Reed, Charles S. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. Co. K, 
6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 27. Married (Emily 
Emerson). Born, Chelmsford, son of Joseph and Leonora Reed. 
Reed, George E. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 14, 1861, for 3 years. Co. C, 
30th Regt. Inf. Died, Aug. 2, 1862, at Baton Rouge, La. Age, 23. 
Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Joseph and Maria (Eaton) Reed. 



388 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Richards, James B. Enl., Dec. 16, 1863. Mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, for 3 
years. Co. E, 2d Heavy Art'y- Mustered out, Sept. 3, 1865, as Corpl. 
Age, 21. 

Richardson, Alvah H. Mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. Co. B, 
6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 30. Single. Born, 
Chelmsford, son of Elijah and Elizabeth Richardson. 

Richardson, Stephen. Enl., Dec. 16, 1863. Mustered in, Jan. 2, 1864, for 
3 years. Co. E, 2d Heavy Art'y. Mustered out, Sept. 3, 1865, in Co. C. 
Age, 39. 

Ripley, Royal Southwick. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 7, 1861, for 3 years. 
Musician, Co. D, 30th Regt. Inf. Promoted to Principal Musician, 
Aug. 26, 1862. Discharged, Nov. 7, 1865. Expiration of term. Age, 
21. Single. Born, Danvers, son of Lewis and Sophia (Gardner) Ripley. 

Ripley, Stearns Lewis. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 22, 1861, for 3 years- 
Co. H, 26th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Nov. 7, 1864. Age, 35. Married- 
Born, Fitchburg, son of Lewis and Sophia (Gardner) Ripley. 

Ritchie, James Clinton. Enl. and mustered in, May 3, 1864, for 3 years. 
Drummer, Co. B, 30th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 5, 1866. Age, 18. 
Residence, Lowell. Born, Peterboro, N. H., son of John and Nancy 
(Melvin) Ritchie. 

Robinson, George W. Enl., June 3, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 11, 1865. Age, 21. 

Single. Residence, Lowell. 
Rogers, Thomas D. Enl., Aug. 12, 1862. Mustered in, Oct. 27, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. F, 3d Regt. Cav. Discharged, Feb. 25, 1863. Disability. 

Age, 35. Married. 
Rollins, Voluntine P. Enl. and nmstered in, Aug. 8, 1861, for 3 years. Co- 

A, 20th Regt. Inf. Captured at Balls Bluff, Oct. 21, 1861. Discharged* 

May 8, 1863. Disability. Age, 44. Married. 
Russell, Frederick E. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 21, 1861, for 3 years. Co. 

I, 26th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Nov. 7, 1864, as Corpl. Age, 25. 

Married. 
Sanborn, John S. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1864, for 3 years. Co. I, 

33d Regt. Inf. Transferred to 2d Regt. Inf., June 1, 1865. Mustered 

out, July 14, 1865. Age, 21. Single. Residence, Lake Village, N. H. 
Sharp, Henry. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. 

Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 35. Married. 
Shields, John. Record of services cannot be found. Was paid bounty by 

town. 
Simpson, Edward Alphonso. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 12, 1861, for 3 

years. Co. B, 30th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1884. Sergt. Wounded 

Oct. 19, 1864, Cedar Creek. Absent, wounded, at muster out, July 5, 

1866. Age, 29. Married. 
Smart, Josiah T. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 9 months. Co. 

C, 6th Regt. Inf. Wounded in action, Jan. 30, 1863, at Deserted House, 

Va. Age, 32. Married. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 
Smiley, Hiram Franklin. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, 

for 9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. 

Age, 21. Single. Birthplace, Skowhegan, Maine. Son of Edward and 

Cynthia (Nye) Smiley. Name Hudson F. on roll. 
Smith, George Harrison. Enl., Feb. 23, 1864. Mustered in, March 4, 1864, 

for 3 years. Co. G, 59th Regt. Inf. Wounded, May 24, 1864, at North 

Anna, Va. Discharged, Nov. 14, 1864, disability, loss of left arm. Age, 

27. Married. Born, Boston, son of John H. and Jemima (Spaulding) 

Smith. 
Smith, Robert. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 8, 1864, for 3 years. Co. D, 

3d Cav. Mustered out, Sept. 28, 1865. Age, 23. Single. Residence, 

Boston. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 389 

Spalding, Fitz Henry. Enl., July 25, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 5, 1862, for 

3 years. Co. G, 33d Regt. Inf. Corpl., March 5, 1864. Wounded, 

May 25, 1864, at Dallas, Ga. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, 

Co. H, 5th. Discharged, July 12, 1865, termination of service. Age, 

25. Single. Son of Haskell Spalding. 
Spaulding, Henry S. Enl. and mustered in, Sept. 6, 1861, for 3 years. Co. 

E, 26th Regt. Inf. Died, June 22, 1862^ New Orleans, La. Age, 25. 

Single. Born, Chelmsford, son of Isaiah Spaulding. 
Speers, James. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 2, 1864, for 1 year. 11th Batt'yi 

Lt. Art'y- Mustered out, June 16, 1865. Age, 18. Residence, Boston. 
Staples, Frank. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 7, 1864, for 1 year. Co. G, 61st 

Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 16, 1865. Age, 35. Residence, Boston. 
Stetson, George Gilman. Enl. and mustered in. Tune 13, 1861, for 3 years. 

Corpl. Co. B, 11th Regt. Inf. Prisoner from" May 12, 1864 to Dec. 10, 

1864, Andersonville. Discharged, Feb. 11, 1865. Age, 18. Born, 

Lowell, son of Zenas and Martha (Melvin) Stetson. 
Stevens, Henry W. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 21. 

Single. 
Stewart, Samuel. Enl., July 24, 1863. Mustered in, July 29, 1863, for 

3 years. 13th Regt. Inf. Substitute, transferred to Co. I, 39th Regt. 

Inf., July 14, 1864. Mustered out, June 26, 1865. Age, 27. Single. 
Sullivan, Edward. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 18. 

Son of Michael and Ellen Sullivan. 
Sullivan, Jerry. Name on Selectmen's book among 1861 enlistments and in 

their return of men in service, Aug., 1862, at Adj. Gen. office but am 

unable to find a record of his service. 
Sutton, Andrew. Enl. and mustered in, Jan. 19, 1865, at Fortress Monroe, 

Va. 37th Regt., U. S. Colored Troops. No further record at A. G. O. 

Age, 42. Residence, North Carolina. 
Toner, John, Jr. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 1, 1861, for 3 years. Musician, 

Co. F, 30th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Corpl., Jan. 17, 1866. 

Mustered out, July 5, 1866. Age, 18. 
Tyrrell, Samuel. Enl. and mustered in, Nov. 28, 1864, for 3 years. 12th 

Batt'y. Light Art'y. Mustered out, July 25, 1865. Age, 30. Married. 

Residence, Lowell. 
Vause, John T. Enl., Aug. 18, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps. Prior 

service, 32d Regt., N. Y. Inf. Discharged for gunshot wound. Age, 21. 

Born, New York. 
Walsh, John. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 6, 1864, for 3 years. Co. L, 4th 

Regt. Cav. Mustered out, Nov. 14, 1865. Age, 18. Born, Ireland. 
Warren, Augustus. Enl., April 16, 1861. Mustered in, April 22, 1861, for 

3 months. Co. H, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Aug. 2, 1861. Age, 30. 

Roll gives residence, Lowell. Born, Chelmsford and home there at time 

of enlistment. 
Webber, William H. Mustered in, Aug. 17, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps. 

Prior service, 30th Mass. Regt. Inf. Dis., Oct. 16, 1862. Age, 29. 

Born, South Danvers. 
Welch, John. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 8, 1864, for 3 years. 3d Regt. 

Cav. No further record at Adj. Gen. Office. Age, 21. Enlisted at 

Concord. 
Wentworth, Moses C. Enl. and mustered in, Oct. 5, 1861, for 3 years. Co. H, 

26th Regt. Inf. Re-enlisted, Jan. 3, 1864. Credit, Chelmsford. 

Wounded, Sept. 19, 1864. Engagement at Openquan, Va. Mustered 

out, Aug. 26, 1865. Age, 30. Single. Residence and 1st Enl., credit, 

Lowell. 
West, Edward. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1864, for 3 years, 2d Regt. 

Never joined Regt. Age, 21. Single. Residence, Boston. 
Whelan, Philip. Enl., Jan. 4, 1864. Mustered in, Feb. 9, 1864, for 3 years. 

Co. D, 59th Regt. Inf. Died, March 5, 1865, at Washington, D. C. 

Age, 32. Married. 



390 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Whitcher, Charles F. Mustered in, July 17, 1864, for 100 days. 1st Sergt., 

Co. B, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 23. 
Whittle, John Henry. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 8, 1863, for 3 years. 7th 

Mass. Batt'y. Mustered out, Nov. 10. 1865. Died at Chelmsford, 

Nov. 26, 1865. Age, 27. Married. 
Williams, John. Enl. and mustered in, April 6, 1865, at Boston for 1 year. 

30th Regt. Inf., unassigned. Discharged, May 6, 1865. 
Wilson, Charles B. Enl. and mustered into U. S. Service, Jan. 16, 1863, for 

3 years. Certificate of Asst. Adj. Gen., Jan. 20, 1863. Nothing further 

obtainable. 
Wilson, George B. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 8, 1864, for 3 years. 2d 

Regt. Cav. No further record. Letter W. D., Nov. 26, 1867. Age, 35, 

Married. Residence, New Haven, Conn. 
Wite, William. Enl. and mustered in, Aug. 5, 1864, for 3 years. Co. I, 

33d Regt. Inf. recruit. Never joined Regt. Age, 24. Married. 

Residence, Boston. 
Woodman, Miles. Enl. and mustered in, Dec. 6, 1864, for 1 year. Co. D, 

17th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, July 11, 1865. Age, 42. Married. 

Residence, Boston. 
Wright, Jonathan. Enl., Aug. 30, 1862. Mustered in, Aug. 31, 1862, for 

9 months. Co. K, 6th Regt. Inf. Mustered out, June 3, 1863. Age, 

36. Married. 



Baker, Erastus D. Enl. Feb. 7, 1862 as Seaman for 2 years. Served on 
Katahdin and Bermuda. Discharged, June 13, 1864, from Princeton. 
Age, 43. Born, Groton. 

Coburn, Henry H. Enl., April 28, 1862 as Seaman, at Boston, cr., Milton. 
At Hampton Roads, May 1, 1862. Discharged, April 16, 1864, from 
R. S. Ohio, Special Order. Age, 23. Born, Hudson River, N. Y. 
Selectmen's statement on file at Adj. Gen. Office claims him for Chelms- 
ford. 

Daly, Cornelius. Enl. at Boston, Sept. 15, 1860, for 5 years. Served on 
Flag Ship, Minnesota. Discharged, Oct. 30, 1864. Age, 19. Born, 
Ireland. Son of James Daly. Home in Chelmsford at time of service. 

Fay, or Tay, John J. Enl. July 31, 1862. Credit, Boston, for 1 year. Dis- 
charged, July 4, 1863. Age, 31. Born, Chelmsford. 

Hall, Henry M. Enl., Sept. 1, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served on Rhode 
Island. Discharged from R. S. Ohio. Expiration of Term. Subsequent 
service in Army. Credit, Harvard. Enl. and mustered, Dec. 7, 1863. 
Co. G, 36th Regt. Inf., for 3 years. Transferred, June 8, 1864 to 56th 
Regt. Mustered out, July 12, 1865. Age, 38. Born, Harvard, Mass. 

Hinds, Josiah D. Enl., Sept. 2, 1862, at Boston, as Ordinary Seaman for 1 
year. Deserted, Dec. 13, 1862, from Hospital at Boston. Age, 18. 
Born, Knox, Maine. 

Maglue, James. Enl., Feb. 3, 1862, at Boston, as Seaman for 2 years. Served 
on Penobscot, Sacramento, Montgomery. Discharged, Feb. 19, 1865, 
from Montgomery. Expiration Term. Age, 32. Born, Salem. 

Pike, William H. Enlisted in Navy in 1858 for 5 years. Served his time and 
re-enlisted in Army. According to his statement his first as well as 
second service was in the regular army. 

Ripley, Edward H. Enlisted, May 31, 1861, at Boston. Credit, Boston, for 
1 year. Served on Colorado. Discharged, June 30, 1862. Expiration 
of Term. Age, 25. Born, Lowell. Son of Lewis and Sophia (Graves) 
Ripley. Residence, Chelmsford. 

Savage, Patrick. Enlisted, Aug. 23, 1861, as Cabin Boy, at Boston, for 3 
years. Served on Gemsbok. Deserted, June 8, 1862, at Baltimore, Md. 
Age, 16. Born, Boston. 

Seamans, Charles M. Enlisted, Aug. 23, 1861, at Boston, as 1st Cabin 
Boy, for 3 years. Served on Cambridge. Discharged, Feb. 6, 1862. 
Imbecility. Age, 17. Born, Springfield, Mass. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-5 391 

Sears, Charles A. Enlisted, Aug. 23, 1861, at Boston, as 1st Cabin Boy, 
for 3 years. Served on Sabine and Sciota. Discharged, Sept. 30, 1864, 
from R. S. Ohio. Expiration of term. Age, 17. Born, Boston. 

Smith, Frank B. Enlisted, Aug. 21, 1861, as 2d Cabin Boy, at Boston, for 
3 years. Served on Sabine. Discharged, Sept. 12, 1862, from R. S., 
No. Carolina. Disability. Age, 18. Born, West Medford. 

Stewart, Francis W. Enlisted, Aug. 19, 1861, as Ordinary Seaman, at Ports- 
mouth, for 3 years. Served on Ohio and at Navy Yard, Washington, 
D. C, to Mch. 31, 1862. No further record. Age, 24. Born, Wells, 
Maine. 

Stillings, Samuel W. Enlisted, Aug. 23, 1861, at Boston, as 2d Cabin Boy, for 
3 years. Served on Cambridge. Deserted, June 9, 1862, at Baltimore, 
Md. Age, 15. Born, Berwick, Me. 

Sumner, Thomas C. Enlisted, Feb. 17, 1862, at Boston. Credit, Framing- 
ham. Served on Constitution. Died, March 11, 1862, at Hospital, 
Portsmouth, N. H. Age, 18. Born, Lowell. Home, Chelmsford, at 
time of service. 

Synett, Francis W. Enlisted, Aug. 23, 1861, at Boston, for 3 years. Served 
on Sabine, Savannah, Niagara. Discharged, Aug. 19, 1864. Age, 23. 
Born, England. 

Wallace, William. Enlisted, Aug. 4, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served 
on Ino. Deserted, Oct. 4, 1862. Age, 22. Born, Ireland. 

Ware, Joseph. Enlisted, Aug. 9, 1862, at Boston, as Coal Heaver, for 1 year. 
Age, 24. Born, Worcester. 

Watson, Hiram P. Enlisted, July 30, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served 
on Ino and Ohio. Discharged, Sept. 12, 1863. Age, 22. Born, Lowell, 
real name, Hiram T. 

Webber, Alden S. Enlisted, Aug. 4, 1862, at New Bedford, for 1 year. 
Served on Ino. Discharged, Sept. 12, 1863. Age, 21. Born, Bowdoin- 
ham, Maine. 

Welsh, Patrick. Enlisted, Aug. 7, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served on 
Galena. Discharged, June 17, 1863, from R. S. Princeton. Age, 34. 
Born, Ireland. 

Wheland, Francis A. Enlisted, Aug. 2, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served 
on Ino. Discharged, Sept. 12, 1863. Age, 21. Born, Boston. 

White, Charles E. Enlisted, Aug. 7, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served on 
Ino. Discharged, Sept. 12, 1863. Age, 21. Born, Newport, R. I. 

Wilkey, or Wilking, Henry. Enlisted, July 29, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. 
Served on Albatross. Discharged, Aug. 7, 1863. Age, 25. Born, 
Prussia. 

Woodman, William. Enlisted, Aug. 7, 1862, at Boston, for 1 year. Served 
on Morse. Discharged, Aug. 4, 1863. Age, 24. Born, Ireland. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
THE LIFE OF LONG AGO. 

HUBBARD, in Hist, of N. E., p. 543, says that in 1653 was 
liberty granted for several plantations, one "at a pleasant 
place upon Merrimack river, called Chelmsford." 

The men who first surveyed the land for the new plantation 
to be called Chelmsford, and the families who settled here travelled 
on horseback or on foot from the South and East through trackless 
forests or over Indian trails. Some may have floated in boats 
down the Concord river. One of the earliest and easiest modes of 
travel was by water. The land vehicles first used were two-wheeled 
carts. In the early days there was scarcely anything like a modem 
roadway, even in the older settlements. Stagecoaches did not 
come into general use until after the Revolution. Levi Pease 
started a line between Boston and Hartford in 1783. 

A woman would sometimes be seated on a pillion behind her 
husband. A century and a half ago, in the inventory of Henry 
Fletcher's estate, is found this item: one pillion appraised at 
£0:7:0. This mode of travel was not unpopular among young 
lovers, as the woman could only hold herself on by putting her 
arm around the man. 

Up to the latter half of the 18th century (1750), travellers 
usually rode on horseback, and, after stage lines were established, 
continued to do so for short distances. It was near the year 
1800 before "horse wagons" came into use. Articles for market 
were carried in wallets and panniers thrown across the horse. 

The mention of a "cart bridge" in the Town records, in 1672, 
shows that wheeled vehicles were then in use here, probably ox 
carts. 

In 1808, Joshua Baldwin wrote Dr. Betty from Charlestown, 
July 16, "We arrived at Charlestown the fourth day after we left 
Westford. The going was very bad, and we got along very slow." 
The vehicle used was probably a chaise. 

Two men with one horse would ride and tie, one of them 
going ahead on the horse to a distance agreed upon, would tie the 
horse and walk on, until the other, coming to the horse, would 
mount and pass the first and tie again. 

What is known as the old Concord road was, for a time, 
the only outlet on the south, and Billerica street, called in early 
days, "The Road to the Bay," made travel possible from Chelms- 
ford to Salem and other coast towns. There is no record of the 
laying out of the latter road, which is supposed to be the earliest, 
certainly one of the earliest, roads in the Town. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 393 

We can picture these sturdy pioneers coming out upon some 
narrow meadow or grassy bank of the river, and picking their 
way through the dense wood towards the place now known as the 
centre of the Town, where, perhaps, there might be an open 
space along what they soon called Beaver brook, or some fire 
started by the Indians may have cleared and blackened a few 
acres. Here they would refresh themselves with provisions they 
had brought with them in knapsack or saddlebag, and, perhaps, 
push on up Robin's hill to get a more extended view of their 
future abiding-place. The cornfield of Robin, the Indian, on 
Robin's hill was the only piece of ground then under cultivation 
in the vicinity, excepting the planting grounds of the Wamesits 
along the Merrimack river. 

There is a tradition that the first site selected for a settlement 
was on Chestnut hill, which is higher than the Centre village, 
where the actual settlement was made ; but the latter place offered 
superior advantages, in its brooks and meadows. Nearly a century 
later, when the western half of the Town was set off as Westford, 
it was again proposed to make Chestnut hill the centre of the 
undivided town, which might thus have remained intact. 

HOUSES. 

The first care of the settlers was to provide shelter for them- 
selves and their families. Josiah Richardson accomplished this 
by digging into a bank of earth. They felled trees and erected 
small log houses, generally containing two rooms, a living room 
and a kitchen, and sleeping places in the garret, to which they 
ascended on a ladder. The floors were of hard earth or of split 
logs. The roofs were thatched or clapboarded. The walls were 
made tight against the weather by placing clay between the logs. 
Most of these early houses were not over twenty feet square. The 
fireplace and chimney were of stone; sometimes the chimney was 
catted — made of split sticks of wood with clay between them. 
In the early days, the colonists used oiled paper in the place of 
glass, to let in the light through the windows. The Chelmsford 
settlers were not long without glass. Small diamond shaped 
panes were used, and were fastened in place with nails, instead 
of putty and zinc points, so that they rattled in the wind, and 
were not altogether proof against the rain. 

There are many items in the Town accounts for expense in 
mending the glass in the meeting house. 

Leather or wooden hinges were commonly used for the doors. 

The gambrel-roofed houses were the earliest type of framed 
dwellings, of which the Captain Billy Fletcher house is a good 
example. Many such houses were built. In these there were 
three rooms on the ground floor, the kitchen, with its oven, being 
under the low sloping roof at the back. The chimney in the 
middle of the house gave vent to three fireplaces, one in each 



394 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

room. Nine-tenths of the heat went up the chimney, which 
radiated some of it through the house. There was a small entry 
at the front of the house, from which the stairs led to the sleeping 
rooms. A good example of this form of chimney is in the present 
residence of Karl M. Perham. Opposite the front door, in the 
back wall of the small square entry, is a low opening into the 
space back of the three domed fireplaces, in which is room to 
keep a stock of cider or anything to be preserved from freezing. 
In this house, the solid paneled shutters slide into the wall at the 
side of the windows. 

The more stately, two-story, square houses v/ith brick ends, 
which carried the four chimneys up through the gable roof, came 
in during the latter half of the eighteenth century. The Sam 
Davis house, the Coburn house, the Fiske house, and the Ezekiel 
Byam house are of this description, and some of them are quite 
noteworthy, with their pilastraded fronts and fanlights over the 
transoms of the outer doors. Those named were built about the 
year 1800. 

The nails used in building houses were all hand made, and 
were so valuable that they were sometimes mentioned in wills, and 
sometimes old houses past use were burned to secure the nails in 
them. 

SOME INTERESTING OLD DWELLINGS. 

The one-story gambrel-roofed building (which stood on the 
west of North square until recently demolished) commonly known 
as the Captain Bill Fletcher house, was not originally a Fletcher 
residence. As recently as 1840 it was known as the Bates house, 
and was at one time occupied by a man named Herrick. Abner 
Herrick was for many years sexton of the meeting house. He 
died in 1806, aged 55. Josiah R. Fletcher gave the writer these 
facts: The first home in Chelmsford owned and occupied by the 
Fletchers stood about fifty or sixty rods east of the Bates house 
in what is now a field for cultivation and on the left [north] of a 
cart path [a continuation of Crosby Lane] leading eastward from 
the Crosby house. See top of Plan No. 7. This was the house 
where the first public meeting in town was held. 

That field was held in possession by lineal descendants of 
the original owner until within the last ten years. The cellar 
was not filled until I was twenty-five years old [1847] and my 
father often called my attention to it when a boy, as we passed it 
on our way to our work. The house in which my father was born 
stood twenty-five feet west of the Crosby house, and the well 
which supplies water for the same is the one from which several 
generations of the Fletchers drank. This Fletcher house, although 
it had become too weather beaten for a dwelling, was standing 
until after my birth, and I was told by my mother that she carried 
me in her arms through it, in order that I might be able to say in 
after years that I was once in the house in which my father was 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 395 

bom. My grandfather, Captain Josiah Fletcher, built the house 
now known as the Crosby house, and occupied it during the 
remainder of his life, and his oldest brother, William, who had 
lived with him in the old house, bought the Bates house, which 
he occupied until his death. Thus it has been called the Capt. 
Wm. Fletcher house. William Fletcher never held the rank of 
Captain, although he was a soldier on Bunker Hill. Another 
brother, who performed service in the army of the Revolution, 
did rank as Captain. 

Josiah kept some of his cider in the cellar of the Bates house 
when his brother William lived there, and one day went to draw a 
pail full, but none would come when he turned the spigot. William 
called out to him, "Try the other end of the barrel. Brother Si, I 
got all I could out of that end." 

The Fiske house in Central square was built in 1798 by 
Simeon Spaulding, Colonel in the Revolution. The present 
house occupies the site of an earlier building, owned and occupied 
by Major John Minot, when the homestead contained but four 
acres, including the public square in front of the present house. 
In 1784 John Minot deeded about one-half an acre with the 
buildings thereon, just south of the present house, to his son-in-law, 
William Bridge (son of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge) who had 
married his daughter Rachel. The old well may be seen on the 
lower terrace. A bam once stood where the road now runs 
between this lot and the square, and remained some time after 
the road was laid out in 1829, so that it was necessary to drive 
around or through it, in going that way. 

In 1784 Minot also sold his own place to Elijah Proctor. 
The next year. Proctor sold to Simeon Spaulding, who added six 
acres to the farm and in 1798 built the dignified Colonial home. 
But in 1807 he was obliged to mortgage the place, and in 1812 
sold it to Azariah Spaulding and Joseph Bailey. In 1818 Simeon 
Spaulding re-purchased the place and kept it until 1830, when he 
sold to Mathias Spaulding. Within three years it was owned by 
William Fletcher, John Foster and Joel Adams, whose grandson. 
Captain C. E. A. Bartlett was born there. In five years the house 
had another owner, Thomas Moore, and it became a tavern, known 
as the Lafayette House, where in the spring of 1839, Mr. and Mrs. 
John Minot Fiske of Boston and their three sons came in search of a 
country home, thinking to buy the old house which had belonged 
to Parson Bridge, Mr. Fiske's great-grandfather. But his wife 
took a fancy for the tavem, which was bought by Mr. Fiske in 
April, 1839 and has since remained in the family. The tasteful 
and delicate looking though well made fence in front of the house, 
the late John Minot Fiske told the writer, was built in that year. 
The lower northwest room contained the bar, which, with its 
furnishings are still in the house. 

James Pitts built the Richardson house. 



396 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The stately Colonial residence in Worthen street, known as 
the Worthen or Russell house, was built after the Revolution. 
Capt. Samuel Davis, who lived there, is said to have commanded 
a vessel in the coasting trade. Like the Fiske house it is built 
with brick ends, through which rise the chimneys, two in each 
end, with the frame front supported by handsomely carved pilasters, 
and an elaborate fan-shaped ornament over the front door. 
This house at one time belonged to the estate of David Perham, 
who owned all the intervening land between there and the lime 
kiln on Littleton street. He gave to the Town the small triangular 
piece of ground at the junction of Worthen and Westford streets, 
just as the similar plot at Central square came from the Fiske 
estate. 

The Rev. Hezekiah Packard built a residence of some pre- 
tensions but not so fine an example of the Colonial style as the 
last two mentioned. It was later known as the Buzzell house, 
from Mr. D. A. Buzzell, who with his wife long occupied it. 
Some of these residences might almost compare with those at 
Salem or Newburyport. Mr. H. S. Perham once remarked to the 
writer that the builders of these three houses impoverished them- 
selves in the undertaking. 

All Saints' Rectory, at the corner of Lowell (or Chelmsford) 
and Billerica streets, is probably about one hundred and fifty 
years old, and originally stood east of the old turnpike, near 
River Meadow brook and the Billerica road. It was owned by 
a man who had a glue factory near it. The house was moved to 
its present site about the year 1810. On the map of 1831, it is 
marked as a school, and was, at that date, used for that purpose. 
There was also near it, right at the comer of the street, as indicated 
on the map, a smaller building. This was the "noon house," 
or "Sabba' day house," where the family of Silas Pierce spent the 
intermission between the morning and afternoon services in the 
meeting house. 

Joseph Bailey owned and lived in the house, about 1830. 
He was a bookbinder, and bound school books for the children. 
He was, at the same time, one of the owners of the property across 
Billerica street, which became the Fiske estate. Other families 
who lived in the present rectory were Rufus Proctor, the Bakers, 
Carters, Kittredges, Cooleys, Cressys, Putneys, Clarks, and 
Wozencrofts. Wozencroft had a blacksmith shop just east of the 
house. There was, at one time, a bam on the north side of the 
house. 

TAVERNS AND DWELLING HOUSES. 

The old tavern which stood near where Parkhurst's store 
now stands, in Central square, was kept, at one time, by Capt. 
Moses Barron; and later, by Joseph Reed, Harrington, Ailing, 
and H. Proctor. This was burned in 1861. The elms in Central 
square still give evidence of the damage they received at this 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 397 

time. From 1838 to 1840, Thomas Moore kept tavern in the 
Fiske house, in Central square. A spacious alcove in one of the 
main rooms (N. W. comer, lower floor), is where the bar was 
kept. The present residence of Mr. J. A. Bartlett was a tavern 
kept by Joseph Adams, who took it in 1822. An ell of this house 
was moved across the street and became the home of the Dadmuns. 

The substantial colonial building at the Town Farm was 
built by Jonathan Manning, in 1816. Joseph Manning kept a 
hostelry at this place, as did Messrs. Larcom, Wyman, Moseley 
and Piper, previously. The opening of the Boston and Lowell 
railroad, in 1835, took away the trade from this, as well as other 
taverns. It closed in 1838. Across the Billerica road, from the 
Manning tavern, at what is known as the Lovering place, (one 
of the oldest houses in Chelmsford), Joseph Manning had kept a 
tavern. Benjamin Chamberlain succeeded him and supplied 
entertainment for man and beast at this place. 

Near the toll house, which still stands on Golden Cove road, 
opposite the Town Farm, Abel Hunt of Concord kept a store. 
A Mr. Larcom and a Mr. Piper were toll-takers here. Before the 
road was built from Central square to Golden Cove, in 1829, the 
travel went around by Billerica street and the Turnpike which 
crossed Billerica street at the Town Farm, and crossed what is 
now the Lowell road where the lane is, some distance south of 
Golden Cove. 

At Middlesex Village, the Old Middlesex Tavern was kept 
by Col. Jonas Clark, who entertained many distinguished guests. 
This tavern was favored by the wealthy class. Marshall's tavern, 
in Parker street, Lowell, was the resort of those who drove for 
trade. 

Balch and Coburn's tavern, at Pawtucket Falls, was the 
stone building, afterwards the home of Dr. J. C. Ayer, and later 
given by Mrs. Ayer and their son, Frederick Fanning Ayer, for 
the Ayer Home. 

The residence of the late Dr. S. L. Dutton, in Worthen street, 
is a good example of a restored colonial house. 

The Bowers house, on Wood street, Lowell, is a quaint old 
place. 

At the North Village, Benjamin and Thomas Adams kept 
a tavern in the house on the high ground near the junction of 
the Dunstable and Groton roads. This house was built for that 
purpose in 1781, as the house across the street, on Groton road, 
built in 1770 by William Adams and occupied by him, was too 
small, and the selectmen threatened to take away his license 
if he did not find more commodious quarters. The older house 
originally stood between Groton and Dunstable roads, but was 
moved across Groton road, and forms the ell to the present 
structure. The ell to the last built house was added in 1791. 

There was a stable, 100 feet in length, on the east side of what 
is now Adams street, with horse stalls the whole length on each 
side, and much travel was accommodated here. 



398 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1820, the building now used as a hotel was built with timber 
cut where Leache's pond now is. 

The Farwell-Adams house, on Billerica street, Owl's Nest, 
the old Parkhurst estate near McLamey's corner, the Coburn, 
Parker and Hodgman houses, on the Boston road, the Spaulding- 
Hazen place; the Hale house, now demolished, Whipple, Spaulding 
and Bowers houses, and the Marshall tavern, all now in Lowell, 
are some of the old residences which claim the interest of the 
historian. 

The small house on South street, occupied by the Emerson 
family, was made of twojDuildings joined together. The north- 
east room was once a shoemaker's shop. The south part is, 
perhaps, 200 years old. In 1847, Hezekiah Parkhurst bought it 
of Ebenezer Cowdry. 

The original Warren homestead, a little further south on 
this street, was built prior to 1697, on land given to Deacon 
Joseph Warren by Thomas Hinchman, his kinsman, January 1, 
1699—1700. 

In the South Village, the Berry house, so called, with brick 
ends, is a good example of that type, and well preserved. It 
was built by John Bateman, whose daughter, Charlotte, married 
Ezekiel Byam, the match manufacturer. 

The Proctor homestead, built, probably, before 1790, was the 
birthplace of the late Thomas Parker Proctor, the lawyer . of 
Boston. 

The Thayer, or Nathan Crosby place, was once occupied by 
an eccentric German named Ritche, who fought at the Battle of 
Waterloo, and received a medal for bravery. 

The Button house, probably built by the Chamberlains, 
about 1760, came into the possession of David Dutton, a cooper, 
in 1801, and is now occupied by the children of the late Edwin E. 
Dutton. 

The Deacon Otis Adams liouse is quite old. 

F. C. Byam's house was formerly used as a tavern. 

D. P. Byam's house is close to a century in age. 

The Charles Adams house was built by Isaac Adams, grand- 
father of the late Amos F. Adams, donor of the Adams Library. 

The Robbins house, formerly owned and occupied by Dr. 
John Betteys, dates back to the earliest days of the Town's history. 
It is said to have been a block house, or garrison, and later a noon 
house. 

George P. Mansfield's place and the home of Rev. John 
Parkhurst are old buildings. 

The John Byam house is about a century old, built by Simeon, 
on the estate of Isaac. This property has been in the family 
from the first days of the settlement. 

The C. W. Byam house, south of Robin's hill, once occupied 
by Dr. Jonas Marshall, is about 180 years old. On the opposite 
side of the road is the "Billy Byam place," of about the same age. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 399 

The Spaulding-Hazen place was probably a part of the estate 
deeded by Andrew, son of Edward, to his son, Henry, in 1706. 
Andrew bought of John and Daniel Waldo about 260 acres, being 
a part of the estate of Capt. Samuel Adams. The Waldos married, 
respectively, Rebecca and Susanna Adams, daughters of Sameul. 
Henry Spaulding was a tailor. His son, Henry, inlierited the 
property. Then came Zebulon and Sherebiah and Sherebiah, Jr. 
In 1861, Sanford Hazen bought the homestead from the estate 
of the latter. 

The original Edward Spaulding estate was at Newfield and 
Flaggy meadow. North Chelmsford. 

The road that is now called Gorham street, in East Chelms- 
ford, is a comparatively new road, having been built about 1840, 
so there are no old houses on that road, excepting the Dyar house, 
and that was reached by a lane from what is now Carlisle street. 
This house was formerly the Carleton place. Before that, one 
Frost lived there. Thomas Marshall married his first wife, who 
was Hannah Frost, at that house, when he came to settle in East 
Chelmsford. The Frost house, therefore, must be older than the 
Marshall house. It has been somewhat altered. 

The date of the marriage of Thomas Marshall and Hannah 
Frost is Feb. 22, 1753. So the old Marshall house, the only old 
house on what is now Carlisle street, was probably built about 
that time, as this Thomas was the first Marshall to settle in East 
Chelmsford. His brother. Dr. Jonas Marshall, lived at the C. W. 
Byam place before and during the Revolutionary War. The 
Marshall house was kept in the family until 1860, when Thomas 
Marshall's grandson, Thomas, died. This house has been 
enlarged, turned half way around, and altered a good deal. There 
are two old wells still on the place that are supposed to have been 
dug when the place was first built. This was the only house on 
the road at the time it was built, from the Billerica line to the 
Osgood house, which is just beyond the railroad bridge, on Gorham 
street, Lowell, but was then, of course, in East Chelmsford. 

The Timothy Manning house, now the Sullivan place, near 
the French Cemetery, is an old house. Timothy Manning, the 
first occupant of the house, was a brother to William Manning, 
who was the first Manning who lived at the Manning Manse 
in Billerica. This is the only old house on the road from 
East Chelmsford to Chelmsford Centre. Nothing is known 
definitely of its age, but it is probably at least as old as the Marshall 
house, as tradition tells us that when Thomas Marshall went to 
Chelmsford Centre he went past this house. 

The Pierces were another old family, and their house stood a 
little way beyond where William Manning now lives. One Stephen 
Pierce lived there. He had two sons, Stephen and Oliver, and 
Oliver built a house down at the end of that road, and his descend- 
ants lived there after him. The son, Stephen, built him a house 
on the spot where William Manning lives now, and lived there. 



400 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

He married Hannah Marshall, only daughter of Thomas Marshall 
and Hannah Frost Marshall, and they had a large family of 
children. Both these houses are still standing. The house 
in which Mr. Manning now lives has been considerably altered, 
but a part of the old house is still standing. The other house is 
now owned by Mr. Perry Thompson, and has also been much 
changed. The original Stephen Pierce house has long since gone, 
and is not remembered by anyone now living. 

But a short distance from Carlisle street, on the same road 
as the Pierce house, ^vas the old Livingston house. There are 
none of the Livingston descendants now living who know anything 
definite about the age of the house, but it is fully as old as any 
house in this neighborhood. This house was burned in November, 
1907, but was not totally destroyed. The first schoolhouse 
that was built in East Chelmsford was very near this Livingston 
house, and was probably erected soon after 1800. That school- 
house is still in existence, but was given up as a schoolhouse in 
1856 or 1857, and moved from its place, and has since been 
used as a dwelling house, and, of course, is greatly changed. 
Before this schoolhouse was built, school sessions were held for 
a short time in a chamber of the old Marshall house. 

The Old Boston road, or Ayer's City road, leading to Plain 
street in Lowell, from East Chelmsford, is a very old road, older 
than Carlisle street, and was one of the main thoroughfares- from 
New Hampshire to Boston, over which much teaming was done. 
The old Marshall house was, for a short time, a tavern on this 
route. 

In some of the old houses in Chelmsford the walls are boarded, 
instead of plastered, and some of these boards, and those in the 
wainscoting under the windows, are of great width. In some 
cases, there are boards 15 to 18 feet long, and 32 inches wide, 
without a knot in them. In the Hayward house, at South Chelms- 
ford, there are boards 34 and 36 inches wide. A door is made of 
a single board about 32 inches wide. In this house, the lower 
rooms are less than 7 feet high. In one room on the second floor 
are portholes, low in the wall, large enough to take the muzzle 
of a gun, in case of an Indian attack. The foundations of the house 
are massive, and take in a huge boulder, which, apparently, lies 
in its original position. In one part of the cellar is a room built 
of stone, which was used as a hiding place. This has been walled 
up. 

Many of the beams and rafters in the old houses are fastened 
together with tree-nails, i. e., wooden pins. The corner posts and 
summers or summcrtrees overhead, strongly in evidence in some 
of these buildings, are interesting structural features, and, made 
of virgin oak, hardened with age, defy attempts to drive nails into 
them, and auger bits are broken on them. 






X.-, 



-i 



^:;^ 



■A .: 







^'^' 






IX-i4r 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 



401 



INNHOLDERS AND RETAILERS. 



This list contains the names of some of the old innkeepers of 
Chelmsford, but does not claim to be complete. 
There was a tavern in Chelmsford in 1672. 
In the year 1674, Edward Spalding, age 34, made deposition 
of conversation at "our ordinary." 

Nathaniel Hill was landlord in 1695. 

John Perham was an early keeper of a house for entertainment. 
"At His Majestees Court of General Sessions of the Peace 
held at Cambridge by Adjournment on the fourteenth day of 
July Anno Domini 1724: 

"Licences Renewed & Secured Viz: 

"Capt Jonas Clark allowed to be an Innholder 

Mr John Parker allowed to be an Innholder 

Mr Jonathan Barron allowed to be an Innholder 

Mr Thomas Reed allowed to be an Innholder 

Mr John Reed allowed to be an Innholder 

Capt Hezekiah Butler allowed to be a retailer" 
In 1725 the same were renewed except the last. 
The retailers were : 

Mr Henry Blazedel 

Mrs Priscilla Butler 
1752 — Innholders : 

Jonas Clark, Esq. 

John Parker 
Retailers : 

Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 
1757, Lieut. John Parker — Innholder. 
1759 — Innholders : 

Jno. Parker 

Jona. Parkhurst 
Sampson Stoddard a Retailer 
1761— Innholders: 

Jno. Parker 

Jona. Parkhurst 
Sampson Stoddard a Retailer 
1765 — Innholders : 



Jona. Parkhurst 
Jona. Spaulding 

Saml. Adams 



Danl. Procter 
Henry Fletcher 



Danl. Procter 
Oliver Barron 



Danl. Procter 

Oliver Barron 
Retailers : 

Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 
1769 — Innholders : 

Danl. Procter 

Oliver Barron 
Retailers : 

Sampson Stoddard 
1 770 — Innholders : 

Danl. Procter 

Oliver Barron 



Reuben Hamblet 



Jno. Spaulding Jur. 

Moses Davis 
Jos. Dun 

Jno. Spaulding Jur. 

Moses Davis 
Jos. Dun 



402 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Retailers : 

Sampson Stoddard Esq. Sampson Stoddard Jur. 

Jno. Spaulding Jur. Jno. Bridge 

In 1771 the names are the same as in 1770 and also 

Nehr. Abbot, Retailer 
In 1807, Jonathan Manning and Jonathan Barron kept 
taverns where the selectmen and Town officers were entertained 
at the expense of the Town. 

1824. Carter's hotel. East Chelmsford. 

1829. William Reed. 

1831. William, Jr., and T. J. Adams. 

1836. Richard taft ; afterwards, McAllister & Taft. 

1837. Thomas Moore. 

1839. Mr. Clifford and John Gray. 

1841. Joseph Adams, 2d. 

1843. Joseph Reed. 

1847. Arnold Burt. Henry B. Proctor. 

1851. Reuben Simpson at North Chelmsford. 

STOREKEEPERS 

This is a partial list of storekeepers in Chelmsford, not 
previously mentioned. 

1750 Major Sampson Stoddard 1845 Thomas Howe 

1751 John Tucker 1848 E F Webster 
1794 Samuel and Willard Marshall 1851 E A Parkhurst 
1810 Colonel Ebenezer Bridge 1858 Hill & Parkhurst 

1828 Ezekiel Byam 1860 John E. Stevens 

1829 James Robbins 1862 E. K. Parkhurst 

1831 Capt. Lovell Fletcher 1865 S. S. Parkhurst 

1832 Abel Hunt 1869 S. S. Parkhurst 

1838 Abel Hunt Samuel Ciunmings 

Capt Franklin Putnam Libby and Evans 

1843 S. S. Parkhurst 1880 S. W. Parkhurst 

The store kept by S. S. Parkhurst was on the site of the 
Wilson block. The present store, facing on Chelmsford street, 
was moved to its present site when the railroad was built. It 
formerly stood where the flagman's house now is. 

In 1824 Morrill, and Jonathan Tyler, kept stores in East 
Chelmsford. 



FURNITURE. 

The furniture of the early days was of the plainest sort — 
a home-made table, stools and benches and bedsteads. The 
bedticks were filled with straw, husks or pine needles. There 
were wooden or pewter spoons and platters and various other 
simple kitchen implements, with iron pots hanging from the 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 403 

crane on pot-hooks and trammels. There were no forks. Table 
knives sometimes had a flat, dull edged, spoon shaped end to the 
blade, with which to lift the food to the mouth. 

The fireplace was, of course, the only means of heating the 
house. Wood was rather a burden, to be got rid of. There was 
no need of Mr. John Clark's patent "invention for saving of 
firewood," which was probably some sort of stove, which in 
Boston in 1652 (the year when patented) may have been econ- 
omical. 

Candle-wood or pitch pine furnished light in the evening, 
until cattle and sheep were sufficiently nimierous to furnish 
tallow for "dips." Towards the year 1700 sperm oil began to be 
used. 

The sun dial marked the sunny hours for the people, where 
it could be seen, but hunger must have been the surest indication 
of meal time. 

John Bates was paid for "setting up the dial." 

1705. To Jonathan Richardson for siting up the 

the Diall £0:6:0 

Dec. 24. To Jonathan Barit for work done in 

siting up the Dial :2 :0 

1723. To Edward Foster for a Diall Post and 

mending the Diall :5 :6 

Clocks and watches were very rare even up to 1800 in the 
country. 

William G. Langdon, an old watchmaker who died a few 
years ago, had been at his bench for seventy-five years. The 
writer has had some interesting conversation with him. When 
he began to work at his trade, men who carried watches were 
more notable than millionaires are now. Two-thirds of the 
families of New England were without clocks. 

The hour-glass stood on the pulpit to limit the usual length 
of the sermon, and no doubt was used in private houses. On 
one occasion the preacher, turning it over, invited the congre- 
gation "to take another glass." 



STOCKS. 

The stocks, pillory and whipping post were the instruments 
of correction. There is no mention of the latter two in the Town 
records, but the laws of the Colony provided for their use in 
many cases. Even children, who were incorrigible, might be 
whipped with ten stripes for disorder and rudeness in public 
worship. The Court ordered in 1675 that the selectmen should 
appoint such place or places in the meeting house for children 
or youth to sit in, where they may be most together, and in public 
view, and some grave and sober person or persons were to have 
inspection over them. 



404 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The stocks were usually placed near the meeting house, and 
in Chelmsford, they were located on the common near where the 
Revolutionary monument now stands. 

In 1698 John Bates, sen., received "for mending the 

Stoxs" £0: 1:6 

1700. To Abraham Byam "for brunging the stooks" £0: 1 :0 

1729. To Edw. Foster for making new stocks £0 :12 :0 

1737. He was paid for the stocks and mending the Irons. 
There is an item in the Town records about 1790 "one chain 
to confine Wm. Powers with." 

RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE. 

The political system in this Colony was not really democratic, 
but aristocratic. The right of suffrage was given to those only 
who were church members and who were deemed fit to be made 
free. 

In 1641 it was enacted that, Every Court within this Juris- 
diction where two Magistrates are present, may admit any Church 
Members, that are fit to be Freemen, giving them the Oath, and 
the Clerk of each Court shall certifie their Names to the Secretary 
at the next General Court. 

In volume 106 of the State archives is a signed statement by 
John Fiske, the minister, in which he testifies to the General 
Court that Josiah Richardson, Eleazer Brown and Jacob Warren 
"have approved themselves unto our church," desiring that they 
may be made freemen and take the freeman's oath at the next 
County Court. This is dated Chelmsford, 9, 1 mo. [March 9] 
1673^. 

In the same volume is the following : 

These may testify the hon'red governor & General Courte 
assembled at Boston that Thomas Clark, Edward Spaulden, 
Joseph Harwell, Samuel fletcher, John Barrett, Comilius Waldo 
are admitted into full communion with the Church of Christ at 
Chelmsford & therefore desire to take their freedom according to 
law. 

as attests 

Thomas Clark pastor to ye 
Chelmsford Church who hath desired Concord 

5-3-1679. Deputy deliver it in to ye sd Cort. 

freeman's oath. 

Whereas I [A. B.] being an Inhabitant of the Jtuisdiction of 
the Massachusetts, and now to be made free. Do hereby ac- 
knowledge my selfe to be subject to the Government thereof 
(considering how I stand obliged to the King's Majesty, his 
Heires and Successors, by our Charter and the Government 
established thereby. Do swear accordingly, by the Great and 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 405 

Dreadfull Name of the Ever-Living God, that I will bear Faith 
and true Alegiance to our Soveraigne Lord the King, his heires 
and successors,) and that I will be True and FaithfuU to the same, 
and will accordingly yeild Assistance and Support thereunto with 
my person and estate, as in equity I am bound; And will also 
truely endeavour to maintain and preserve all the Liberties and 
privileges thereof, submitting my selfe to the wolesome Laws 
made and established by the same. 

And farther that I will not Plot nor Practice any Evil against 
it, or consent to any that shall do so, but will timely discover and 
reveal the same to Lawfull Authority now here established, for 
the speedy prevention thereof. 

Moreover I do Solemnly bind my selfe in the sight of God, 
that when I shall be called to give my Voyce touching any such 
matter of this State wherein Freemen are to deal, I will give my 
Vote and Suffrage as I shall in mine own Conscience judge best 
to Conduce and tend to the Publick Weale of the body, without 
respect of persons or favour of any man. So help me God in our 
Lord Jesus Christ. [Laws and Liberties.] 

OLD LAWS. 

A few items from the printed volimie of Laws & Liberties; 
revised, 1672, may be interesting. 

Apparel: Persons of mean condition were not allowed to 
take upon them the garb of Gentlemen, by wearing Gold or Silver 
lace or buttons, or points at the Knees, or to walk in great boots; 
or women of the same rank to wear silk or Tiffiny hoods or scarfs, 
which though allowable to persons of greater Estates or more 
liberal Education, "yet we cannot but judge it intollerable" in 
persons of mean condition. 

Bakers were to have distinct marks for their bread. 

When wheat sold at 3 shillings per bushell the penny 
white loaf by avoirdupois weight should weigh 11 ounces 
1 gr. ; wheat, 17 ounces 1 gr. ; household 23 ounces, and so on by 
the scale; when wheat sold at 6s. 6d per bushell the white penny 
loaf should weigh 6 ounces : the wheat 9 ounces 2 gr. the household 
12 ounces 2 gr. 

Towns were to have separate marks for cattle. Chelmsford's 
mark was the letter C. 

The law forbidding the celebration of Christmas was repealed 
in 1681. 

The selectmen were to take care that children be taught to 
read. 

Masters of families were to catechise their children and 
servants at least once a week — that they may be able to answer 
unto the questions that shall be propounded unto them out of 
the short orthodox Catechism by their parents or masters or any 
of the selectmen when they shall call them to a tryal. 



406 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Court gave £400. to Harvard College, also the revenue 
of the ferry betwixt Charlestown & Boston — £100 — to the 
President and fellows, and £100. added to the Country rate, 
laid on the towns. 

The Civil Authority claimed the right to see that the or- 
dinances and Rules of Christ be observed in every church. 

People were compelled to attend meeting — doors were shut or 
locked to keep them from departing before the end of service. 

The people were taxed to provide house and maintenance 
for the minister. 

In balloting the freemen used Indian corn for, and beans 
against. For a time only members of churches were made freemen 
and voters. 

As for the balloting, the General Court ordered in 1643 
"that for the yearly choosing of Assistants for the time to come, 
instead of papers the freemen shall use Indian beanes, the white 
beanes to manifest election, the black for blanks." In the same 
year that Chelmsford was settled, the ballot-box was "stiiffed," 
but not in Chelmsford. In the records of the General Coiu-t we 
find that, "John Guppy, being under a great fine for puting in 
more cornes then one for the choyce of a magistrat, uppon his 
request to this Court, hath his fine abated to twenty shillings." 
The fine was £10. 

Galloping or violent riding was prohibited in Boston Streets. 

Gaming and dancing and the observance of Christmas were 
punished by fine. 

Anabaptists who oppose the Baptizing of children were 
banished. 

There was a heavy fine for denying any book of the Bible 
to be the written and infallible word of God. 

Quakers were banished on pain of death. 

Jesuits were banished. 

Laborers may be impressed for any public work. 

Cattle or other goods damnified in the Country service were 
to be made good. 

There were many regulations relating to the Indians. 

No liquors, ammunition, boats, or horses were to be sold 
to Indians. 

All Keepers of ordinaries were to be licensed & "shall always 
be provided of strong wholesome beer, to be sold at two pence a 
quart"; also to provide entertainment for horses. 

Ordinary keepers shall clear their houses in meeting-time. 

There shall be no rude singing in taverns by drunkards who 
abuse the good gifts of God. 

All intentions of marriage were to be 3 times published at 
public lecture or town meeting & posted at the meeting house 
14 days. Magistrates only were to perform marriages. It was 
very shortly before the year 1700 that ministers began to exercise 
this function. It is recorded that John Hancock of North Cam- 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 407 

bridge and Elizabeth Clark of Chelmsford entered into a covenant 
of marriage before Mr. Thomas Clarke of Chelmsford, December 
ye 11th. 1700. In the Chelmsford records there are one or two 
earlier marriages by Mr. Clarke. 

All men were to be furnished with arms. If too poor to pay 
for them they were to be put to service "to earn it out." 

Towns were to provide a stock of ammunition. 

No man shall receive above 40 stripes at one time. 

Torture was allowed but none barbarous or inhimian. 

Sabbath breakers were fined. 

The Selectmen were to appoint how much each family shall 
spin. 

No man shall take any tobacco within 20 poles of any house 
nor near any bam, hay cock &c. (for prevention of fires) nor 
in any inn, except in a private room so that none take offense. 

In 1643 Wampampeag (wamptmi, Indian shell money) was 
by law to pass current. 

Watchmen were to see that lights were put out in the houses 
at an early hour to prevent fires; and to stop noise in the streets. 

FIRE-WARDS AND ENGINE-MEN. 

In 1711, in Boston, fire-wards carried a staff five feet in length, 
colored red and headed with a bright brass spire six inches long. 
On an alarm of fire, the fire-wards were to take their badges 
(staves) with them, immediately repair to the Place, and vigorously 
to assert their authority. Nicely painted leathern fire-buckets 
are still to be seen in some of our old houses. These were seized 
as the men ran to the scene of the fire, and stood in line to pass 
them, filled with water, to those who threw it on the blazing house, 
or poured it into the tub of the hand engine. There was generally 
an attempt to pump the tub dry, and thus shame those who were 
passing the buckets. Fifty years or more ago a Chelmsford man 
named Merriam invented a wonderful contrivance, shaped like 
a coffin with a spout at one end. It was to be carried to the fire 
and filled with water to be thus poured on the conflagration. 

In 1823 five "engine men" were appointed by the Town. 

In 1825 seven fire wardens were chosen: Kirk Boott, Paul 
Moody, Cyrus Baldwin, Phineas Whiting, Oliver M. Whipple and 
Charles Nichols. 

1823, April 24. Kirk Boott, agent of the Merrimack Manu- 
facturing Co., represented to the Town that the Company were 
proprietors of a fire engine which they were desirous should be 
employed for the benefit of this Town. In accordance with his 
request, the selectmen appointed as enginemen: 

Jonathan Burbank Simeon C. Sargent 

Nathaniel Holmes David Hamlet 

William Pearson Joseph M. Dodge 

Samuel S. Churchill Abel Lincoln 



408 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Amos Pearson Charles Nichols 

John Boutwell John T. Spofford 

Sewell Heasleton John Clark 

Leonard Cushing Dennis Doane 

Stephen W. Balcom Calvin Fairbanks 

Stephen Cushing William Whall, 3d 
John Diimmer 
All of Chelmsford. 

A year later, several of these men were discharged, and the 
following appointed in their stead: 

James R. Barnes Jonathan Jaquith 

Daniel Balch Nathan Robbins 

Francis Winch Joseph Carlton 

Abner Ball Daniel W. Ferguson 

Jonathan Gould Jonathan Adams 

In 1825, the proprietors of Locks and Canals, having provided 
themselves with an engine and buckets, subject to the direction 
of the Town, petitioned the selectmen, by Kirk Boott, treasurer and 
agent, to authorize the same and appoint 21 enginemen, which 
they did by virtue of the Statutes of 1785 and 1805, as follows: 

Daniel L Moody Jefferson Wheeler 

Richard W. Dummer Thomas Newell 

George Brownell William Merriam 

James Chandler Albigence W. Fisher 

Seth Chandler Samuel Fisher 

Rufus Nichols Samuel Fucham 

Stephen Webster Maynard Bragg 

Nathan Oliver William D. Mason 

Grosvenor Buttrick William Proctor 

Caleb Marvel Cyrus Oliver 
Russel Robertson 

CHELMSFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT, 1914. 

Minot A. Bean, Chief 

Arthur House, Captain 

D. E. Haley, Lieutenant 
Ralph P. Adams Wilhelm Johnson 

George M. Seeton Ralph W. Emerson 

Victor L. Parkhurst Hosmer W. Sweetser 

Moses C. Wilson James S. Byam 

John W. Wilson Charles House 

Walter Fletcher Anslow Spaulding 

C. G. Nickles Chas. Balser 

Ralph Spaulding Roy Bliss 

Wm. Baker Arnold C. Perham 

Fred Russell Geo. W. Pickard 

E. Ayotte 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 409 

NORTH CHELMSFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT, 1915. 

Chief, Joseph D. Ryan 

First Assistant, James P. Dunigan 

Second Assistant, John H. Butterworth 

Some of the old leather fire -buckets, used a century or more 
ago, painted in oil, with name, number and ornamental scrolls, 
may still be seen in our old houses, hung up as reminders of 
bygone days and ways. 

TITHINGMEN. 

In 1675, Tithingmen were required diligently to inspect the 
manners of all disorderly persons; to reclayme them by private 
admonitions or to present their names to the next magistrate or 
commissioner. Tithingmen were required to have a black staff 
of two foot long, tipped at one end with brass about three inches, 
as a badge of their ofhce. In the Town records, are these items: 
1698, June 20. To John Kyder for tythin mens staues . £0:4:6 
1732. To Ebenezer Parker constable for making a black 

stafe £0:3:0 

The brass knob on one end of this staff was used to waken 
men who fell a-dozing in meeting, by thirmping them on the head, 
or to correct the wicked boys; the fox tail or rabbit's foot, some- 
times fixed on the other end, was gently brushed against the face 
of sleeping women. Ordinarily, two tithingmen were chosen; 
in 1815, twenty-one were chosen; in 1816, there were six tithing- 
men and eleven hog reeves. There must have been strong need 
of discipline in Chelmsford. No tithingmen were chosen after 
1823. 

SOME OTHER TOWN OFFICERS. 

Sealers of leather, measurers of wool, packers of beef, sealers 
of weights and measures, surveyors of boards and lumber, 
inspectors of lime, cullers of staves and hoops, pound keepers and 
other public servants were chosen, as necessity or convenience 
suggested. 

In 1817, ten measurers of wool were chosen. In 1800, the 
Town chose "a committee to stand in readiness to pursue thieves 
in this Town." 

PUTTING OUT THE "cULLERS." 

the 1 day of June 1676 the selecttmen made an Agreement 
with George biam to cleane the mettinghouse putt out cullers and 
Attend both Sabath and lecttur daies as formrly hee hath don 
and for the yeare inseweing hee is to have 50 shillens in Corne 
or Cattell to be paid halfe at the last of Nouember the other haLfe 



410 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

at or before the last of June foloing. In 1678 he receued 52 
shillings "in toune pay," i. e. produce or anything that passed 
current. 

The "cullers" (colors) would be the British flag — the cross 
of St. George and the cross of St. Andrew — the cross of St. Patrick 
was not added until the union of Ireland with England and 
Scotland in 1801. The crosses of St. George and St. Andrew were 
united by James I in 1603. This was the first union jack, so 
called from his name, Jacques. At the death of Charles I, the 
union was dissolved, but the union flag was restored by Cromwell, 
who imposed the Irish harp upon its centre. This was removed 
by Charles II. 

DIVINE WORSHIP. 

Those who neglected to attend divine worship were dealt 
with as shown by the following: 

Grand Jury Presentments. Sessions Oct. 4, 1692. 

Witnesses In Chelmsforth Sam. Varnum Sen. 

Solomon Keys Senr and Ezra Cobum for not attending 

Jno. Perram Sen. the publick worship of god. 

To ye Constable of Chelmsford. 
Middx. s.s. 

You are required in theire Majties Names to warn Samll 
Varnum and Ezra Coburn both of yor Town to personally appear 
at ye sessions of ye Peace to be holden at Charlestown bye 
Adjournment on ye 20th of Decembr Instant, then and there to 
answer to theire presentment by ye grand jury of ye said County 
of Middx for theire not attending the Publick worship of God 
and make return hereof under jnr hand and faile not as you will 
answer the contrary at your peril. 

Dated in Charlestown. Oct. 14, 1692 in ye 4th year of theire 
Majties Reign. 
D. Curia Saml Phipps Clerk. 

Item you are to warn 
Solomon Keys Senr & John Perram Senr. 
then and there to attend and give 
in Evidence in ye matter. 

Saml Phipps Clerk. 

On the reverse of this is written : 
desember 19, 1692 This may inform the honared Courte that 
the Constable of Chelmsford have indeuered to warn Samieull 
Vamimi and ezra cobom to atend ther duty acording to the 
derection of this warant but could not come to speak with or se 
aighaer of the sayd persons by reson of an inar doer being shet 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 411 

and the string of the lach taken in but I red this warant in said 
vamum's house and left a coppy of it in the house. I have also 
warned SoUoman Keyes sener and John perham sener to atend 
ther duty acording to this warant. 
Atest Andrew Spalding 
constabell for Chelmsford 

the mark of 
X 
Andrew spalding Constabel 

for Chelmsford. 

Chelmsford 

Desember the 20, 1692 Solloman Keyes sener and John perham 
se. being about sixty years of age doe testyfy hearby that Sameull 
vamum and Ezra Coborn have bin very remis in atending the 
publick worship on the sabath days Sameuell vamum have bin 
one sabath day at meeting at Chelmsford and one time on the 
sabath day at bilrica the sumer befoer the last and no moer that 
we could se or can heren by inquirey 

Ezra Coborn have not bin at the publick. worship of god 
on the sabath day not for one year past the date hearof . 

Atest Solloman Keys sener 

John peram sener 

On the reverse of this is written : 

Charlestown at ye Adjournmt 

Xbr. 20. 92. Sworn to by ye Evidences within 

in Court. Att. Saml Phipps Clerk 

warrent of Contempt to go out for ye offenders 

A bill of charges for witneses in a mater consarning Sameuell 
Varnum and Ezra Coboms not atending the publick worship of 
god on the sabath days is as followeth 

Solloman Keyes Senear — six shilings 
John perham, sener six shilings 
Andrew Spalding constaball two shilings 
Chelmsford desember the 20, 1692. 

SOME EARLY ILL BEHAVIOR. 

The people of those early days were human, and had their 
differences and their failings, which might be enlarged upon, 
perhaps to the entertainment of the reader. But why seek to 
"draw their frailties from their dread abode?" Mortuis non 
conviciandum, et de mortuis non nisi bonunt. It may be pardonable, 
however, to mention some things which the writer has discovered 
in the records, or which have been mentioned in genealogies by 
descendants of the persons concerned. A few early court records 
reveal the unlovely side of hirnian nature. Mr. Fiske and Mr. 



412 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Bridge had some weak parishioners, as well as some who did not 
care for their preaching. This is no more than might be said of 
any minister. Says Arthur Hildreth: When Richard Hildreth 
removed to Chelmsford in 1656 he was received into Mr. Fiske's 
church. He had a poor opinion of Mr. Fiske as a minister. He 
was used to better preaching in Cambridge. He expressed his 
opinion to Deacon Esdras Reade, who accused Hildreth, and the 
latter was summoned to appear before a committee, which he 
declined to do. In 1670, Hildreth and John Barrett obtained the 
signatures of those who desired the dismissal of Mr. Fiske. On a 
lecture day Hildreth brought the paper to Thomas Henchman, 
who "did manifest his utter dislike against it." At Town meeting, 
so the account goes, Hildreth spoke against the minister, and was 
cited to appear before the County Court at Cambridge on April 
4th, to answer "for reproachful speech of the minister of Chelms- 
ford." Thomas Henchman and Abraham Parker were witnesses. 
Mention was made of the "very large speech" which Hildreth 
had made, and it appeared that his grievance was that the minister 
had prosecuted Josiah Fletcher, (or was it Joshua?) for a grave 
misdemeanor. The case seems to have come to nought. But 
such affairs must have stirred the community and furnished a 
subject for conversation, if not of controversy, among those 
who had not much to busy their minds. 

Mr. Perham, in his address at the 250th Anniversary, said: 

The first man who had crossed the river [Merrimack] and 
settled was John Webb, alias Evered, who was an interesting 
character. He had been a merchant in Boston, and owned the 
historic spot now known as the "old comer bookstore," on the 
comer of School and Washington streets, which had been the 
home of the brilliant, but ill fated, Anne Hutchinson. 

After coming here, he built his house on the north bank of 
the Merrimack, below v/hat is known as the Durkee place. Chelms- 
ford granted him land, laid out a highway for his accommodation, 
and bestowed offices upon him. He was chosen deputy to the 
General Court in 1663, 1664 and 1665, but, alas, for human 
frailty! during the latter session, he was convicted of unchaste 
conduct at the tavern of John Vialls where he was stopping. 
And this is the way that they dealt with such a lapse in moral 
conduct in those days. He was expelled from the General Court, 
fined £20, deprived of his offices, civil and military, and dis- 
franchised. The next year, Webb, having paid his fine, "& carried 
it humbly & submissively, & under a due sence of his sinne," 
the balance of his sentence was remitted. [The Court, however, 
declined to reinstate him in his military office of Captain, and 
the Town of Chelmsford was allowed to fill his place. May 23, 
1666.] 

"At a Court of Assize and generall gaole delivery holden at 
Charlestown, 26 day of January, 1696 in the eighth year of William 
III, the Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King present That 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 413 

Edward Spaulding, Jun., on the 25th day of Nov. in the present 
year, 1696, * * * at or near the house of Comett Hills, 
Innholder * * * made an assault upon Ezekiel Richard- 
son," with fatal result. Fourteen witnesses were examined. 
The Grand Jury answered "jgnoramus." 

In 1693, Moses Fisk, brother of John, the minister, sued 
Nat. Hill for intruding into property fonnerly owned by John, 
now by Moses. The plaintiff gained the case. 

In the records of the Court of Assistants, on appeal from the 
Judgment of the County Court at Charlestown, in December, 
1691, is the case of Richard Stratton vers. Hezekiah Gidley for 
illegally possessing himself of an house and land in Chelmsford. 
The jury found for the defendant. 

Through neglect, or otherwise, town officials got into trouble. 
Chelmsford was more than once fined for not having a school. 

1691, Dec. 22, the selectmen of several towns appeared 
according to summons, and were called upon to give an account 
why they had not made return of their making & Committing 
unto the Constable the last public assessment according to the 
direction of the Treasurer's Warrant. 

Jerathmeel Bowers one of the Selectmen of Chelmsford refusing 
to give Bond for his Appearance at the County Court for Middx. 
to Answer his neglect in not making the last Public Assessment 
was sent to Prison. And upon his submission the next day 
was discharged. 
[Court Records, Vol. VI, p. 209.] 

1685, 2 ffebuary, the Selectt men of Chelmsford doe impose 
a fine of nineten shillens sixe pence on petter proctor for his 
Railing and abeuciue lanage Against and before the Selectt men. 

In 1712, Captain Adams had some difference with the Town 
as to his town right, relating, no doubt, to his mills and water 
supply, and the case was decided in his favor. 

1712. To the cort with Capt Adams as to his town Right Major 
Barron Cornett Richardson and Willam fletcher .... £13 :6 :4. 

1712-3, March 3, voted that the toune will stand a sute with 
Capt Adams as to his toune Wright which he hath sued the 
toune for. 

Voted that tow men shall be chosen to answar to Capt 
Adams sumonce to the town about his Right. Moses 
Barron & Sergt William fletcher chosen to answer to Cap 
Adams at Charlestown Court. 

1713, June 22, voted to Presente our Appeall with Capt Adams 
at the General Cort ensuing. 

Voted to chuse three men to answar Capt Adams at the 
Superior Cort on our appeal. 

Voted that Moses Barron, and William Fletcher and 
Jonathan Richardson be the agents for the town as to Capt 
Adams Cause at Cort as to our appeall. 



414 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1713, November. Voted that the Selectmen shall deliver to 
Capt Adams his bond for the money be hired of the toune 
and take Recept of sd Adams for so much received of the 
toune toward paying sd. Adams for Damig Recouved of sd. 
towne Referring to towne Rights. 

A Memorial of Jonathan Richardson and several others 
Inhabitants of Chelmsford, setting forth that Mr. Samuel 
Chamberlaine a Member of this House and Representative for 
the said Town of Chelmsford is a Person not of an Orderly and 
Sober Life and Conversation, as is more particularly mentioned 
therein. Praying that the said Mr. Samuel Chamberlaine may not 
be allowed the Dignity of Sitting or Acting as a Member of this 
Honourable House, for the Reasons therein mentioned. Read. 
And the Petitioners were admitted into the House, and were 
heard to inforce their Petition, and the said Mr. Samuel Chamber- 
laine was heard also in making his Reply thereto, and then the 
Parties withdrew. And Mr. Samuel Chamberlaine did also with- 
draw. And the House having entred into the Consideration of 
the subject matter of the said Memorial, Voted That the Memorial 
be dismiss'd. 

[Printed Journal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 
June 15, 1725.] 

SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS. 

A hundred years ago, and indeed from the first, there were 
two distinct classes among the people here. The rich and in- 
fluential, and the poor and uneducated. The social distinctions 
which obtained in the Mother Country ruled also in the petty 
provincial life of Chelmsford. There were perhaps a dozen 
families here whose august heads wore powdered wigs, and whose 
inflated chests gave motion to ruffles and laces, whose hands were 
half covered by frills. The working people called them "grand 
folks." These formed the "society" of Chelmsford, and were 
assigned the best seats in the meeting house, where, in marked 
contrast, it was not uncommon on the Sabbath to see mechanics 
with leather aprons as part of their regular dress. 

Parson Bridge was at home in the highest society of Boston 
and frequently entertained State officials, whose carriages, with 
crested panels, rolled up to his door or that of Colonel Stoddard. 

In Colonial days few persons in Massachusetts had Mr. or 
Mrs. prefixed to their names. These were the titles of gentlemen 
and professional men and their wives. Graduates of Harv^ard 
college were given the title "Sir." Sir Weld was an early school- 
master in Chelmsford (1702). After receiving the degree of 
Master of Arts a man was called Mr. Goodman and goodwife 
were terms used in addressing persons of a lower condition, but 
who were not sen^ants. In 1734 Ebenezer Foster was paid six 
shillings for digging a grave for "Goody Goold." 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 415 

It would be difficult to tell just which names to include 
among the upper class in Chelmsford in the old days, but besides 
the minister, doctor, lawyer and college graduate, were the families 
of the larger estates upon some of which their descendants have 
continued until recent days or do now continue; some who have 
disappeared, such as Freeland, Blodgett and Pitts. Freeland 
lived west of Robin's hill. The Fletchers were influential and 
wealthy. In the early days Thomas Henchman was perhaps the 
most important man; Colonel Stoddard at a later period. The 
Spauldings, Parkers, Proctors, Bickmans, Shedds, Marshalls, 
the Adams family, the Parkhursts and the Daltons. It is difficult 
to stop naming such families, for these are not all by any means. 

The Minister, Doctor and Smith were the most important 
and useful persons in the Town, in the order named. 

APPRENTICES. 

Boys were commonly taught to follow their father's trade, or 
were apprenticed to some one else in order to learn a trade. Girls 
were also apprenticed. Sometimes both boys and girls were 
apprenticed without expecting to learn a trade. After the develop- 
ment of manufactures and commerce, and the opening of textile 
mills the young people began to leave the country districts for 
the mill towns, and the apprentice system fell into disuse. The 
law regarded slaves and apprentices as involuntary servants. 

The following indentures will illustrate the custom of appren- 
ticing young people. 

(Deeds are of two kinds, deeds poll and indentures — the 
former binding only one person or group of persons; the latter 
being a bilateral contract, two or more parties becoming mutually 
bound by it. Deeds of the latter sort were formerly written in 
duplicate on the same piece of paper or parchment which was 
then cut so as to separate them by an indented and irregular 
line, whereby their indentity could afterwards be established. 
Encyclopaedia . ) 

INDENTURE. 

This Indenture Witnesseth that Andrew Bettey of Chelms- 
ford in the County of Middlesex, in the Province of the Massa- 
chusetts Bay in Newingland, Wever, hath putt his son Andrew 
Bettey Apprentice to Samuel Adams of the sd Chelmsford in the 
County and Province aforesd., yeoman, and Esther his wiie, to 
serve them from the Day of the date hereof for and during the 
full term of four years next ensuing. During all which Time the 
sd. Apprentice his sd. Master and Mistress faithfully shall serve, 
their secrets keep, their lawfull commands gladly everywhere 
obey. He shall do no damage to his sd. Master & Mistress, nor 
see it done by others without letting or giving notice thereof to his 
sd. Master & Mistress. He shall not wast there goodes nor lend 



416 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

them unlawfully to any. He shall not commit fornication nor 
contract matrimony within the sd. Term. At Cardes, Dice or any 
other unlawfull game he shall not play, whereby his sd. Master 
or Mistress may be damageed with there own goods or the goods 
of others. He shall not absent himself Day nor Night from 
there service without there leave, nor haunt taverns and ale houses. 
but in all things be have himself as a faithfull apprentice ought 
to do during sd. term. And the sd. Master and Mistress shall 
teach or cause him to be Instructed so as to Reed well and Write 
and Cypher, if capable of Leming, and provide for him sufficient 
meat, drink, apparrel, washing and lodging, both in sickness and 
in health, fitting for an apprentice during sd. term, and at the end 
of sd. term of time to give to the sd. apprentice two goode sutes 
of apparrel (i. e.) one sute new, fitt for Sun Days, the other fitt 
for the working days, and also to give the sd. apprentice Thirteen 
pounds, six shillings and eight pence, lawfull mony at the end of 
sd. term of time. And for the trew performance of euerry of the 
sd. Covenants and agreements either of the sd. parties bind them 
selves to each other by these presents. 

In Witness where of they have interchangably sett there 
hands and scales this second day of January, anno Domini, 1758, 
and in the thirty-first year of his Majesties Reign, &c. 
Signed Sealled and Delivered His 

in the presence of us Andrew A Bettey (seal) 

James Heywood Mark 

Sarah Heywood Andrew Bettey (seal) 

ANDREW BATTIES'S INDENTURE OF ABIGAL DUTTON. 

This Indenture made the twelfth Day of January Anno 
Domini one thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Seven ; Witnesseth 
that we Ephraim Spaulding, Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlin, 
Gentlemen Joseph Peirce Junr. and Joseph Adams Junr. yeomans 
All of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, 
Selectmen of the sd. Town of Chelmsford and overseers of the 
poor of the Said Town ; by and with the Assent of two of his Majes- 
ties Justices of the peace for the Sd. County, whose Names are 
here unto Subscribed, have put and placed, and by these presents, 
do put and place Abigal Dutton, a poor Child of the said Town, 
Daughter of James Dutton late of Chehnsford aforesd. Deceased; 
Apprentice to Andrew Batties of Sd. Chehnsford yeoman; and to 
Mary Batties his wife, with them to Dwell and serve from the 
Date hereof. Untill the Said Apprentice Shall accomplish her 
full age of Eighteen years ; Dureing all which term the said Appren- 
tice her said Master and Mristress faithfully Shall Serve in all 
Lawfull Business according to her Power; witt and ability; and 
honestly orderly and obediently in all things Demean and 
Behave herself towards her said Master and Mristress, and 
all theirs Dureing the Said term; And the Said Andrew Batties 



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A GLIMPSE OF HEART POND 




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BAPTIST CHURCH, SOUTH CHELMSFORD 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 417 

for himself, his Executors and administrators ; doth covenant and 
Grant to, and with the Said Selectmen and overseers of the poor, 
and Every of them, their and Every of their Executors and 
Administrators and their, and Every of their Successors in the 
Said office ; for the time being by these presents ; that he and the 
Said Mristress Shall use the Utmost of their Endeavours to teach 
and Instruct; or cause her sd. apprentice to be Instructed in 
Reading &c.; and to teach and Instruct her in the Art, and 
Business of Spinning, and all other Common houshold work of 
womens Imployments; and also to provide for the Said Ap- 
prentice, Sutable and Sufficient meat. Drink, Apparrel, washing, 
and Lodging, in Sickness and health Doctering, Nursing &c, 
in case of Sickness, fitting and Sutable for an Apprentice Dureing 
the Said term; And at the End of the Said term of time to give 
and deliver to her the Said Apprentice two Good Suits of Apparrel ; 
the one Sueite New, fitt for Sundays; the other Suite Good, fitt 
for working days; In Witness whereof the Parties first above 
Named to these present Indentures, their hands and Seals have 
Interchangably Set the Day and year first above written 
Signed, Sealed, and delivered his 

in presence of us Andrew A Battles (seal) 

Samuel Howard Mark 

Silas Richardson 

Middlesex S. S. Chelmsford January 16th. 1767 

We Oliver Fletcher & William Stickney Esqrs. two of his 
Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex 
within mentioned do hereby — Declare our Assent to the putting 
forth, and Binding out the within Named — Abigal Dutton 
Apprentice to the Said Andrew Battles according to the Intent 
and Meaning of the Indenture within written 

Oliver Fletcher 1 Just. Pacs. 

Wm. Stickney J 

HOMES, SCHOOLS. 

There were few painted houses, even one hundred years ago. 
Red ochre was cheap and some used it. An article in Rees's 
Cyclopaedia claims that in most cases the use of paint accelerates 
the destruction of every species of wood to which it is applied. 

Families were large, and lived entirely upon farm products. 
Everything used on the farm and in the home was made there as 
a rule, and brewing, baking, spinning and weaving were household 
industries, also the making of tallow dips, the curing of meats and 
preparing other articles of food. Where there Vv'erc smooth board 
floors they were sanded, and sometimes fancy figures were marked 
out upon them. It was not uncommon on large farms to have a 
tanning vat, a forge, a carpenter's bench, and other useful adjuncts. 
Cider mills were nimierous. In Chelmsford a dozen might be 



418 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

counted within a mile. Cider and rum loosened tongues, which 
were sometimes not as civil as they are now. The minister had 
occasionally to take cutting jokes and allusions. 

The first settlers in Massachusetts were well educated; the 
next generation had little opportunity for learning; and although 
schools were made compulsory in towns, the common people 
received a scanty education, compared with that of today. 

Some of the farmers could read and write with difficulty. 
There were some who made their mark instead of signing their 
names. When they were boys they had sat in school and whittled 
the desk or planned practical jokes. Part of the year at least 
the farmers had more leisure in the early days, and it was not 
unusual for eight or ten of them to gather in some neighbor's 
kitchen and talk most of the morning. 

The early schoolhouses were so built as to need no modern 
system of ventilation. There were no clapboards on their sides; 
one could almost thrust one's hand through the wall. The stove 
in one of them, a century ago, is described as built of brick, with 
a sheet iron top, and in it cord wood was stood on end to burn. 
The ink often froze. Quill pens were used, and there were frequent 
requests: "Teacher, mend my pen! Teacher, mend my pen!" 
Children were not trained in personal neatness, as they are now, 
and conditions were unsanitary; they went barefoot six or seven 
months in the year. When the children went to meeting, they 
walked barefoot, carrying their shoes (and stockings if they had 
any) in their hands until quite near the meeting house, when they 
would stop by the wayside and put them on. This saved shoe 
leather. Great economy was necessary in everything. It was 
not uncommon in the cold winters for a child to come into 
school with a frozen ear or nose, which an application of snow 
would generally relieve. Eighty or a hundred years ago there 
was often five feet of snow on the ground; people would have 
sometimes to tunnel through a drift to get out of the door in the 
morning. Sometimes there would be a crust on the snow that 
would almost hold up a horse. Teams would go across lots, or 
brush would be stuck along the sides of the roads for guides. 
Ox teams would come at night to take the children home from 
school. The hungry youngsters might find their mother drawing 
the luscious bean pot from the brick oven, with the brown bread of 
rye and Indian. When not in school, children had to be useful. 
One boy remembers how he used to get up at 2 o'clock in the 
morning to drive a load of wood from District No. 5 to Lowell 
over Pine Hill (there was no Littleton road then) in time to meet 
the mill operatives who came out for breakfast, to sell his wood, 
and get home again by half-past nine, then go to Westford and 
load up in the afternoon for the next day. Nobody burned coal 
in those days. There was plenty of wood. Pine and chestnut 
trees, as big around as hogsheads, were split up for cordwood. 

In the middle thirties (1835) New England farming was 
beginning to be at its best. Most farmers had money laid bj', and 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 419- 

if one wanted to borrow, he went, not to the Bank, but to his 
neighbor. The Town occasionally borrowed of private indi- 
viduals. 

Sending knees and other timbers for building small vessels 
at Salem and Boston was quite an industry. North Billerica was 
one shipping point for things that went by the Canal. 

WINE AND BEER. 

These items will show the attitude in regard to wine and beer. 

In 1644, "The Court, apprehending yt it is not fit to deprive 
ye Indians of any lawfull comfort wch God aloweth to all men 
by ye use of wine, do ordr, yt it shalbe lawfull for all such as are 
or shalbe alowed licence to retaile wines to sell also to ye Indians 
so much as may be fit for their needful! use or refreshing." 

Four years later, all but one man in Boston were prohibited 
from selling wine to the Indians. 

In 1654, two persons in each of six counties were named as 
authorized to sell to Indians, one in Concord & one in Reading 
for Middlesex. 

Benjamin Tompson, in his poem on King Philip's War, 
entitled "New England's Crisis," 1676, has these lines among 
others in Indian dialect, in which Philip compares the punishment 
meted to Indians and English. 

"We drink, we so big whipt; but English they 
Go sneep [sleep], no move, or else a little pay." 

For getting drunk, the Indian received a severe whipping. 
The white man slept it off, or paid a light fine. 

1649. Every victualler or ordinary taverner was ordered by 
the General Court to be provided with good and wholesome beer, 
for the entertainment of strangers, to save the expense of buying 
wine; and if a taverner were found without such beer, he should 
forfeit forty shillings for the first offence, and for the second, he 
should forfeit his license. 

No laborer should be inforced to take wine in pay for his 
labor "whereby — ye good creature of God [is] notoriously abused." 

No laborer should be allowed to sell wine or make pa3nnent 
of any debt therewith. 

Wherever the minister went, he felt obliged to drink the 
glass offered him, and Parson Bridge found it best not to make 
too many calls in an afternoon. 

1647. The General Court sent 18 gallons of wine "as a 
small testimony of ye Court's respect, to yt reverend assembly 
of elders at Cambridge" 

FOOD. 

As for food, there v/as plenty of fish, sometimes bear-meat, 
venison, or other wild game or fowl. The common domestic 
animals were bred from stock sent from England in the earliest 



420 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

days of the colonies. Among the poorer families, turnips often 
took the place of potatoes, and for coffee they had a drink made 
of barley, rye or brown bread crusts. Coffee came into use 
among those who could afford it, not long before the year 1800. 
It was first used in England about 1690, as stated by Evelyn. 
Tea was little used. Home brewed beer was a common drink, 
and when orchards were grown, cider was used in great quantities. 
Wine and spirituous liquors were imported and used freely on all 
occasions. Two barrels of cider were provided for the use of the 
council at the ordination of Mr. Packard in 1793. 

Zachary Reed was, perhaps, the greatest apple grower in 
Chelmsford, having about one hundred and fifty acres for an 
orchard. Fruits were first grown here from seed and plants 
brought from the old country. 

Bread was generally made by mixing two parts of Indian 
meal with one part of rye flour. "Rye and Indian" was the 
staple for two hundred years. Morning and evening, the people 
partook of hasty pudding — boiled Indian meal — with milk or 
molasses, or porridge made of beans or peas, and salt pork or beef. 

The will of Willard Parker, in 1804, provides that his wife 
shall have, among other things, "six barrels of Cyder yearly and 
every year, and six bushels of good rye, twelve bushels of good 
Indian corn yearly and every year." Note the proportions of 
rye and Indian corn. 

FISH. 

The earliest writers who mention the Merrimack, speak of 
the abundant supply of fish which it afforded. Among their 
voltmies may be mentioned, "A Description of the Plantations of 
New England as they were Anno Christi 1633," and "A True and 
Faithful Account of the Four Chiefest Plantations of the English 
in America. London, 1670." "There are many sturgeons, but 
the most are caught at Cape Cod, and in the River of Meramack, 
whence they are brought to England. They are twelve, fourteen, 
and some eighteen feet long." 

Among other New England fish are mentioned — 

"The scale-fenc'd sturgeon, wry mouth'd Hollibut; 
The flouncing Salmon, codfish, Greedigut; 
The stately Bass, old Neptune's fleeting Post, 
That tides it out and in from sea to coast; 
Consorting Herrings, and the bony Shad. 
Big-bellied Alewives, macrils richly clad" — &c 

"Merrimack lies eight miles beyond Agowomen [Ipswich] 
(which is 9 miles North from Salem) where is a River Navigable 
for twenty miles, and all along the side of it fresh marshes, in 
some places three miles broad. In the River is Sturgion, Salmon, 
Bass, and divers other Kind of fish." 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 421 

In 1681, mention is made of a fishing ware (weir) at the 
upper end of Newfield on the Merrimack. Prior to 1668, 
John Webb had one on the river, possibly at that place. In 1661, 
the Town granted him "20 acres without any town privilege 
saveing the Keeping a beast or two." He had other grants. 
A highway was laid out "to begin at Meremake river where Mr 
John Weebe made his ware." 

The inhabitants valued their riparian rights highly, and 
guarded them well. 

The "fishing island," in the Merrimack, at the bend of the 
river, was much used. See Map No. 5. 

In Vol. 117, p. 210, of the Archives, and in Acts and Resolves, 
Vol. XV, p. 625, are the records of proceedings relating to the 
grant of the use of a fishing island in the Merrimack to Wm. 
Blodget, Robt. Reding, Jona. Parkhurst, Simeon Blodget, Stephen 

Spaulding, John Richardson, Foster, John Butterfield and Peter 

Spaulding, during the pleasure of the Court. The grant was 
made, January 11, 1757. Sixty-one Chelmsford men certify 
their approval. The island was in size, about half an acre. 

7:12:1681 by a voate it is granted to the proprieters of the 
New feild to erectt a fishing worke on Merimake River at the vper 
end of the Newfeild and that they shall have liberty of a highway 
bettwine the Newfeld and Samell frenches land downe to the fore 
said fishing place in the river allwais conditiones that Any 
inhabitant of Chelmsford shall att Any time up on his paying his 
proportion of exspenses about the erecting the worke have his 
share Acordingly in the fishing trad. 

In 1730, three men were appointed to "lett oute the fishing 
places and to take care of them," and again, "To take care of the 
fish and see that they have free passage according to law." 

With hook and line, it was easy to take a good string of fish 
in half an hour. A school of shad and alewives came up to the 
fordway on Acton street, near Heart pond, one season, perhaps 
seventy-five years ago, and could not get across, but filled the 
brook solid. A man came along on his way home, with an empty 
ox cart, which he filled by scooping up the fish with his hands. 
This was told the writer by an old man of undoubted veracity. 

Perch and pickerel were plenty in Heart pond. 

The fish caught in the rivers formed a staple supply of food, 
many more being taken than could be eaten. The farmers 
were accustomed to use them as a fertilizer, one or two fish being 
placed in each hill of corn. The inhabitants of the Town had 
the right to take what fish they could. 

Within the memory of some living, citizens would back up 
their carts on the river bank, and take home a load. Two men 
in boats, with a seine between them, would take a cartload at one 
haul. "At certain seasons of the year," says Miles, "the mouth 
of the Concord appeared to be almost literally full of fish. There 
are those now living [1845], who have seen one thousand shad 
taken at one haul, from a basin of water since filled up, and now 



422 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the site of the large Mill of the Middlesex Company. Down 
as late as 1820, there were caught, mostly at this spot, and at the 
foot of Pawtucket falls, twenty-five hundred barrels of salmon, 
shad and alewives, besides many other fish of less value." [See 
Allen, page 41.] 

The mill operatives in the early days protested to the boarding- 
house keepers that they could not endure to eat salmon more than 
three days in the Vv^eek. 

Oilman says: "Before the progress of the waters of the 
Merrimack to the sea had been checked and restrained by dams 
they bore in their bosom a bountiful source of supply for the 
sustenance of not only the Indians, but also the first English 
settlers. Within the memory of the oldest inhabitant now 
living, (1880), the Merrimack teemed with salmon, shad, alewives 
and eels. Occasionally a sturgeon was seen leaping, in sportive 
activity, high in the air." This is what one of the oldest inhabit- 
ants now living (Captain Silas Tyler) says: "The best haul of 
fish I ever knew was eleven hundred shad and eight or ten thousand 
alewives. This was in the Concord river, just below the Middlesex 
mills. Formerly, there was what was called an island on the 
Belvidere side of the bridge, near the mouth of the Concord. 
Occasionally, the water from Concord river found a course down 
by the Owen house and the old yellow Tavern house. There were 
four fishing places, two above and two below Concord river 
bridge. Joe Tyler, my uncle, owned those above, and Josiah 
Fletcher, those below the bridge. * * * 'pj-^g ^^^ allowed 
us to fish two days each week in the Concord, and three in the 
Merrimack. * * * People would come 15 or 20 miles on 
fishing days to procure these fish. Shad were worth five dollars 
per hundred, salmon ten cents per pound." 



CATTLE. 



Swine were allowed to go at large until 1793, when they were 
to be shut up during September and October. 

Hog-reeves were chosen "to oversee swine and keep them in 
order." In 1824, twenty hog-reeves were chosen. 

1670, March 20, all swine within the boundes of this town 
from 12 wekes ould and upward shall be sofitiently ringed from 
ye 10 day of April to ye 10 day of October on penalty of 12d a 
swine and in case any swine shall do any dam.age in any inclosier 
then the owneres therof shall pay for ye first trespase dobell 
damages &c 

1674. On account of trespass Ensign Will Fletcher em- 
pounded eight swine of Abraham Parker four timics the same year. 
We read a chuckle between the lines of the record. Poor Abraham 
would be the butt of the Town for a twelvemonth. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 423 

In 1677 "the Selectmen ordered that all fences within the 
limits of this Town shall be made up and repaired according to 
law to be sufficient against great Cattell," or, as the phrase is, 
"horse high, bull strong and pig tight." 

Three swine taken "damage fesant." 

Aprised by us whose names are underwritten three swme 
taken up by Magor Thomas hinchman the charges aloved for 
kapinge said swine beinge deducted in oure aprihenshong fule 
valeu amounts to = 01 = 02 = 06 in monie. 
14 November '92. 

Samevel foster 
Steven Pears 

In 1737, rams were ordered to be kept enclosed from August 
20 to November 1. 

From 1730 to 1795 Deer-reeves were chosen, to prevent the 

destruction of deer. 

In 1693, the Town chose "men to loke after horses to se thay 
be acted with acordinge to lawe." For some time the practice 
varied from year to year, as to allowing animals to go at large. 
In 1824, swine were restrained, but horses and cattle were allowed 
to go at large. 

Fence viewers looked after the fences. 

Field drivers were elected by the Town to perform the duties 
of a hayward— to prevent wandering cattle from doing damage 
or becoming a prey to wolves, and to impound strays. Their fees 
were commonly called pound-shot. This office has sometimes 
been bestowed good-naturedly upon the newest benedicts. 

SHEEP. 

At an early day the General Court expressed themselves thus: 
"For as much as wollen cloth is so useful a comodity without 
which wee can not so comfortably subsist in these pts by reason 
of could winters * * * & whereas through ye want of 
woollen cloaths & stuffs, many pore people have suffered much 
could and hardship to ye impairing of some of yr healths * 
and such who have been able to prvide for yir children cloathmg 
of cotton cloth (not being able to get other) have, by yt meanes, 
had some of their children much scorched with fire, yea, divers 
burnt to death * * * this court * * * ^ doth 
hereby desire all ye townes in generall & evry one m prtickler 
* * * to preserve & increase "such sheope as they^have 
already as also to prcure more with all convenient speede" 

In 1675, the Gen. Court prohibited any person from exporting 
"any sheeps wooU out of this jurisdiction by sea to any foreigne 
parts"; likewise "Racoone ffurs" because "this Court is informed 
of the usefullness of racoone furrs for making a good sort of hatts 
for the supply of the country." 



424 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

SHEIPE ORDER. 

Sheipe 25 the 12 moth 1681 to prevent damages by sheipe in 
order inclosiers ordered that no sheepe shall goe upon the 
common of this towne with out a Kepper up on penality 
of paying twelve pence a sheepe every time thay ar 
taken with in any in closier the fence beeing sofitient 
Acording to towne [order]. 
In 1662, sheep were rated at 10s. per head. 
In 1673, five pounds per score. 

1688 At a legall towne metinge of the in habitans of Chellms- 
ford the tov/ne did jointe agree to grante a parsile of land for to 
kepe a dri heard of chattels and shep which land lyse a joining 
upon Mr Johnathan Tyngs farm it was then agreed that it should 
extend in breadth from the abovsaid tings land to the brocke 
comonly caled Deep broke & so the same breadth that it is at the 
above sad plase to extend throu out tile it comse to the south and 
north line betwene groton and vs. 

1697 Capt. Bowers, Ephraim Hildreth and Samuel Foster 
are chosen a committee "to draw up artickels in order to the 
keping of a flock of shep in a publick way upon Robins Hill." 

Sheep were of great value to the early settlers. They were 
kept, as the phrase is, for the good of back, belly and purse. 

1683. This Court, considering that catle are rated to the 
country at a greater value then they will yeild from man to man, 
doeth therefore order, that henceforth all neat catle shall be rated 
to the country, viz : oxen at four yeare old & above at three pounds 
a peece, all cowes & steeres at three yeares old & aboue at forty 
shillings a peece & all of two yeare old at thirty shillings a peec, 
and yeare olds at fiueteen shillings a peece, & swyne at a yeare 
old at tenn shillings a peece. 

Prior to that date, an ox above four years old was valued 
at six pounds, a cow of the same age, at five pounds, a sheep 
above a year old, thirty shillings, a swine above a year old, at 
twenty shillings. Men who worked at arts or trades were rated 
proportionable to other men for estates. 

The valuation of horses being far below what they were 
worth, in 1653, the Gen. Court ordered that horses of four years 
old or upwards should be valued in the country rate at sixteen 
pounds; three years old, ten pounds; two years old, at seven 
pounds; of one year old, at three pounds, ten shillings. 

SALT AND SUGAR. 

In 1624, a salt maker was sent from England to teach the art 
at Plymouth. The project failed. 

In 1649, John Winthrop, son of the Governor, undertook 
to manufacture salt out of "meer salt water," he to receive for 
good white salt, at Boston and other places, wheat, or other corn 
of equal value, bushel for bushel. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 425 

Sea water furnished more or less salt for the people for many 
years. Cape Cod was the locality considered most favorable. 
In 1808, there were, at Barnstable, half a million square feet of 
vats. 

The Indians taught the settlers to make sugar from the 
maple. Most farmers had their sugar orchards, "and 'sugaring- 
off' was as much a part of the agricultural year as plowing or 
hay-making." 

soldiers' diet. 

While the people at home were eating fish and rye-and- 
Indian, the soldiers of 1756 were given these rations: 

Computation of one day's allowance per man. 

1 lb Bread £0:1:5 

1 " Pork 0:2:0 

1 Jill Rum 0:0:6 

i pint of pease or beans :0 :5 

per. day 0:4:4 

half a pound sugar per week 0:1 :6 

2 ounces ginger :0 :5 

1 Flour 0:1:2 

1 pint Indian meal :0 :4 

4 ounces of Butter 0:1 :0 

1 pint of Molasses 0:1 :7 

0:6:0 is per day 10^ 



Old Tenor 0:5 :2i 
per day 

0: 4:4 

7 



1:10:4 
0: 6:0 



OT per week 1:16:4 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 312.] 

POVERTY. 

The scanty crops which the first settlers were able to raise 
on their clearings barely kept them from starving. Wild beasts 
and savage Indians harassed them, they suffered from the rigors 
of the climate and from the lack of many things which we deem 
almost essential to existence. For many years, com and rye 
formed the chief support of life, and some families had little of 
these. Many lacked fruit and vegetables. During the long 



426 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

winters not further back then one hundred years ago, some 
families were obHged to sustain themselves chiefly on turnips, 
potatoes and salt. Occasionally, they had fish or game. Yet 
they were not shiftless, and, when the opportunity came, they 
improved it. An instance, which, at one time, might almost be 
called typical, is that of a family in which there were fourteen 
children living not far from the centre of the town, about a century 
ago, all in rags, some of whom, on cold winter nights, slej^t on 
straw in the potato bin in the cellar, and who had been constantly 
assisted by their more favored neighbors, who at last found work 
in one of the early mills in East Chelmsford. In later years, 
three of these boys became overseers, and the others did well in 
mill work. After the application of water power to the weaving 
of cloth, there were rapid and marvelous changes in the condition 
of many families. 

BEARS. 

The little black bears, sly as foxes, which lived about the 
swamps, were continually lurking near the homes of the early 
settlers, and, coming in the night, did much damage to the crops, 
and caused considerable annoyance in other ways. They cared 
as little for the sting of a bullet as for the sting of a bee, and were 
hard to kill. Mr. C. W. Byam tells of an incident which, one 
day, enlivened the home of his mother's great uncle. Col. Wright, 
who was, at the time, on the frontier, looking after the general 
interests of the settlers. His wife and two little children were 
left to carry on the farm at Chestnut hill. They were in the 
woods, gathering sticks for fuel to keep them warm and cook their 
food. The children, having strayed away from their mother, 
found a couple of balls of fur, and came running back, crying, 
"Mother, Mother, See!" The furry balls were two young cubs, 
whose eyes were not yet open. 

Mrs. Wright took the children in her arms and ran homeward 
for dear life, and barred the door, expecting every moment to be 
torn to pieces by the mother bear; but, fortunately, the she-bear 
had been shot, and could do them no harm. 

Ephraim Brown, in Vol. 4, Cont. Old Res. Hist. Assn., gives 
an interesting account of the killing of a bear by Mary Chandler 
Heald, a Chelmsford girl, who married and went to live in that 
part of Carlisle which was then within the limits of Concord. 
It was in 1693. Her husband, with other men, had started out 
early in the morning with their hounds, to kill a savage and 
destructive bear, which had made great depredations in their 
fields and flocks, and which, by its fleetness and cunning, had 
escaped their dogs and traps. Mary, at her door, heard the 
distant baying of the hounds, and strong voices of the men on the 
hills, and knew that the chase was leading towards her home. 
"To the right," "To the left," "Close up the centre," she heard 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 427 

them shout. "She shut the doors and windows, seized her long 
rifle, picked the flint, left her infant, Timothy, in the cradle 
asleep, and sallied forth into the deep shades of that swampy- 
forest to meet the monster in the very spot which she believed it 
would pass. Soon the waving bushes, the rustling leaves, the 
heavy man-like tread, and the loud breathing, told that the 
monster was rushing directly upon her, and, now full in sight, 
was charging upon her very footsteps. With the rifle at her 
eye, her finger on the trigger, she received his oncoming without 
flinching, and, when the beast rose with open mouth and a terrific 
growl, doubly enraged at the sight of this new enemy, striking 
with its huge arms right and left to clear its way, she pulled the 
trigger. The echo of her rifle, mingled with the roar of the beast, 
rolled over the region and told every hunter that a grand day's 
work was done. Expecting to meet some other and unknown 
hunter and the captured game, the hunters rushed forward, and, 
amazed, saw the dying beast leaping vainly to regain its feet, with 
a bullet through its heart, roaring fearfully, and this woman, 
rifle in hand, looking calmly on, surveying the work of her hands, 
and giving welcome to the hounds and hunters gathering around. 
She had shot a huge and ferocious bear. The hunters, in amaze- 
ment and admiration, gave cheer upon cheer, not only because 
the dreadful beast was dead, but because it was killed in the 
forest by a woman, all alone." 

The dead beast was worth thirty or forty dollars in our 
present money. 

Mr. William Pierce, aged 85, tells (1901) that Debora Stevens, 
born at the old Stevens place, near Frances hill, was frightened in 
childhood by a bear coming into the house. Her nerves were 
affected so that ever after her head was shaky. She married 
Oliver Pierce. 

The following may or may not be history. It is an old 
manuscript among the Fiske papers, and will, at least, illustrate 
the fiction, if not the fact, of early times. 



CURIOUS STORY. 

"The following anecdote of an honest farmer, who was one of 
the first settlers, will serve to show the fanatical spirit, which then 
prevailed, so contrary to that liberal toleration now prevalent, 
and which so happily unites every denomination of Christians in 
the bonds of charity and love — but to vay story. 

"The farmer in question was a plain, pious man, regular in 
the discharge of his duty, both to God and his neighbour; but, 
unluckily, he happened to live near one with whom he was not 
inclined to cultivate either civil or friendly terms ; the troublesome 
personage was no other than a monstrous, overgrown he-bear 
that descended from the mountains, trod down and destroyed the 



428 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

cornfields, and carried off whatever he laid his paws upon. The 
plundered sufferer watched for him in vain, the ferocious and cun- 
ning animal ever finding methods to elude his utmost vigilance ; and 
at last the bear had learned his cue so thoroughly as to commit 
his depredations only on the Lord's day, when he knew from 
experience the coast was clear. Wearied out with these oft- 
repeated trespasses, the good man resolved to stay on the next 
Sunday in the fields, where, with his gun, he would conceal him- 
self. The bear came, as usual — he fired, and shot him dead. 
The explosion threw the whole congregation (for it was about the 
hour of the people's assembling to worship) into consternation. 
The cause was inquired into; and, as soon as the Pastor, Deacon 
and Elders became acquainted with it, they called a special meeting 
of the church, and cited their offending brother before them, to 
shew cause, if any he had, why he should not be excommunicated 
out of Christ's Church, for this daring and unequaled impiety. 
In vain did he urge from the Scriptures themselves, that it was 
lawftd to do good on the Sabbath day; he pleaded before Judges 
determined to condemn him; and the righteous parson, elders, 
and church viva voce agreed to drive him out from amongst them 
as polluted and accursed. Accordingly he was enjoined, (as is 
customary on such occasions) on the next Sunday to attend his 
excommunication in the church. He did attend, but not entirely 
satisfied with the sentence and too much of a soldier to be scandal- 
ised in so publick a manner for an action which he conceived to 
be a good one, he resolved to have recourse to stratagem : he 
therefore went as he was summoned, with his gun loaded with a 
brace of balls, his sword and cartridge-box by his side and his 
knapsack on his back with six days provisions in it. Service was 
about half over when he entered the sanctuary in marshal array. 
He marched leisurely into a corner and took his position. As soon 
as the benediction was ended, the holy parson began his excom- 
munication, but scarce had he pronounced the words, "Offending 
Brother," when the honest veteran cocked and levelled his weapon 
of destruction, at the same time crying out with a louder voice, 
"Proceed if you dare, proceed and you are a dead man." At this 
unexpected attack the astonished clergyman shrunk behind his 
desk, and his opponent with great deliberation recovered his 
arms. Some minutes elapsed before the parson had courage to 
peep from his ecclesistical battery, when finding that the old 
hero had come to a rest he tremblingly reached the order to the 
eldest deacon, desiring him to read it. The deacon with stammer- 
ing accents, and eyes staring with affright began as he was com- 
manded; but no sooner had he done so than the devoted victim 
again levelled his piece, and more vehemently than before 
exclaimed, "Desist and march — I will not live with shame; — 
desist and march, or you are all dead men!" Little need had he 
to repeat his threats; the man of God leaped from his desk, and 
escaped, the deacon, elders and congregation followed in equal 
trepidation; the greatest confusion prevailed, the old women 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 429 

with shrieks and cries sought their homes; and the victor was 
left undisturbed master of the field, and the church too, the doors 
of which he calmly locked, put the keys in his pocket and sent 
them with his respects to the Parson. He then marched home 
with all the honours of war, lived eighteen years afterwards, and 
died a brother in full communion, declaring to the last (among 
his intimates) that he never tasted so great a dainty before. 
"Nature gives merit and fortune sets it at work." 



WOLVES. 

Wolves and foxes made constant depredations. The wolves 
were ever-threatening enemies, which, no doubt, greeted the 
Chelmsford settlers as they did the Pilgrims at Plymouth, who 
said the wolves "sat on their tayles and grinned at them." The 
General Court calls the wolves "Ravenous cruell creatures & 
daily vexatious to all ye inhabitants of ye Colony," "which doe 
destroy so great nombers of or Catle," and early took measiires 
"for supprsing of yva." In 1644, in the records of the Court, 
"It is ordered yt there shalbe a bushell of Indian Come or three 
qrts of wine paid to any Indian by ye constable of evry tovme 
for evry wolfe killed wthin ye bounds of ye towne" &c. This was 
repealed the next year, and it was ordered that ten shillings should 
be paid to any person for every wolf killed within ten miles of 
any plantation "within this Jurisdiction." 

The selectmen of every town were empowered to procure 
"of the townes stock so many hounds as they thinlce meete and 
to impose the keeping of them on such as they thinke fitest, that 
so all means may be improved for the destruction of wolves," &c. 

In 1648 the Court also ordered that every inhabitant, English 
or Indian, that should kill a wolf and bring the head to the 
constable, who was to bury it, should receive, an Englishman, 
thirty shillings, an Indian, twenty shillings, ten shillings whereof 
was to go to the constable. 

In 1661, Indians were to receive two pounds of powder and 
eight pounds of shot, or one pound of powder and four pounds of 
shot and five shillings in corn or other pay, or ten shillings only, 
for every wolf killed. The wolves' ears were to be cut oflE and 
buried, so that none should be twice paid for. 

In 1662, every person killing a wolf was to receive twenty 
shillings, ten from the towne and ten from the country Treasurer. 

In Chelmsford, 7 Feb. 168| "ther was a voatt passed that 
if any man shale kill a woolfe or grone wolues that hee shall have 
tenne shillens each woolfe paid him by the towne in Common pay." 

"March 7 169J the towne by voate did repeal there [their] 
in gage as to the payinge ten shiligs for Kilinge wolfs." 

In 1674, John Parker is credited with "fouer woolues kiled," 
and in 1676, he received £1.10.0. for "woolvs." 



430 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In the following account are found some items of bounties 
paid for killing wolves: 

An account of debts due to sevrall persons for servis done 
expenses [1689—1692] 

It[em] to Mr Walldoe in paye £ 2. 00. 11 

It in moni 9 

It to Sam veil flecher senor for desinsie of the metinge 

house 8.00.00 

It for thre wolfs kilinge atested by Cornstubl perem . . 1. 00. 10 

It to leftenante hildreth 2 

It for 2 wolfs kiled by Edward foster atested by 

constabl Spalding 1. 00. 00 

Ittem to capten adams his saliri in yeare 89 1. 00. 00 

It to Josiph Hid one wolfe atested by cornstub spalding 

& payed by cornstuble brown 

It to Josiph Spaldige for mendinge the pound 00 01 00 

It to Samevll foster Juner for mending the pund .... 00. 02. 00 
It to Josiah richardson sener for his servis done 

Acovnte in monie 10. 00. 00 

It for 2 yer serving the toune as toune clerke 2. 00 00 

It to Mister Walldov too pond sixten shilings & ten 

pens 2. 16. 10 

and 2 shiling & 5 pens in monie 00. 02. 05 

1690 to Mosis baron & his sone for goinge the priam- 

ballason betwene Concord & Chelmsford 00. 06. 00 

it for one woulf kiled in 9. by information of constabele 

brown 00. 10. 00 

Item to Josiah richardson senor for going the pream- 

belason betwen Mr tings and the toune 00 03 00 

Item for runinge the bounds betwen gratton and 

Chelmsford 00 03 00 

Item to John wrighte for runinge the above said 

priambolasons 00 06 00 

Item Ebineser parkis runinge the above said priam- 

bilasons 00. 06. 00 

Item to Josiah Richardson senor for serving the toune 

as clerke 1692 01. 00. 00 

Item to mosis parker seven wolfs ] 

attested by ! constable Joseph Spaldinge 

Item to Josiph Spauldinge sen f Constable samel flecher 

one wolf . . 1 

atested ^ 

Item to Mosis parker by Joseph Spauldinge Constable brown 

tou wolfs, a foster. Elieser Brown constable 

by 

Constable andrve Spaldings 

and 

Item one wolfe to Samevel flecher sen 

It to John Walker 00 10 00 

atested by constable Andrev Spavldinge Kild May 6, 1692 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 431 

_ Wolfs Killed sins May 14, 1692 
Item too Mosis parker one wolfe & a half 
It Willam flecher Junr halfe a wolfe 

It Samevel varnam five wolfs November & Desember '92 
Item to lef Jarathemel bovrs one wolfe September 29, '92 

No bounty was paid for bears. They were valuable for fur 
and meat and fat. 

Foxes were worth twelve pence a head. 

1695, May 20. Nathaniel Foster brought thirty-three grown 
blackbirds' heads. 

It is also recorded that on June 23, 1696, Edward Foster 
"kild a grone wolfe," and on Nov. 18, 1696, Thomas Colbom 
"kild a grone wolfe." 
1698 Memarandome. comited to cornit hill as towne 

tresuer for Kiling a grown woulf £l. 0. 

1701 To Samuel Burdg for catching Two woulues .... 2. 0. 

172f John Parker for a grown Wolfs head that he 

brought 4.0.0 

1730 John Parker for Killing a grown wild cat some 

time in March 1730 1. 0. 

1731 For a woolfs hed and catts head 2. 0. 

1732 Benj Blogett one grown wolves hed 4. 0. 

1733 John Parker for one grown wolves hed 4.0.0 

1735 July 18 Jonathan Butterfield, Jr., the 2d, for 

one wild Catte hed 1. 0. 

1736 Ebenzer Foster for one wild catte hed 1. 0. 

There were wolves in eastern Massachusetts until after the 

Revolution. 

SQUIRRELS AND BLACKBIRDS. 
WILDCATS AND CROWS. 

1742, May. The Town paid bounties for 2,548 ground squirrels, 

552 blackbirds and !our crows, and in November of the 
same year, for 1,922 squirrels and 169 blackbirds. 

1743, February. 217 squirrels were paid for, and later in the 

same year another account shows that the Town paid for 

2,984 squirrels, 371 blackbirds. 
1750. Benjamin Howard is credited with one grown wildcat's 

head, for which he received ten shillings, eight pence. 
The lists of 1742-3 give the names and numbers. Joseph Warren 

brought in 344 squirrels, and the Widow Remembrance 

Foster, 140. 
In 1790, the Town paid for 59 crows' heads, a shilling 

ahead £2: 19: 0:0 

1800, the Town paid the same bounty for every 

crow's head brought to the Town treasurer, 

who cut off the bill. 



432 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1802, the Town paid for 3,573 squirrels' heads ... $35 . 73 

" " 83 crows' heads 13.83 

1803. The Town paid for 16 crows' heads 2.67 

" " and for 15 striped squirrels' 

heads .15 

1806. The Town paid for crows' heads 15.40 

The year previous it was voted to pay 20 cents bounty "for 

only such as are killed in this Town." 
1811. The Town refused to give bounty for crows, squirrels, 
and blackbirds. 
In 1873, 25 cents a head was the amount offered by the Town 
for all woodchucks and crows killed within the limits of 
the Town. 



INDIANS. 



In 1675, each town was ordered to provide six flints to a 
listed soldier. There was to be no trading with the Indians 
except in open shops and towns where goods were sold to the 
English. The next year, all trade with the Indians was pro- 
hibited. The Court offered £3 per head for Indians dead or alive. 

The state of affairs in Chelmsford was of interest to Boston 
people. Increase Mather says, in his diary, one-eyed John was 
hanged with other Indians in Boston, Sept. 22, 1676. This 
was the Indian who had threatened to burn Chelmsford. 

1677, Sept. 22, he records that the Indians at Chelmsford had 
withdrawn themselves. 

Notwithstanding the Indian attacks and the fact that many 
of the inhabitants had left the Town, there were, in 1691, in the 
Chelmsford garrisons, 158 men. 

Allen says (page 147) : The Maquas, and strange Indians 
from the southward, were the fomenters and perpetrators of 
most of the mischief that was done. 

The affair in 1676 (see Chapter II) was caused, as Hubbard and 
others assert, by the imprudent and unjustifiable attack of some 
people from Wobum and Chelmsford, vfho, to retaliate the burning 
of a bam, and some haystacks, supposed to have been done by the 
Indians, fired upon them, killed some and wounded several others. 
This excited the Indians to a predatory war. They burned 
several houses in Dracut, Chelmsford, Shawshin and Andover; 
killed a son of George Abbott of Andover, and carried away 
another captive. Roger Marks was wounded and his horse 
killed. Two sons of Samuel Vamum were shot as they were 
rowing a boat across the Merrimack river. 

Allen says some of the walls and cellars of the Garrison 
houses were remaining in his day, and quotes the following: 

Considering the present danger of an assault by the Indians 
on the County of Middlesex, it is ordered that John Phillips, Esq., 




HEYWOOD OR HAYWARD GARRISON HOUSE, VIEW ON SECOND FLOOR 




.Vf). 2S 



HEYWOOD OR HAYWARD GARRISON HOUSE, SOUTH CHELMSFORD 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 433 

be commander-in-chief of the lower regiment, and Maj. Tho. 
Hinchman of the upper regiment in Middlesex, and so continue 
till an orderly nomination of Majors can be made for said regiment. 

Consented to by the Governor and Council, 

Isaac Addington, Sec'y- 

June 27, 1689. 

There is a tradition that a party of Indians once came to the 
house of one of the early settlers in the night, and made noises 
like swine and other annoying demonstrations. The man went 
out, but did not return. His wife barred the doors, and remained 
with her children until morning, and, on going out, found the 
head of her husband stuck up on a pole. There is also a tradition 
that before the settlement of Chelmsford, a battle was fought 
between the Nashoba Indians and the Wamesits. The battle- 
ground was a triangular piece of ground on the north side of 
Frances hill. [Hist, of Westford.] 

Long after the days of Hannah Dustin and the kidnapping 
of the Chelmsford children, in 1690, were the lives of the white 
settlers insecure. Vagabond Indians lived on the fish they 
caught, or begged from door to door; and in warm weather, clad 
only in breech-cloths, would shock the modesty of the "lady of 
the house," as they lay about under the trees, and helped them- 
selves to fruit; of pears, especially, they were fond. Not until 
after the War of 1812, were these shiftless remnants of the savage 
tribes driven back over the Canadian line. 

The region towards Littleton, once called Nashoba, sheltered 
some undesirable Indians, and, after the Revolution, a number 
of wild and lawless characters found their way there. 

Dea. Isaiah Spalding related that in Indian times one of the 
girls of the family told the men one morning that the colt was 
loose at the barn, for she saw his head at the window. The men, 
believing it to be the head of an Indian, did not go to the barn 
that day. 

After the fear of Indian attacks ceased, people did not feel 
it necessary to lock their doors at night. Almost any stranger 
"v^as given entertainment. In the morning a weary traveller 
might be found lying near the kitchen chimney. 

Indian relics found on the land known, in the early history 
of Chelmsford, as the "Carolina Plain," lead one to believe that 
many years ago, the red man dwelt there, and one can almost 
fancy he sees his stalwart form by the ruddy glow of his camp fire. 

Many arrow-heads, broken tomahawks, sinkers and other 
stone relics have been found from year to year while cultivating 
the soil, and at one time quantities of flint clippings could be 
seen, but now these are hidden by the dead grass and brush. It 
is quite evident that these clippings were caused by reducing the 
rough stone to the desired form. This must have been an arduous 



434 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

task, as they had the crudest implements with which to perform 
their labors. Arrow-heads are said to have been chipped out of 
flint by a quick twist with a notched stick of hard wood. 

Some of the arrow-heads are made of quartz, and others of 
granite, but the greater part are of flint. The Indians must 
have travelled many miles to obtain the flint, as none can be found 
in this locality. 

Could these relics but speak, they might tell us many an 
interesting story, but their history is obscured in the dim years 
of the vanished past. 

Close by the supposed Indian village, is a small stream, 
and many cool and never-failing springs. 

The land is very easily worked (which must have been much 
to the Indians' satisfaction), and quite productive for certain 
crops, especially corn, and if this were a permanent camping 
ground, some of the land was evidently cultivated for that purpose. 

But the true history of the encampment will never be known. 

Tradition tells us that less than one hundred years ago, a 
lone Indian, the last of his tribe, walked over this plain, viewing 
the ancient camping-ground of his forefathers, then turned his 
face westward, and stalked slowly and silently away, his eyes 
following the setting sun. 

Mr. Edwin L. Stearns, who supplied the writer with some of 
the above facts, has a large collection of Indian relics, found 
upon the Stearns propert}?-. 

PART TWO. 

TOW^N ROADS. 

Report of the Committee on Naming Streets, 1905: 

CHELMSFORD CENTRE. 

Chelmsford street : — From the Centre, at junction of Billerica 
road to Lowell line at Chelmsford street in Lowell. (State high- 
way.) 

Centre street : — From the Centre at Town Hall, and through 
North Chelmsford to Middlesex road at Common. 

Westford road:— From railroad track (N. Y., N. H. & H.), 
running between the Common and Unitarian Church, through 
former School District 7, past the house of Fred L. Fletcher, to 
Westford line. 

Littleton road: — From railroad track, running toward Little- 
ton to Westford line at Tadmuck swamp. (State highway.) 

Acton road: — From the Centre at junction of Boston road to 
South Chelmsford, and beyond, towards Acton, to Westford 
line. (State highway.) 

Boston road : — From the Centre at junction of Billerica road, 
running due south by the Hazen place to Billerica line. 

Billerica road: — From the Centre at Parkhurst's store by 
the Town Farm to Billerica line. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 435 

Crosby place : — From Centre street, at North square, to house 
of Miss Abbie F. Crosby. 

Fletcher street: — From Centre street, near J. M. Fletcher's 
to Chelmsford street at railroad crossing. 

Worthen street : — From Westford road at Westford square to 
Centre street at North square. 

Bridge street: — From Westford road, near Baptist Church, 
by house of T. A. Harmon. 

Dalton road: — From Westford road, near house of the late 
D. C. Perham, by house of James F. Stearns to Chelmsford street 
at Westlands. 

Concord road: — From Boston road at Farley's brook to 
Carlisle line. 

Mill road: — From Boston road, passing schoolhouse and 
sawmill, to Billerica road. 

Bartlett street: — From Acton road by Warren's grove to 
Acton road. 

High street: — From Bartlett street, crossing Acton road, 
over north side of Robin's hill, by house of John Byam to road 
at Beaver brook. 

Adams street: — From Bartlett street, by Adams Library to 
Boston road. 

Robin's Hill road: — From High street, over Robin's hill, 
crossing Locust road, to Acton road at South Chelmsford. 

Warren avenue: — From Boston road through Homestead 
lands. 

Putnam avenue: — From Boston road to and along the south 
line of Homestead lots. 

On Homestead: Cross streets: — First, Second, Third. 

River Neck road: — From Billerica road near Rivermeadow 
brook, to East Chelmsford, passing old schoolhouse and termin- 
ating at Gorham street. 

Turnpike road: — From Billerica road at Town Farm, by 
Rocky hill to Mill road. 

Golden Cove road: — From Town Farm, crossing Chelmsford 
street at Golden Cove, by schoolhouse and crossing Dalton road, 
to Lowell line at Steadman street. 

Wilson street: — From Chelmsford street, by Wilson cottages 
to Billerica road. 

Evergreen street: — From Chelmsford street near junction 
with Dalton road, running northerly at Westlands. 

Parkhurst road: — From Centre street by Parkhurst's green- 
houses to Lowell line. 

Redshire road: — From Parkhurst road at old turnpike, over 
Rcdshire meadow to Golden Cove road. 

Lowell road : — From Westford line at Lowell road in Westford, 
by house of the late E. F. Richardson to Lowell line at junction 
of Parkhurst road. 



436 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

SOUTH CHELMSFORD. 

Maple road: — From Acton road at Post Office to Littleton 
road at John Ward place. 

Tadmuck road: — From Littleton road at John Ward place 
towards Chamberlain comer in Westford. 

Grove road: — From Maple road, past Heart pond cemetery 
to Westford line. 

Proctor road: — From Acton road at Common, over Proctor 
hill, crossing Park road to Concord road. 

Park road: — From road near house formerly of L. J. Mans- 
field, Jr., running southerly, crossing Acton and Proctor roads 
to Carlisle line. 

Locust road: — From High street at house of John Byam, 
running easterly, crossing Robin's hill road to Acton road, near 
house of Alfred B. Paasche. 

EAST CHELMSFORD. 



Gorham street: — From Gorham street, Lowell, to Billerica 
line. (State highway.) 

Carlisle street: — From Carlisle street in Lowell, by new 
schoolhouse to Gorham street. 

Manning place : — From River Neck road by house of William 
Manning to J. M. G. Parker estate. 

Marshall street: — From River Neck road to Carlisle street 
near new schoolhouse. 

River Neck road : — From Gorham street towards the Centre 
of the Town, as previously described. 

Canal road: — From River Neck road by Samuel L. Blood 
estate, on line of old Middlesex canal to Brick-kiln road at Daniel 
Reardon's. 

Brick-kiln road: — From Gorham street at house of Charles 
Fennick to Billerica road (a portion being in Billerica). 



WEST CHELMSFORD. 



Main street: — From Westford comer toward North Chelms- 
ford to Groton road. 

School street: — From Main street, crossing Stony brook 
at depot, by schoolhouse, to Westford road near schoolhouse 
at former District No. 7. 

High street: — From School street near house of J. A. Park- 
hurst to Crooked Springs road. 

Crooked Springs road: — From School street near house of 
George F. Snow towards North Chelmsford to Richardson road. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 437 

NORTH CHELMSFORD. 

Middlesex street: — From Lowell line to Tyngsboro line. 

Newfield street: — From Groton road to Gay street. 

Cottage row: — From Middlesex street to Centre street. 

Washington street: — From Centre street southerly to New- 
field street. 

Groton road: — From Middlesex street to Westford line. 

Mill street: — From Middlesex street at R. R. crossing to 
Centre street. 

Church street: — From R. R. Station, crossing Aliddlesex 
street to Centre street. 

Richardson road: — From Centre street past house of W. 
Dunnigan to Lowell road near house of J. P. Daly. 

Edward's place : — From Middlesex street to Middlesex street. 

Wright street: — From Middlesex street to Newfield street. 

Dunstable road: — From Groton road to Tyngsboro line. 

Cross street: — From Middlesex street to Dunstable road. 

Wood street: — From Middlesex street to Dunstable road. 

Princeton street: — From Lowell line to intersection of 
Centre street. (State highway.) 

Gay street: — From Middlesex street, crossing Centre street 
to Newfield street. 

Mount Pleasant street: — From Centre street to Mill street. 

Ripley street: — From Washington street to the canal. 

Mansur street: — From Newfield street to a proposed street 
parallel to Newfield street. 

Henry S. Perham, William H. Shedd, Stewart Mackay, 
George P. Mansfield, George F. Snow, Committee. 

In 1908 the Road Commissioners, Royal S. Ripley, George P. 
Mansfield and J. Adams Bartlett, ascertained by actual measure- 
ment that the total length of all roads and streets in Chelmsford 
is 91 8-10 miles. 

The longest road in Town is the road from Tyngsborough line 
through Chelmsford Centre to the Billerica line at the top of 
Stevens hill, 7 3-10 miles. Virtually the length of the Town. 

The road from West Chelmsford to the Lowell line at Gorham 
street. East Chelmsford, going through the Centre, is 6 4-10 miles. 

The road from the Westford line to the Lowell line at East 
Chelmsford, via the Centre, is 5 7-10 miles. Virtually the width 
of the Town. 

From the Centre to North Chelmsford at Tyngsborough line 
is 4 7-10 miles. 

From the Billerica line to the Centre is 2 6-10 miles. 

Gorham street from the Billerica line to Lowell line is 1 1-10 
miles. 

Chelmsford street (formerly Lowell street) from the Lowell 
line to the Post Office at the Centre is 1 8-10 miles. 



438 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Syndicate road (Dalton road) from the home of E. C. 
Perham to the Lowell road is 1 8-10 miles. 

From Westford line by the Richardson road by E. F. Richard- 
son's house to Lowell line is 2 9-10 miles. 

From the Lowell line to Westford line via the Centre and 
South Chelmsford by Heart pond is 5 2-10 miles. 

There are 12-10 miles on the Homestead, so called, Chelmsford 
Centre. 

The road leading off the Butman road, called Smith avenue, 
and Stedman street by the old Turnpike to Russell road is 4 miles. 

The Dublin road, so called. East Chelmsford, from Billerica 
road to Gorham street is 1 mile. 

The road from East Chelmsford at Lowell line to Chelmsford 
Centre is 3 miles. 

The road from Chelmsford Centre to Carlisle line via Carlisle 
road by W. Parker's is 2 6-10 miles. 

From the Post Office, South Chelmsford, via Parrott hill to 
Ward's comer on Littleton road is 1 3-10 miles. 

From the Post Office, South Chelmsford, to Westford line 
by the "Pond plain" is 1 mile. 

From the Carlisle line to the Post Office at South Chelms- 
ford by the house of E. Paignon is 1 6-10 miles. 

Locust street from Paasche corner on South Chelmsford 
road to Littleton road at Geo. A. Byam's corner is 1 mile. 

The Acton road from Chelmsford Centre to Westford line 
via South Chelmsford is 3 4-10 miles. 

From the Westford line via West Chelmsford to North 
Chelmsford is 2 3-10 miles. 

The various short roads at West Chelmsford by Crooked 
Spring road and rendering works measure 3 2-10 miles. 

From Westford line by Westford street, to the road leading 
from the Centre to North Chelmsford at foot of Drum hill is 2 
miles. 

From the Westford line by the Groton road to the State 
highway at North Chelmsford measures 1-8 of a mile. 

From Tyngsborough line to Lowell line on Middlesex street 
is 3 miles. 

The Dunigan road to State highway is 1 mile. 

There are 5 7-10 miles of short streets in the village of North 
Chelmsford. 

The back road from the Lowell line near the house of Con 
Leary to the road leading from Chelmsford Centre to North 
Chelmsford is 6-10 of a mile. 

In the villages of North and West Chelmsford from the 
foot of Drum hill, including the road from Lowell line to Westford 
line, are 24 miles of road. 

In the villages of Chelmsford Centre, and East Chelmsford, 
there are 67 8-10 miles of road. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 439 

MIDDLESEX TURNPIKE. 

In 1803 a committee was appointed by the Town to go to 
the General Court to oppose all turnpike roads through Chelms- 
ford. The Town wanted a free road from New Hampshire to 
Boston. 

The old Middlesex Turnpike, chartered June 15, 1805, by 
Samuel Swan, Jr., Perkins Nichols, Royal Makepeace, Ebenezer 
Bridge, William Whittemore, Jr., and James Abbott, and opened 
about five years later, took the travel to and from Boston through 
Tyngsborough and Nashua, and was the direct route to the North. 
It started at Tyngsborough meeting-house and went through 
Chelmsford, Billerica, Bedford, and Cambridge. The charter 
was repealed in 1841 and it became a free road in 1846. 

The toll house still stands opposite the Town Farm where the 
turnpike crosses Billerica street. From that point the turnpike 
lay just south of the present Golden Cove road and led straight 
on, crossing the present Lowell road where the lane comes out 
some distance south of the Cove. 

The Lowell road from Central square to Golden Cove was 
laid out in 1827 and was continued to the Middlesex canal in 1829. 
There was a bridge over Golden Cove brook and also one over the 
Middlesex canal, where this road crossed it at the boundary line 
between Chelmsford and Lowell. There was also a bridge over 
Beaver brook in Central Square in the Centre Village. 

The County road from Chelmsford Centre to Bedford was 
laid out December 26, 1822. 

The Littleton road was laid out in 1848. 



MAMMOTH ROAD, 



The Great Mammoth road, built in 1792 to accommodate 
travel from Boston to Concord, N. H., crossed the Merrimack 
at Pawtucket bridge, also built that year. 

In 1819 Middlesex street in Lowell, then East Chelmsford, 
and Pawtucket street were made to intersect at the point where 
they now join, to give better facilities for travel to Middlesex 
Village, to which place the street was extended. The skeleton of 
an Indian was found near the junction of the two streets mentioned. 

The Westford road was opened in 1722. 

The short piece of road lying on the north side of the common, 
from Centre street to Westford road, was laid out in 1860. 

The street from the Centre railroad crossing to Crosby lane 
was opened prior to 1830. 

The Sawpit Hill road, or Byam road, as it was called, which 
in the Centre village is known as Bartlett street, was laid out 
November 1, 1828. It was discontinued in 1850, when Acton 



440 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

street was cut through, and was again opened up in 1893. An 
ancient saw pit may still be seen at about the highest point on 
the road. 

A road was laid out over Chestnut hill in 1826. 

The Pine Hill road was laid out in 1836. 

The Drum Hill road was laid out in 1831. This completed 
the Cross Bridge road which was a continuation of what is now 
Centre street from the railroad crossing in Chelmsford Centre, 
which was laid out some years previously. 

Bridge street, improved in 1896, was originally a cart path, 
or lane, leading to the lime kiln, before Littleton street was laid out. 

Warren avenue was laid out in 1876 and extended in 1882. 

Streets on the Westlands were laid out in 1906. 

Bedford road was laid out in 1822 from the bridge over Beaver 
brook in the Centre village; that from Bedford road to Russell's 
mills, in 1865. 

School street in Lowell was originally known as Bond street. A 
school was built at the corner of Westford street. 

LOWELL-CHELMSFORD ROAD. 

"The Commissioners of Roads for Middlesex County, decided 
on Saturday last in favour of a petition of Messrs. Kirk Boott and 
others, for the alteration of the public road between Lowell and 
Chelmsford, and for discontinuing that part of the old road lying 
between Mr. Hobbs' store and the point where it would be inter- 
sected by the new road, near the new Canal." 
[From the Columbian Centinel for November 15, 1828.] 

Some account of the old stage routes will be of interest to the 
reader. 

AMHERST STAGE. 



"The Public are informed, that the Stage which runs from 
Amherst in New Hampshire, to Boston; will begin upon a new 
Arrangement, the first Week in May: The Stage will set off from 
Amherst, Tuesday Mornings about Sunrise, and exchanging 
Horses at Chelmsford, will arrive at Boston, on Tuesday Eve, when 
it will be put up at Beals's Tavern. Wednesday Noon, it will set 
out from Beals's and arrive at Chelmsford, about 6 o' Clock, when 
it will set out from Chelmsford, at Sunrise, and arrive at Beals's 
before noon: Friday Morning at Sunrise, will set out for Amherst, 
and arrive there in the Evening: — The rate of Passage, is Two 
pence half Penny, per Mile: The Stage will punctually start at 
the stated hours. The Driver will be answerable for any thing 
entrust[ed] to him. May 2, 1793" 

["vSupplement to the Independent Chronicle" (Boston), May 16, 
1793.1 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 441 

In 1822 a regular line of stages was established between 
East Chelmsford and Boston. 

In 1824 a stage-coach was advertised to be in readiness at 
Mr. S. Spalding's hotel, on the arrival of the Middlesex packet, 
to take passengers to East Chelmsford. In the latter place 
passengers could book at Carter's hotel, and Morrills' and Tyler's 
stores. 

WORCESTER STAGE. 

In the Chelmsford Courier of April 29, 1825 is this advertise- 
ment: "Worcester and Chelmsford Stage. New Line. Leaves 
Worcester Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 o'clock, A. M. — 
Arrives at Chelmsford, same day, at 5 o'clock P. M. Passes 
through West Boylston: intersects with the Boston and Barre 
line at Sterling; the Boston and Brattleborough line at Lancaster; 
the Lunenburg line at Harvard; the Boston and Keene line at 
Groton; the Concord, N. H. line at Chelmsford and meets the 
Newburyport and Haverhill lines at East Chelmsford. Returning, 
Leaves Chelmsford Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 8 o'clock, 
A. M. arrives at Worcester same day at 5 o'clock, P. M. by the 
same route — where it meets the Providence stages — intersects 
with the New York mail, by the way of Hartford, every day; 
and with the Boston and Albany stages, by the way of Springfield 
and Northampton, every day (Sundays excepted.)" & c, & c. 

There were at one time as many as five stages running over 
the South Chelmsford road, to Clinton, Worcester, Fitchburg, 
Framingham, and Marlborough. 

MARLBOROUGH STAGE. 

In September, 1832, there was advertised "A New Line of 
Stages, from Lowell, through Chelmsford, Acton, Stow, by Rock 
Bottom Factory, through Feltonville to Marlborough — inter- 
secting with the Boston and Worcester Accommodation Line 
passing through Northborough, Shrewsbury into Worcester. 
Leaves Lowell every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 A. M. 
Returning leaves Marlborough every Tuesday, Thursday and 
Saturday at 10 a. m. arrives in Lowell at 3 P. M." & c. 

BOSTON STAGE. 

In 1826 the Lowell and Boston Accommodation Stage left 
Frye's Tavern daily (except Sundays) at 6 A. M. and made the 
trip to Boston in three hours. On the return trip it left Wildes 
and Hosmer's, Elm street, at 4 P. M., and arrived in Lowell at 7. 
The fare, either way, was $1.25. 

On the Canal a packet boat left Middlesex Village, Mondays, 
Wednesdays and Fridays, at 7 A. M., reaching Boston (or Charles- 



442 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

town) at 2 P. M., and returned on the other three week days. 
Fare, 75 cents. Carriages were in readiness to convey passengers 
from Middlesex Village to Belvidere, or from Charlestown to 
Boston. 

The Canal line of stages was advertised to leave Middlesex 
Village for Boston on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 A. M. and 
Saturdays at 12 M., passing through Lowell, Tewksbury, Wil- 
mington, Woburn, Medford and Charlestown. The return was 
made on the other week days. 

The Rev. Dr. Packard, writing at Middlesex Village, May 11, 
1832, says: "The season is forward. Many of our trees are dead, 
but not so many as some apprehended. Farmers are very busy — 
our village witnesses much brisk and useful movement. Six or 
seven stages with six horses harnessed to ye chief of them daily 
pass my door. The canal seems at times crowded with boats and 
rafts, and our factories are in successful operation." 



TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL. 



Says Judge Hadley: "I can remember when the only means 
of transporting goods and merchandise from Boston to the north 
was by means of huge wains called baggage- wagons, drawn by 
not less than six, oftener by eight, horses. There were regular 
lines of these immense wagons, and they passed through the 
(Middlesex) village with such regularity that we children knew 
just when to expect them, and I can remember sitting with other 
children beside the road and waiting the passing of these wagons, 
and, as they passed us, choosing, with other children, the particular 
pair of horses which we called ours, and came to know them. 
These great wagons were covered with canvas tops, and the goods 
within were securely protected from the rain by thick tarpaulins. 
In winter, long lines of two-horse pung sleighs, loaded with butter, 
cheese, apple-sauce, dressed hogs, maple sugar, and other country 
produce, were constantly passing on the way to Boston market, 
and returning loaded with supplies of all kinds, purchased or 
exchanged in Boston. Many of these country produce drivers 
stopped for the night or to bait at the Adams' Tavern in North 
Chelmsford and at the old Middlesex Tavern. 

"There were two, and some of the time three lines of stages 
passing through the village, all starting from the American House 
in Lowell, which was, in those days, the White Horse Tavern 
of this vicinity. One line ran to Groton and Townsend, another 
to Nashua and Concord. In summer the arrival of the north 
bound mail stage at the village store was the great morning event. 
It was due at about 8 o'clock, and when it was announced by 
sentinel boys, that the stage had reached Black brook, all the 
men and boys, and girls, sometimes, gathered under the piazza 
of the tavern near the store entrance, to await its arrival. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 443 

"Old Deacon Ebcn Adams, who was postmaster, a great stickler 
for the enforcement of the United States laws relating to the 
receiving, opening and delivery of mails, was the centre of the 
group. This scene is before me — I can hear the rattle of the 
coach as it comes up the road. It reaches the turn of the road 
at Mr. Nathan Tyler's; four bay horses, sometimes six, full of 
fire and action, are attached to the coach. Corbin is on the box, 
holding the ribbons with confident ease and not a little honest 
pride, and sitting in the midst of a group of outside passengers, 
ladies among them carrying parasols, and wearing on their heads 
huge bonnets which almost conceal their pleasure-lighted faces. 
On it comes with the rattle and chucking of wheels, the jingle and 
clatter of harness, the puffing of horses, and the rocking of the 
coach, a gaily painted and lettered vehicle, having, as we now 
see, six or perhaps eight inside passengers, who looked eagerly 
out, to get their bearings, and make remarks, while we stare at 
them in eager curiosity. Corbin reaches down under his seat, 
and, seizing a mail bag, throws it off with easy experienced grace 
into the extended arms of old Deacon Adams, who runs with it 
into the store, and behind the counter to his little blue desk 
where he empties the bag, selects the Middlesex letters, puts his 
own letters with the letters for other points on the line in the 
bag and starts for the door. 

"While the Deacon has been inside, Corbin has been enter- 
taining the ladies with a brief history of the place, and we have 
sized up every passenger, and counted the trunks. The old 
Deacon appears with his mail bag, puffing with his run, throws 
it into the hands of Corbin, who receives it, places it in the seat- 
box, draws up his reins, and, with a sharp crack of his long-lashed 
whip, the impatient horses spring forward with the coach and 
passengers up the incline of the road over the canal bridge; away 
they go up the road, and are soon out of sight at the turn near the 
Major Howard place." 

As has already been noted, in the early days the only roads 
leading out of Chelmsford were "the road to the Bay," now known 
as Billerica street, and perhaps the first road in the Town (there 
is no record of its being laid out) ; and the old Concord road, which 
led out of the village over "the town-way to the Mill," (South 
street). The former accommodated the travel from Groton and 
Lancaster and other towns which were obliged to pay towards the 
maintenance of the "great bridge" over the Concord at Billerica. 
The other gave exit to Concord and places to the south. The 
Billerica road, which at Hazen's corner branches off the old road, 
was made to relieve the heavy travel over the latter about one 
hundred years ago. When the turnpike was built, it accommodated 
most of the travel, from Lake Champlain, Saratoga, and all the 
north and west. At a time within the memory of some now living 
there might have been seen on one of these roads a dozen heavy 
wagons at once, each drawn by from four to eight horses. Sometimes 



444 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

it would be necessary for one driver to unhitch his horses and help 
another wagon up a steep grade. The meadows in the Centre Village 
were used for pasturing horses and cattle over night. Sometimes 
there would be as many as one hundred horses or more stabled or 
pastured here in an evening. When droves came over the road 
from the north, there might have been seen two hundred horses 
or three hundred cattle on the meadows. Sheep and hogs, and 
flocks of turkeys were driven over the road to the Boston market. 
When driving turkeys, one man would go ahead on horseback, 
dropping occasionally a few kernels of corn which tempted the 
birds forward in a kind of "flying wedge," while another man 
followed behind to keep them in the road. When night began 
to fall, and a convenient tree was near, up went the turkeys to 
roost, and there the night must be spent. 

The owner of the above mentioned meadows sometimes 
cautioned the men cutting the grass to "mow it high," so that the 
sharp ends of coarse stubble would prick the horses' noses and 
prevent their eating much of the grass. 

Less than fifty years ago many long horned "Cherokee" steers 
from Texas were driven through here from Brighton. Frequently 
one of them would get frightened and run wild. The only thing 
to do was to shoot it. The man who accomplished this received 
five dollars. 

Until about the year 1800 the only way of conveying mer- 
chandise from Chelmsford to the seaport markets at Salem and 
Charlestown was to cart it over the roads. A small caravan, 
made up of several carts and drivers, for fellowship and safety, 
would set out late in the day and make the journey to Salem by 
night, as it was cooler; most of the carting being done in the 
summer. The men took with them for refreshment some simple 
fare — brown bread and cheese and a little rum. They spent little 
or no money while on the trip. They used crude two-wheeled carts 
drawn by oxen. The carts had heavy wooden axles, and the 
wheels were fastened on with wooden pins driven through the 
ends of the axles, and between the pins and the hub was a wreathing 
of birch withes. An ox-team would travel about two miles an hour. 
John Tucker the physician and storekeeper received produce and 
"barils" at the C. O. Robbins place at the South Village and 
shipped them in this way to market. From his account book is 
taken the following list of shipments. 

From the account book of John Tucker, storekeeper: (The 
spelling has been modernized.) 

Sept. 2, 1751, Andrew Betty carted 40 barrels to Mystic and 28 to 
Charlestown. 

March 14, 1753, Mr. Jonathan Butterfield carted 7 hundred of 
oak boards to Charlestown. 

April 15, 1753, Mr. Jonathan Adams carted 40 fish barrels and 
cloth and old brass to Charlestown. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 445 

April 19, 1753, Mr. Eben Harris carted 6 barrels to Mr. Reeves 

[at Mystic] and 34 to Charlestown. 
June 6, 1753, Young Benj. Chamberlin carted 40 barrels to Mr. 

Hunt near Charlestown . 
June 14, 1753, Mr. Samuel Adams carted 35 rum barrels and 5 

fish barrels to Mr. John Bickford in Salem. 
June 14, 1753, Mr. Beni Procter carted tar and turpentine to 

Salem. 
June 14, 1753, Mr. Simeon Procter carted shingles and tar to Salem. 
July 5, 1753, Israel Procter carted 7 hundred slit-work to Salem. 
July 5, 1753, Samson Hildreth carted 7 hundred slit- work to Salem. 
July 11, 1753, Jonathan Butterfield carted 1 M of boards to Salem. 
July 11, 1753, Ephraim Keys carted 7 hundred slit-work to Salem. 
July 11, 1753, Henry Byam carted 7 hundred slit-work to Salem. 
Jiily 11, 1753, Beni Procter carted 5 M shingles to Salem. 
Aug. 9, 1753, Simeon Procter carted 3 hundred and half of staves 

and 1 hundred and 3 quarters of slit-work to Charlestown to 

Mr. Devon. 
Aug. 9, 1753, Samuel Fletcher carted 40 barrels to Charlestown. 
Sept. 28, 1753, Ephraim Keys carted 730 foot of slit-work. 

Mr. Cory carted 40 barrels to Charlestown. 

John Minot carted 40 barrels to Charlestown. 

Samson Hildreth carted 39 barrels to Charlestown. 

John Hill carted 6 hundred of slit- work to Charlestown. 
Oct. 16, 1753, Thomas Adams carted 5 hundred of slit-work and 

1009 foot of maple boards and 1012 foot of oak boards to 

Charlestown. 

Mr. Harris carted 7 hundred of oak boards to Charlestown. 

Mr. Jonathan Spalding carted 7 hundred slit-work to Charles- 
town. 

Jonathan Snow 23 barrels and 150 foot of oak "gice" to 

Charlestown. 
Oct. 30, 1753, John Adams carted 4 barrels of tar and 2 M of 

shingles to Salem. 
Nov. 15, 1753, Jonathan Adams carted 50 feet of boards and 2 M 

of shingles and 2 barrels to Salem. 
Nov. 15, 1753, Mr. Procter carted 5 M and half of shingles to Salem. 
Nov. 15, 1753, Benj. Procter carted 1 M of boards to Salem. 

Other lists include "oak gice," "double oak gice," "fish barils," 
"rum barils," "tow cloth," "beans, cloth, tobacko, meal, clap- 
boards, bedstead, carted to Salem." 

Other men who carted to Salem or Charlestown were Phylup 
Robbins, Jacob Read, Caleb farley, Amos Russell, "ye old Mr. 
Ebin hildrish," Simeon fletcher, Georg neclas, Eben spalding. 

Cooperage was a thriving industry in those days in Chelms- 
ford. "Slit-work" was a name used for thin boards. See Vol. VI, 
p. 115, Narrative and Critical Hist, of America; also the Oxford 
Dictionary, and Colonial Laws of the ninth year of Queen Anne, 
1710. 



446 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1791 an item in the Town records states the amount paid 
for plank and sHt-work to repair a bridge. SHt-deals were pine 
boards 5-8 of an inch thick; whole deals were 1 1-4 inches thick. 

Oak knees for small vessels were worked out here and taken 
to the ship yards. 

One item of cloth is included in the above list. 

Weaving cloth on hand looms also occupied the time of some 
families during the less busy seasons. The setting up of power 
looms late in the 18th century destroyed this household industry. 

This letter to Mr. Andrew Betty or Betteys of South Chelms- 
ford, indicates that orders were taken for such work. In an 
indentiu-e dated 1758 he is described as a "wever." 

Charlestown July 9, 1768. 
Mr. Bettys. 

I should be very glad if you would weave that cloth directly to 
whiten, or send it to somebody else that I may have it soon, as I 
want it directly to have it whiten'd now in season. 

Sarah Bradstreet. 



Sarah Bradstreet's maiden name was Foster. March 22, 1739, 
she married Samuel Bradstreet, son of the Rev. Simon Bradstreet 
whose father, Samuel, was a physician and the son of Governor 
Simon Bradstreet. 

Parson Bridge records that she dined with him, January 3, 
1778, in Chelmsford. It was probably her father-in-law who 
preached here on one or two occasions. 

She kept a shop in Charlestown and died there a widow, in 
1802. 

Her will [No. 2485 Probate Court] is dated 1797, and mentions 
a son Samuel, (to whom she gave her great silver tankard) : and 
daughters Sary, Mary and Catherine: also her grandchildren, the 
children of her daughter, Lucy Harris, deceased. To her three 
umnarried daughters she gave "all my shop goods, i.e., piece goods." 

Samuel Chamberlain wrote from Charlestown, Nov. 12, 1792, 
to Dr. John Betteys asking him, as he went about among the 
people, to get them to send to him at Charlestown such things 
as he could sell in the shop — rye and Indian meal, malt, hops, 
beans, peas, butter, cheese, leathern shoes of all kinds, eggs, &c. 
Nov. 23, he sent the Doctor a schedule of prices: "Rye meal goes 
at about 4/6. Indian at 4/. Beans at 5/ or 5/6 as they are for 
goodness — butter from 8 to 12 pence. Cranberries are asked for 
much, they would fetch a good price, woolen stockings would sell 
well now. Rye meal is in good demand now, I believe it would 
fetch 5/, that which is brought in soon. The ways have been so 
bad that the Market has been very good for some days past. If 
you can send me a few bushils of meal, chiefly rye, I think I can 
sell it for you at a good lay." 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 447 

"Dec. 5. I have not seen a Chelmsford man since some time 
before Thanksgiving — had no opportunity to send this letter 
(Post excepted, which set out sooner than usual) since I wrote. 
****** Mr. Procter tells me he got 4 /6 for Indian — 
it will be cheaper most surely when the going comes to be good." 
The letter was "Hond. by Mr. James Procter, Westford." 

Feb. 7, 1793, Mr. Chamberlin wrote again to Dr. Betteys: 

"The cloth of which I sent you a sample, was, I think 2 inches 
more than | yard. 21 yd would make a pair of breeches. 

Barley I find to be much lower than it was a while back — I 
think it will be a chance if you get more than 4/6. 

Red clover seed will not fetch so much here as you say they 
talk of there. I found one man who would give a pistareen 
[19.3 cents = 9| pence] if he could have it directly, that is the 
highest by the quantity. I can buy it by the single pound for 
1/4 [1 shilling 4 pence] Mr Boiet told me he expects some hundreds 
of barrels by water in a few days. 

I have not sold any hops yet they are not in very good demand 
just now. some think will be by & bye. I have retailed the meal 
you sent by W — P — at 1/4 peck — it was sold this week for 4/6 bushel. 

The scarcety of money of late ha!s caused many to show there 
weak side, since last thirsday there has 6 shut up- — I heard of 3 
more but can't assert it for truth, one of the 6 who failed owed 
one man, they say, 6000 Dollars or verry nigh. * * * 

15th I can buy clover seed for 1/3 single pound— Nobody 
seems to want Barley nor hops — I understand hops may be bought 
for 7 d. lb. I rather think Barley vAW not fetch more than 4 /6." 

LIME. 

Artemas Parker was an expert in the lime industry. He 
burned the last kiln of lime in Chelmsford before the business 
was abandoned, about 1830. After Lowell was built, wood 
brought too large a price to be burned in lime kilns, and the lime 
works at Thomaston, Maine, came into competition. Wood was 
cheaper there and the lime was brought to Massachusetts markets 
in boats at less cost than it could be made here, though it was not 
of as good quality. The Chelmsford kilns were operated by the 
Fletchers and Perhams. George P. Mansfield's father, when a 
boy, was employed in this industry. In some old Chelmsford 
houses the plaster made of this lime is today ahnost as hard as 
tile. It is laid on expanded lath of oak or spruce. There were 
five lime kilns in Chelmsford. 

Chelmsford lime was carted with ox teams to East Chelmsford 
and used in the construction of mills and corporation buildings. 

SOME REMINISCENCES. 

Benjamin Gould Hosmer writing to Mr. Pcrham in 1905 says: 
"I was born on the Goold Estate in the year 1817 and was 13 years 
of age when my Father left the town and have been a stranger 



448 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

since to the place of my birth. The old turnpike originally- 
passed the Goold homestead ; whether there is any mark to identify 
the old place, I know not. Our nearest neighbor toward the middle 
of the town was Andrew Parkhurst, who had a son Amos and a 
daughter Betsy; then next came the home of Henry Spaulding, 
who had a son Benjamin about my age, then his brother Joel and 
an elder brother Harry and I think there was a sister Mary; then 
on up the hill was the red school house, where Benjamin Spaulding 
and myself used to contend for the head of the class; then above 
the school was John Spaiilding's house, he who was nearly destroyed 
in blasting rocks; then on to the right hand road we came to the 
Whittemore farm; then Charley Richardson's farm; then Uncle 
Elijah Richardson's who had a son Elijah and Samuel. On the 
hill above the Whittemores lived the Duns; then past the Duns 
lived Isaiah Spaulding. The Parkhursts and Spauldings were very 
numerous in the town of Chelmsford. 

Then to go to the middle of the town was Dr. J. C. Dalton, 
our family physician; Captain Pitts, Mr. Byam, the Fletchers and 
Perhams, Caleb Abbot, merchant, who had two sons, Fletcher 
and Gardner who became a Judge. Then there was our old parish 
domine Wilkes Allen, who wrote the history of Chelmsford, a copy 
of which I still have. Then there was the old Reed's Tavern and 
Stevens, the blacksmith, who was also the general undertaker; 
then there was the old Academy where I think it was that Edward 
Everett gave a discourse one Sunday P. M., I may be in error 
about the name, but I was there and saw Mr. Reed pay him for 
his services on the morn after. 

Then there was Otis Adams who lived on the road to the 
pond in the South-west part of the town. 

On the road to Middlesex, our first neighbor was Captain 
Bowers, then came the Howards. Middlesex Village, at the head 
of the canal, the highway to Boston, was an enterprising locality 
for a series of years; Bent & Bush carried on a hat factory, a 
window glass factory was also in operation; Fairbanks, English & 
West India goods; Luke Merrill, English and West India goods. 
Then there was North Chelmsford, which was called Newfield." 

A little book, printed in 1904 for Mr. Charles H. Dalton, 
contains "A Wintersnight Tale" told on Christmas evening, 1903, 
to his family and their guests, assembled around the dinner table 
or in the drawing room at 33 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston; and 
it has so much in it that relates to past days in Chelmsford that 
most of it is here reproduced in slightly condensed form. 

The first Town Meeting of the Chelmsford settlement, in 
Middlesex County, was held September 22, 1654, more than two 
hundred and forty-nine years ago, at William Fletcher's house, 
there being no public town-house. 

My maternal ancestor, Edward Spaulding, married Margaret. 

His son John married Hannah. 




S. E. VIEW OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND 




A'o. 26 



THE RIVER CHELMER, CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 449 

His son Edward married Priscilla, Governor Endicott 
officiating. 

His son Joseph married Elizabeth. 

His son Simeon married Sarah. 

His son Noah married Anne. 

Noah and Anne were my grandparents. 

These six generations of gentlemen were yeomen, living on 
and cultivating their own lands, while serving the town, colony, 
state and church in various public offices. 

My great-grandfather, Colonel Simeon, inherited lands from 
his father in 1728. When he was twenty-three years old, having 
fallen in love with Sarah, he married her, and that same year 
bought more land and soon built a house on it, where they lived 
the rest of their lives. This was our Chelmsford homestead, 
which my grandfather Noah [Spaulding] inherited. He, his 
daughter Julia, who was my mother, and myself were born in this 
house. It is about one hundred and sixty years old, and is still 
standing, a modest structure of two stories, the hewed posts and 
beams of the frame showing in the rooms. 

There are several ancient elms about the house, which must be 
nearly if not quite the same age, and I suppose Colonel Simeon 
planted them. 

My grandfather Noah was fond of having his grandchildren 
about him, so it was here that, after my father moved to his own 
house, I stayed a great deal in summers, and often in winters, 
during my early teens. It seemed to me the pleasantest of all 
possible places. I liked it better than going to school. 

Sixty-odd years ago life on a New England farm was very 
different from that of today, as were also the characters and 
qualities of the households. The farms, then, had usually de- 
scended through several generations of pure English stock, as you 
will have noticed by the names of the gentlemen and gentlewomen 
which I have mentioned in the opening of this story. In examin- 
ing the first town records of Chelmsford, I did not find a solitary 
name other than English. 

Furthermore, the "hired men," so called, were young Ameri- 
cans, who came down from New Hampshire and Vermont to work 
during the summer months. Their pay was fourteen to sixteen 
dollars a month, with board and lodging. They were generally 
young fellows of excellent character, w4th plenty of self-respect. 
They did not shirk their duties, but worked long hours, especially 
in haying and harvesting time. 

Much of my time was passed in their company, in riding the 
horse while they held the plow between the rows of potatoes and 
corn, and in the hay-field, and in turning the grindstone when 
they sharpened their scythes, a kind of labor which made me tired. 

Nearly all the food consumed by the household and animals 
was raised on the farm, and various industries, requiring no little 
knowledge and skill, were carried on to supply the domestic wants. 



450 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Purchases of food were limited to such articles as tea, coffee, sugar, 
spirits, spices, etc. The products of the farm were hay, wheat, 
rye, oats, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, beans, the small vegetables, 
fruits and poultry. 

The pigs grew into hogs, were fattened on corn, killed and 
salted, the hams and bacon smoked, the lard tried out, the beef 
corned, cheeses, butter, soap and candles made, fruits were pre- 
served, and rose water made from the rose leaves, which I had to 
pick. 

The grain crops were reaped with the sickle, till a "cradle," 
so called, was substituted, — an efficient tool which required a 
stalwart man to swing, but it did great execution. Now it is as 
obsolete as the sickle. The grass was mowed with the scythe. 
The corn was husked by hand in the barn, sometimes in the evening 
by the dim light of two or three lanterns, followed by a simple 
supper. The ears were stored in bins and shelled by hand over 
the blade of a spade. 

The grain was threshed on the barn floor with flails. When 
required for grinding into meal it was winnowed, wind and weather 
being favorable, by spreading a sheet on the grass and potiring on 
it the grain from a peck measure held by a man at arm's length 
above his head, the wind blowing the dust and chaff away, just as 
the Phoenicians did and as the Egyptians do today. A wonderful 
hand winnowing machine was bought, which the neighbors came 
to see and admire, and the ancient picturesque way ceased. The 
grain was then bagged and taken to a little rickety grist mill, run 
by water from a brook some two miles the other side of the village, 
and ground into excellent meal, the miller taking his legal toll in 
payment for grinding. This was a full afternoon's job and I 
considered it "larks." The rude machinery seemed to me a 
wonderful creation of genius. 

There was a cider mill on the farm, worked by a horse, who 
went round in a circle, grinding our apples and those of the 
neighbors. During the autumn apple season the mill was busy 
all day and often well into the evening. I drove the horse, sitting 
on his back or in a chair fastened on the rig behind him. In the 
evening I was tied into the chair to prevent me from falling off 
if I went to sleep, which I generally did, but the horse did not know 
it, and would keep moving if I were there; or if he did stop, I woke 
up and started him along. About forty barrels of cider was the 
year's product of the farm; some was bottled, the bottles kept in 
sand in the cellar, and when opened the cider sparkled like this 
champagne which you have been drinking ; some was kept in wood 
for common use, and some turned into vinegar for making pickles. 
This was the beginning of my manufacturing experience. 

With all these varied products of the farm, the table was 
generously provided with the best of food. The kitchen fireplace 
was so large that I used to go into it, and, looking up the chimney, 
see the stars at night. [The stars might have been thus seen in day- 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 451 

light as well as at night.] The meats were roasted in a tin kitchen in 
front of the fire, and the vegetables boiled in iron pots and kettles 
hung by chains on S-shaped hooks from a long iron crane. 

On the side of this fireplace there was a big brick oven, where 
on Saturdays a fire of fagots was kept burning till the bricks were 
thoroughly heated, when it was swept clean of ashes, and the 
bakings for the next week's consumption, pots of beans, Indian 
pudding, brown and white bread, pies, etc., put in, and the door 
shut tight. The bread and pies were taken out in the afternoon, 
but the beans and pudding remained inside till Sunday, 
when they were served hot. There was little or no cooking on 
Sunday, for my grandfather, though in his early manhood he had 
been Captain of Cavalry in the Seventh Regiment, Second Brigade, 
Third Division of the Militia of the Commonwealth, was then 
senior deacon of the church. 

Among the old-fashioned, blue-and- white china in common use 
were two large tureens, decorated with views of our beautiful State 
House on Beacon Hill, Boston, showing cows grazing on the 
Common in the foreground. Sometimes the entire menu, soup, 
meats and vegetables, were served in one or both of these generous 
tureens, followed, perhaps, by a pudding for dessert; and it was as 
good a dinner as you are having today, though not quite so 
elaborate. 

Wool was sheared from the few sheep kept, carded by hand- 
cards and spun in the house on the same old wheel now upstairs 
here. I recall distinctly the pleasant hum and buzz of this wheel 
in winter. The yarn was dyed a dark indigo blue, but not, I think, 
at the farm, and then sent to a little water mill at West Chelmsford, 
where it was woven with a strong cotton warp into an excellent 
fabric, called "farmer's f rocking," from which was made the long 
warm frocks which the men wore in their winter work. 

A seamstress, named Lucy Shed, whom we children called 
"Bimible Bee," for her stoutness, cut and sewed these and other 
garments for the household, she living in the house while so 
occupied. I had a small blue frock, which gave me more real 
satisfaction than any clothes I have ever had since. The stockings, 
mittens, gloves and neck comforters for the family were knit from 
this yarn, in the house. 

There was also a small wheel for spinning flax. 

There were always several hives of bees in the garden, which 
supplied ample store of honey, and this, I suppose, took the place 
of the white loaf sugar for some purposes. The West India soft 
brown sugar in common use was not attractive in appearance, and 
had a rummy flavor. 

When the bees swarmed it became a matter of much anxiety 
to secure them in a new hive. Sometimes the swarm, led by a 
revolutionary member, would try to secede, and rising in a body 
some fifteen feet in the air, would fly off with much humming, 
which would be heard at a considerable distance, in a bee line 



452 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

for the woods, or some isolated trees. When this happened, we 
ran along in front of them, beating tin cans and throwing up sand, 
trying to turn them back or make them swarm again where they 
could be secured. I do not remember that we ever succeeded in 
doing so. When, as usual, the bees swarmed on a bush or on a 
rail, placed for the purpose near their old home, a skillful person 
could generally re-hive them without much risk. But occasionally 
the bees would become unruly and then angry, when those of us 
who were watching the progress of events would scatter to a safe 
distance. 

In the autumn a pair of steers or oxen, that had worked 
during the summer, were fatted and sent to Brighton to be sold. 

In the spring the young cattle and calves were branded. A 
responsible drover came along, collected such stock from the 
neighboring farms, and drove them, often quite a herd, over the 
highway to Vermont, to graze during the summer on the rich 
hill pastures. They were driven down again in the autumn to be 
raised or fatted for market, much as is practised in Switzerland 
nowadays. Our stock went to Stoddard. [N. H.] 

The direct highway from Boston to Concord, New Hampshire, 
called the Mammoth road, passed through the farm in front of the 
house. It was traversed by large wagons covered by white canvas, 
and drawn by teams of four or six horses. Going north these 
were filled with store-goods, bringing back farm produce in return. 
They usually passed our farm on Fridays. Sometimes there were 
several in a convoy, and in dry weather they raised great clouds of 
dust, from the poorly built road, which could be seen long before 
the teams came in sight, and after they had disappeared. 

On the tail-board of these wagons there was usually a hogs- 
head of New England rum, taken on from the Medford distillery 
as they came through that town. In those days rum was the only 
spirit in common use; it was cheap and potent, and an injury to the 
farming community. Perhaps the large quantities of salted 
meats consumed stimulated the craving for a "toddy" more 
cheering than the domestic hard cider. 

No coal was then used in the country. The wood for fuel 
was cut in the wood-lot some two miles up the Westford road, and 
hauled down on ox sleds, making a big pile in the dooryard; also 
a few logs to be sawed into boards for repairing the premises. I 
greatly prized these winter excursions into the snowy forest as a 
kind of arctic expedition. 

Some kinds of birds were much more numerous then than 
now, especially the common pigeon. Vast flocks of these game 
birds flew to the north in the spring, returning south in the autumn. 
"Pigeon stands," so called, were prepared in a wood or near its 
edge, away from any house, some twenty feet square, the brush 
cleared away, and grain scattered on the ground, which would 
attract the birds in large quantities. A net was so arranged on 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 453 

poles on one side of the stand that pulHng a string when the birds 
were busy feeding, it woiild suddenly cover the space and imprison 
the game; and great numbers were caught in this simple way. 

Partridge in the woods and quail in the thickets along the 
stone walls were more common than nowadays. In the pasture 
behind the bams, where were many old hollow apple trees suitable 
for nests, turtle-doves, — a very beautiful bird, — wood-pigeons and 
woodpeckers abounded, and in the meadows beyond larks and 
bobolinks were plentiful. The hanging nests of the golden oriole 
were always pending from the great elms about the house. Chim- 
ney swallows built in the big kitchen chimney, the nests occa- 
sionally tumbling down on to the hearth, and the eaves of the 
barns were plastered inside and out with the clay nests of the swifts. 

At the time of a craze for raising silkworms from the leaves 
of the plant Moms Multicaulis, which industry promised a sure 
fortune, was bought a supply of plants and silkworm eggs. The 
plants were set out in the garden where raspberries and thimble- 
berries had formerly flourished. Benches were fitted up in the 
granary for the worms, which were duly hatched. Though the 
plants grew rapidly the worms did better still. More and more 
leaves were needed daily, while the plants supplied less and less. 
In this emergency, to avert a fatal disaster and the loss of a 
fortune, resource was had to a group of old mulberry trees on top 
of Robin's hill, two miles in front of the house, but four miles by 
road. Thither I was sent in a wagon day after day to pick the 
leaves. The squirrels were fond of the sweet mulberries, which 
were plentiful, and they became so used to seeing me up in the 
trees and beneath them, that they treated me in the most friendly 
way. By feeding the worms with these leaves they were saved 
alive until in due time they turned into beautiful yellow cocoons. 
These, when first baked to kill the chrysalis inside, were immersed 
in hot water, and the raw silk was reeled off and made into hanks 
for the market. I never heard what the financial result was, but 
as the experiment was not repeated, I think it turned out a failure. 
For myself I was not sorry, as I had had enough of leaf picking. 

After the death of my grandmother the housekeeper was 
Hannah Wilson, a Vermont young woman, with a bright com- 
plexion and red hair. She was very efficient and a good cook. 
One day in a paroxysm of house-cleaning she lighted upon a box 
of old papers in the garret and emptied them into the pig-yard, 
the general receptacle for rubbish. Happily my Uncle Philip 
discovered what she had done just in time to jump into the yard, 
disperse the pigs, who were already destroying the papers, and 
rescue many of them; but some were mined. Among those saved 
were civil and military commissions and semi-public documents, 
official and private correspondence, bundles of deeds nearly two 
hundred years old, and various valuable papers of dates before, 
during and after the Revolution, which are now arranged and 
preserved among the Family Records in my keeping. 



454 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Among the commissions, for example, is one from "William 
Shirley, Esq., Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over 
His Majesty's Province in Massachusetts Bay in New England 
&c," appointing "Simeon Spaulding, Gentlemen, to be cornet of 
the first troop of horse," dated March 18, 1755. There is also one 
dated "In the 28th year of His Majesty King George the Second, 
Annoq. Domini 1755," and signed "W. Shirley." Another com- 
mission, twenty years later, — 1775, — appointing Simeon "to be 
one of our Justices to keep our peace," was signed by "Samuel 
Adams, Secy.," whose statue now stands in Adams Square, Boston. 

But shortly there was no peace to keep, for another com- 
mission, dated February 12, 1776, appointed Simeon "one of the 
Field officers of the Seventh Regiment in the sixteenth year of 
the Reign of George the Third &c." Two days later another 
commission appointed Simeon Colonel of the regiment. This last 
document is interesting as showing the printed heading, "George 
the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and 
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith &c.," crossed out, and having 
this title written above, "The Government and People of the 
Massachusetts Bay in New England," and at the bottom the 
date, "In the 15th year of his Majesty's Reign," crossed out, and 
the words, "In the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred 
and seventy-five," substituted. You will notice that these Rebels 
were using the King's stationery without his knowledge or consent, 
which was certainly wrong. 

These commissions are a good inheritance, and rank with 
those issued by Abraham Lincoln to my brothers John, Edward 
and Henry. 

The other important route from the sea to the back country 
was by the then famous Middlesex canal, which was opened for 
traffic just a century ago. It began at Middlesex Village, on the 
bank of the Merrimack river, some three miles from the farm, 
and ended at a basin in Haymarket square, Boston, — a distance 
of twenty-seven miles. The craft were long, narrow, fiat- 
bottomed scows, called "canal-boats," They were towed by 
horses and moved about three miles an hour, bringing down such 
bulky things as lumber, cord-wood, bricks, hay, etc., and carrying 
back store-goods. By means of several sets of locks on the river, 
this navigation reached Concord, New Hampshire, sixty-five 
miles from Boston. The canal cost half a million dollars, a large 
sum in those days. Besides these freight boats, there were 
"packet-boats," for passengers. I have been told that, some time 
in my first year, mxy mother made this voyage, taking me with her, 
when she went to visit Madame Dalton at her house, No. 82 Mt. 
Vernon street, Boston. If this is true — and I have no reason to 
doubt it — I probably enjoy the distinction of being the only living 
person who first arrived in Boston by a canal-boat. But I do not 
claim any great merit on this account. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 465 

When the Boston and Lowell railroad was opened, nearly 
seventy years ago, the value of the canal was destroyed. After- 
wards the Boston and Maine railroad built its station on the site 
of the canal basin in Hajmiarket square. 

Later still this station was moved back to Causeway street, 
where it is now, and ten years ago the Boston Transit Commission 
took this same site for a subway station. I mention these incidents 
as unique illustrations of the radical changes in the methods of 
transportation occurring at this spot during seventy years, as 
well as illustrating the progress which science has made; namely, 
the canal-boat, towed by horses; the trains of cars hauled by 
steam-engines and the electric car, with its source of power miles 
away, transmitted by an insignificant-looking copper wire. 

You young folks will doubtless live to see even greater changes, 
such as, for example, flying machines, to which I do not doubt 
you will contribute your full share. 

And I trust you will take your revenges on somebody by 
telling your stories, as a recompense for what you have so politely 
endured in listening to mine. 

MILITIA. 

The Militia trained in the spring of the year and in the fall 
was the Annual Muster, which was sometimes in Chelmsford and 
sometimes in neighboring towns. In Chelmsford the muster field 
was in the meadows at the centre of the Town, near where the 
Gun Club's house now stands. It was on one of these occasions, 
eighty-four years ago, when the men were all at the muster, that 
the buildings at the old Spaulding home were burned, with Joseph 
Spaulding's hat, which showed the effects of Putnam's sword at 
Bunker Hill. Muster days were great occasions. There were also 
muster fields at North Chelmsford and Middlesex Village. There 
is a rifle range at North Chelmsford. 

LOCAL TRADITIONS. 

Many local traditions tell of the things which amused the 
people of the long ago. Once when the Town chose a represen- 
tative to the General Court, some one moved that a committee of 
three be appointed to take him to Boston and show him the way 
to the State House. On another occasion some one who had a 
poor opinion of the deputy elected, moved that he should be 
instructed not to tell what town he came from. When Carlisle 
was set off from Chelmsford, one man on the border declared he 
would not be a citizen of the former place, and so the line was run 
to exclude his farm. 

The doctrinal discussions which prevailed a century ago 
furnished some amusing incidents. The minister, who was of the 
"liberal" type, was driving along the road one day, when he 



456 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

noticed a farmer (who had observed his approach) stoutly be- 
laboring a dead hedgehog, or some such animal, with a club. 
"What are you doing?" inquired the Minister. "I am trying to 
prove to you that there is such a thing as punishment after death." 

After the Adams Library had been established, the Unitarian 
Minister was called to visit an old man who lived in the past and 
remembered his youthful reading, and who wished to give quite 
a sum of money to buy books for the library. He wanted the 
Minister to go with him to Lowell and make the purchase there. 
The Minister told him it would be better to give the money to the 
Trustees and let the purchasing committee make the selection. 
"Well," said the old man, "I hope they won't buy any of them 
hell and damnation books they used to have around here." 

Some strange characters in this vicinity reheved no doubt 
the even monotony of country life; the man who vowed never to 
trim hair or beard and who kept his vow; the mentally-kinked man 
who always walked backwards and never forwards; the man who 
wore the light brown coat which belonged apparently to his 
great-great-grandfather, made of the best English cloth, which 
would never wear out, cut in the fashion of more than a century 
ago, with tight waist, long shirts and big flat brass buttons. 

SOCIAL LIFE. 

There always was a genuine, hearty, social life in Chelmsford. 
The early recreations were corn huskings, trainings of the militia, 
ordinations, house raisings, sleighing parties, and dancing, which 
the minister winked at, because he coiild not stop it. Practical 
jokes were a common amusement. A man, after spending an 
evening at the tavern, might, with difficulty, get into his chaise 
in the dark, and find his horse apparently backing when told to 
go forward, some wicked boys having hitched him into the thills 
with his head where his tail ought to be. 

On a cold winter night the boys stuffed the schoolhouse 
chimney with hay, and poured water down upon it, which froze 
solid, so that it was impossible to have a fire the next morning. 

The first thing a new schoolmaster had to do was to show 
himself master of the biggest boys, which, sometimes, required a 
knock-down blow, resulting in universal respect for the school- 
master. In such a tussle, one poor man had his long hair rubbed 
full of burrs. 

Parson Bridge, when courting his second wife, the Widow 
Abbott, in taking a short cut to her house, "the Ark," had to cross 
a plank over the brook. One evening it broke, and let him into 
the water, the boys having sawed it nearly in two in the middle. 

The corn huskings and sewing bees, which were ways of 
combining useful occupation with pleasure, were common. 
Dancing schools and parties were conducted in a polite and 
genteel manner. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 457 

The following announcement of a dancing school will be of 
interest. 

Chelmsford January 15th, 1816 

A school will be opened at the Hall of Ezra Blodgets. this 
evening at 6 oClock by Mr Robbins. to Instruct in the polite 
accomplishment of Dancing. Terms three dollars fifty cents per 
quarter last six weeks half price. 

Ladies — Clarisa Howard, Lucretia Varnum, Hannah Adams, 
Sally Colburn, Sally Sherborm, Irena Bowers, Louisa Butterfield, 
Edna Varnum, Sarah Wood, Abagail Spalding. 

Gentlemen — Charles Howard, John Spalding, Parker Varnum, 
Jr., Saml. Penst [prob. Priest], John F Adams, John Hunt, Henry 
Blodget, James Hayl, Anthony Hilben, John Hirsck, Thomas A 
Adams, Benjamin Adams, James Coburn, Ebn. Adams, Capt 
Adams, Capt J Bowers, Samuel Wood, John Butterfield, Major N. 
Howard, Parker Varnum, Jeremiah Varnum, [G.] Blodgett, George 
Hunting, Varnum Spalding, James Varnum, Charles Melvin, Ezra 

Blodgett, Benja Pierce, Alex Wright, Chase, William Adams, 

Lewis Sticklemire, Otis Howard, William Spaulding, Charles Blood, 
Aron P. Richerson 

The following ticket and invitations are samples of those 
formerly used here: 

Social Ball 

Admit Mr. S. Parker, Jr. 
N. Spalding 
At Pawtucket Hall in Chelmsford on Wednesday evening, 

Jan. 22, 1817. 
***Dancing to commence at 5 o'clock 
P. Bradley ] 
J. Bowers. \ Managers 
C. Howard. J 
Concord, Mass. Printed by Joseph T. Peters. 

Dr. Peleg Bradley of Dracut, a noted physician, owned a 
Hall in Dracut where a Thanksgiving ball was given Dec. 5, 1817. 

And here is an invitation to a fashionable ball: 
Sleigh Ride and Ball. 



The Company of and Lady is solicited to 

attend a sleigh ride and ball, at W. Reed's, Chelmsford, on Tuesday, 
3rd of January, 1832, at 9 o'clock, A. M. 

Jepthah Parker, | 

Charles Johnson, [ Managers. 
Solomon Parkhurst, J 
I&"Dancing to commence at 5 o'clock, P. M. 



458 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Social Ball 
Sir:— 

Your company with a Lady, is respectfully solicited to 
attend a Ball at Joseph Reed's Hall in Chelmsford, on 
Wednesday Evening, December 21, 1842. 



Kittredge. 

Piper. \ Musicians. 

Chandler, 



Charles Sweetser, ") 

Franklin M. Hills, j- Managers. 

Wm. M. Spalding, J 



li^Dancing to commence at 6 o'clock, P. M. 

EAST CHELMSFORD LITERARY SOCIETY. 

Various organizations have helped to further the intellectual 
life of the Town. In East Chebnsford, for instance, in December, 
1875, a literary society was formed. S. L. Blood, Henry Martin 
and R. Wilson Dix were the originators, the latter being secretary. 
It was enjoyed by the whole neighborhood, and by people from a 
distance. The "East Chelmsford Advance" received contributions 
from the members, and was read at the weekly meetings, which 
continued for four or five years. 

As a rule, such village organizations are not long-lived, when 
proximity to the city affords a varied round of entertainments, 
theatres and lectures. 

THE CHELMSFORD LITERARY UNION. 

The first meeting was held at the home of Mr. Bates, Central 
Hotel, on September 30, 1887. The Rev. Mr. Chase and Mrs. 
C. E. A. Bartlett were the prime movers in the organization, and 
held the offices of president and secretary. Taine's History of 
English Literature occupied their attention for the first season. 
The fortnightly meetings were held alternately in the Unitarian 
and Baptist vestries and then in private parlors. The early 
members were: Rev. J. A. Chase, Mrs. C. E. A. Bartlett, A. H. 
Davis, Alfred B. Paasche, A. Heady Park, Sarah L. Putnam, 
Ada F. L. Chase, Susie M. Emerson, Addie E. Emerson, Olive 
C. Hunt, Hannah C. Hunt, Anna Eliza Hunt, Nellie S. Ward, 
Mrs. Emma L. Bussell, Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Perham, Mr. and 
Mrs. E. H. Warren, C. H. Bates, Mrs. A. P. Perham, Mrs. J. W. 
Perham, Abbie F. Crosby, Dr. Amasa Howard, John Byfield, 
Helen F. Morton, Laura L. Butterfield, Rev. N. C. Saunders, 
Amy Marshall, Dr. Chamberlain, George A. Parkhurst, E. F. 
De Normandie, Hortense Parkhurst, Marietta Parkhurst, Malvina 
Hodgman, Martha E. Dadmun, Susie McFarhn, J. A. Bartlett, 
Mr. PoUey, Miss Worthen. Others were added from time to 
time. A number of ministers and school teachers have been 
prominent in the work of the union. 

Rev. Mr. Pierce followed Mr. Chase as president and Mrs. 
Bartlett was succeeded by Mr. H. S. Perham as secretary for a 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 459 

time. A. H. Davis, and Abbie F. Crosby also filled that office. 
Since 1899 the Rev. Wilson Waters has been president, and Mrs. 
E. R. Clark has been secretary since 1902. 

During the winters of 1898-9 and 1900 a series of free lectures 
was given in the Town hall under the auspices of the Union, the 
expense being met by contributions. The speakers included the 
Hon. Geo. S. Boutwell, Rev. Samuel Eliot, John Baker, Prof. 
Barton, Edwin D. Mead. 

For some years the Union has held its meetings in the Adams 
Library. 

Several organizations furnished wholesome amusement as 
well as intellectual exercise for the people at the Centre Village. 
One of these was known as "Onesimus Bildam"; then came, about 
1850, the "Old Line Thespians." Some of the active members 
of these were E. K. and George Parkhurst, Clorinda Hodgman, 
Jane H. Manning (Mrs. Short), Julia E. Manning (Mrs. Warren), 
Malvina Hodgman, Sewall Byam, Mrs. Sarah Emerson, Abbie F. 
Crosby, George H. Bartlett, J. A. Bartlett, Mrs. Buzzell, Bradford 
Emerson. 

The "Chelmsford Coons" for many seasons supplied this and 
neighboring towns with the best minstrel entertainments, and 
became quite famous as fun makers. Among the members of this 
organization were Albert Perham, Charles Nichols, J. A. Bartlett. 

Several bands and orchestras in different parts of the Town 
have at different times attained considerable excellence and have 
contributed to various occasions when their music has been very 
welcome. 

The Training School band at North Chelmsford is an efficient 
band which is frequently called on for entertainments. 

The Boy Scouts have a flourishing organization at the North 
Village. 

THE v. I. A, 

On Monday evening, November 15, 1875, in the Town hall 
was organized the Village Improvement Association, with J. A. 
Bartlett, chairman, and H. S. Perham, secretary. E. K. Parkhurst 
and Dr. J. C. Bartlett addressed the meeting, and committees 
were appointed. On November 22nd, a constitution was adopted. 
The purpose of the organization was the general improvement and 
lighting of the Centre Village streets and public squares, and to 
promote the general interests of the community. The first 
officers were: President, Dr. J. C. Bartlett; Vice President, E. K. 
Parkhurst; Secretary, E. H. Warren; Treasurer, George A. Park- 
hurst. Executive Committee: N. F. Libby, David A. Bussell, 
Rev. B. F. Cooley, Mrs. David A. Bussell, Mrs. N. P. Dadmun. 
This association has done a great deal to improve the appearance 
of the village. The present officers are: President, Ralph P. 
Adams; Vice President, Royal P. Dutton; Secretary, Mrs. W. H. 
Hall; Treasurer, Joseph E. Warren. 



460 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1876, 1877 and 1883 they printed each year a number of 
the Chelmsford Eagle. H. S. Perham, Rev. E. Fitz Gerald and 
Rev. B. F. Cooley were the editors in 1876. H. S. Perham alone 
edited the last, and E. H. Warren was associated with him in 
editing the second nimiber. Considerable matter of historic and 
practical interest to the Town was printed in them. 

Similar organizations have done good work in other villages. 

THE DOCTOR. 

Extracts from Hippocrates' Aphorisms. 

Sect. II, Aphorism 20. An experienced Physician should not 
as soon as he enters go instantly to Fiel ye Patients Pulse but let 
him first set Down with a chearful Countenance & ask him How 
he finds Himself lest & if he finds he is under aney Fears or uneasey 
Aperey Hinsions let him endeavor to hearten him by some seansible 
story & then he may Proceed to fiele ye Patients Pulse. Expl. To 
render ye Patients mind chearfull is half ye Cure Especially in 
Weomen. &c &c 

Life is Short & the art is long, occasion sudden, to make 
experiments dangerous, judgment difficult. Neither is it sufficient 
that the Physician do his office unless the Patient & his Attendants 
do their duty and Externals are likewise well ordered. 

These quotations are from a book, whose varied ownership is 
indicated in the following names. It is among the Robbins 
papers : 

Crown Point Sept. 23d. 1760 Joseph Ballard's Book 

Abiel Abbot His Book John Betteys' Book 

These recipes will interest the curious reader, and perhaps 
reconcile him to living in the present rather than in the good old 
days. 

"A vomit is best in ye increase of the Moon; Because the 
Humours tend more Upwards; & a purge is best in the Decreas 
of the moon Because the Humours tend more Downwards." 

For Canker. 

Pl Bull paddocks or frogs with fresh butter: simer 
them close coverd. to a crisp, then strane for use. 

Dr. J. Kittridge had numerous recipes: for gunshot wounds — 
green wounds ; for the bite of a dog ; A medicine for young women 
yt are weakly and pail. 

A most Certain Medicen to Cure the Hearing — take a Large 
Silver Eeale take out his Guts and pound as much onions as will 
fill his Belly full and sew it fast together and tye a Line to his 
tail and hang it Down to a moderate fire and keep it turning till 
the oyl is well Rosted out then put it into a vial well stoped Drop 
2 or 3 Drops in the Ear and mind to keep the Ear well stoped with 
Black wool — and Repet it once in a Day for some time and be 
very Carfull of Cold. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 461 

A Recept for the fever and Ago. 

R: Cortis Calibeat and Radis serpenturia and 5i give 2 or 3 
att aDose 2 or 3 times a Day when the fit is off. 

Col. [Wm.] Brattil of Cambridge 

The best Remed. for Lame & num Limbs is — 

oyl wherein Frodgs have been Boyld till their flesh is com of 

their Sons. 

For old dry sores a remedy was made of hog's fat, bee's wax, 

rosin, turpentine, deer's tallow, "boyl them over a gentle fire" 

and add red lead or sumach. 

From Nehemiah Abbot— His Book. 1739. 

For sinews that are Srunk 

take young swallows by Number Twelve with a hanful of 
Roosmery tops. Bay Leaves, Lavender tops, Strabery Leaves. 
Cut of the Long feathers and put all together birds and herbs 
into a morter and pound them, then mix three pound of hodg's 
fat with it, set it in the sun Twenty or thirty days and then take 
it and boy[l] it and strain it out and keep it for your vse. 

This is an excelent olm and ought alway to be ready because 
it is so long in the preparation that you should always have it in 
readness. 

For an old joynt Desese. 

Make a Bath with emmets and there egs — will quickly cure 
them. 

A Drink for wounded men was made of Crabs from the River 
beaten into fine powder with various roots, boyl ym in a linen 
cloth in 3 pints of ale, and Perwinkels — the herb not ye fish. 
This is one of the best drinks I know of in the world. 

Another book is dated 1740, and entitled "Liber de 
Remediorum Recolecttis de Medecm." 

1740 To ease pain &c. 

R : oyl of Lillies or violets four pound, boyl it in two whelps 
newly whelped until the flesh com of the bones then put unto 
them earth worms lb. 1. boyl then again and strain them out 
put to them the oyl: venice turpentine 5 iiii. spirits of wine 5.i. 
mix them acording to art and keep them for your use, it is one 
of the finest oyls that I know of all most in the world. 

In 1825, in the Chelmsford Courier, is advertised: "Bateman's 
ointment, a safe and certain cure for the itch." 

The itch seems to have been prevalent in 1778. 

1778. Dracot Mr Willard Cobron to John Betteys, Dr. 

£S. d 
Oct. 19. to oyntment to cure ten Pursons of the Itch. 1.17.6 

There were numerous other similar items in that year. "That 
Contajos Distempr. viz. the Small pox" also was brought here 
by returning Revolutionary Soldiers. Dr. Marshall lost his wife 
and two children by it. 



462 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

AGREEMENT. 

Chelmsford, Febuwarey 3rd, 1777. 
Minits of the proposols that Doctr. Marshall made to me Before I 
Came to Study physick with him. 

The payment yt. the Doctr. Sade he wold take is 13 Bushels of 
Grain for Each Year and as much meet as we Shall Agree for: 
for he Sath he has forgot how much meet the Rule is to Support 
a man a year, and he Sath that I may Labor in tending the Cattle 
and other Labor a Nuf to pay him for Cucking my Board and 
washing and other Necesseries that are not above mentiond. and 
I am to Live With the Doctr. two years to Lame the art of physick 
& Surgerey and ye. Doctr. promeses he will Instruct me in Art of 
physick & Surgerey as far as he is Capable of Giving instructions & 
I of Receaving the same, and he promeses me he will Give me all his 
Recepts on physick and Surgerey of all Kinds, Except one on 
Cancors, and he Said he wold Give that if I was of Considarable 
Sarvice to him in his practice, and the Doctor promest me he wold 
not Charg me Nothing for Larning me ondly what I Culd Do in 
his practice that is If I was Benifishal to him in his practice and 
the Doctr. promest me that if I was helpfull to him in the Smallpox 
that he wold alow me for that practice Exclusive of the other 
practice, and he promest me that he wold Favor me as much as 
he Culd and let me have all the priveledge that he Culd not to 
Ingor him, and I promest the Doctr. I wold Labor for him 
Sufisiantly anuf to pay him for my Cucking washing and other 
Necessereys that are not above mentioned and if I Neglect to 
Labor for him anuf to pay him for Such Necesereys: as are not 
named above I must pay him in money orther way what I Shall 
Neglect to pay in Labor and if I Labor for the Doctr. more than 
anuf to pay him for my Cucking and washing & other Neceserey, 
he is to pay me for it. 

John Betteys. 



Here are a few items from the account book of Dr. Betteys 
in 1780: 

£.s. d. 

To Bleeding Jacob 0. 0.6 

Pulling a tooth 0. 0.4 

Replaising a dislocated joint 0.18.0 

travel 3 miles 0. 1.6 

Wildor Richardson must have been well to do, for Dr. Betteys 
charges him 45 shillings for 2^ miles' travel and medicines ac- 
cordingly. 

Dr. Betteys often received his pay in other things than 
money — labor, spinning, one day's reaping, 4 cheir bottoms, 13 
bushels of corn, knitting, one brume. 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 463 

A hand bill brings to public notice : 
The Genuine 
Liquid Opodeldoc 
or 
Rheumatic Ointment 
Faithfully Prepared and Sold by 
Ezekiel Byam, Chelmsford, Mass. 
on Favorable Terms. 
Samuel Chamberlain advertised his "Patent Bilious Cordial, 
a vegetable compound, gentle and innocent." 

November 12, 1778. Rec'd of Mr. Oliver Farror nine pounds 
lawful money for doctoring his son and attending him when sick 
with the small pox, and I returned the whole to Doctor Marshall. 

John Betteys. 

The following item relates to an old Chelmsford physician: 

"Dr. Nehemiah Abbot 
Amos Lawrence (b. 1716, d. 1785) married Abigail Abbot, and 
one of their four sons was Deacon Samuel Lawrence; and hence 
later the surname was brought into the family as a given name. 
Deacon Lawrence, the executor of the estate advertised below, 
was a nephew of Dr. Nehemiah Abbot, who died on July 13, 1785, 
without children. He had a son born on December 16, 1792, 
whom he named "Abbott"; and this son afterward became some- 
what noted in various ways. 

By order of the Court of Common Pleas for the 

county of Middlesex, 

Will be sold at Public Vendue, on Monday, the 10th day of 

January next, at two o'clock, P. M. at the House of 

OLIVER BARRON, Esq. Innholder in Chelmsford, in said county, 

Two-thirds of the Real Estate of NEHEMIAH ABBOT, late 

of Chelmesford, Physician, deceased, lying near the Meeting-House 

in said town, for the payment of the debts of said deceased, and 

charges of sale. The conditions of sale may be seen at the time and 

place aforesaid, or by applying in Groton, to 

SAMUEL LAWRANCE, Executor. 
Groton, December 6, 1790. — 

'Independent Chronicle; and the Universal Advertiser' 
(Boston), December 23, 1790." [Groton during the Rev., p. 221.] 

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 

Agriculture has been the occupation of a majority of the 
population, and different movements have been made for its 
advancement. Probably the first agricultural society in the 
United States was formed in Philadelphia in 1785. The first 
agricultural society incorporated in Massachusetts was "The 
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture," March 7, 1792. 
On January 6, 1794, a society was organized in Chelmsford for 



464 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the "promotion of useful improvements in agriculture." This was 
made up of men living in the western part of Middlesex county. 
February 28. 1803, it was incorporated as "The Western Society 
of Middlesex Husbandmen," the first president being the Hon. 
Ebenezer Bridge of Chelmsford. The annual meetings were 
held alternately at Westford, Littleton and Groton. This society 
was later merged in the Middlesex North Agricultural Society. 
In 1819 the name was changed to "The Society of Middlesex 
Husbandmen and Manufacturers," and in 1852, to "The Middlesex 
Agricultural Society." 

About 1850 the Chelmsford Farmers and Mechanics Asso- 
ciation was formed. Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1852, the third 
exhibition of the Association was held. Dr. J. C. Bartlett was 
president; Capt. Asa Hodgman, vice-president; E. H. Warren, 
secretary; and Joseph Reed, treasurer. The cattle shows and all 
that went with them made these exhibitions great events in the 
rural communities. 

Of late years the organization known as the Grange has been 
active in promoting, especially, the social side of country life. 



ODD INTERJECTIONS. 

We no longer hear such exclamations as "Do tell!" "Why, 
how you do talk!" "Dear me, suz!" 

"The quaint and disappearing Yankee locution 'I want to 
know!' means not so much inquiry as sjonpathy and admiration 
for another's mental processes." 

In the old days when people had too little to divert their 
minds, they were eager to hear any news or entertaining tale, and 
seemed sometimes to try to work themselves up into a state of 
excitement over trivial matters. The monotony of farm life a 
century ago was a very severe test of mental poise. The lack of 
amusements for young people in the prerevolutionary period 
sometimes turned them into wrong avenues of entertainment, and 
as Rev. J. A. Chase, in his little pamphlet remarks, in Mr. Bridges' 
time there were many cases of church discipline. In those days 
everything was brought before the church. Open confession 
must be made. 

Leaves from an old diary kept in a Chelmsford farm house 
give such records as these: 

Tuesday — Olive made a cheese. 

Wednesday — Thomas went to the village to purchase some 
groceries. 

Thursday — John killed a pig. 

Such were the chief events of many a dreary week. No 
wonder that young people sometimes followed the line of least 
resistance in seeking relief from an austere and rigid life. The 
following action of the Town shows an attempt to remedy matters. 




UNITARIAN CHURCH, CIIKLMSFORD CENTRE 




.Vo. jy ALL saints' episcopal CHURCH, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 465 

1775 March 6. The Town chose a Committee consisting 
of the Selectmen and fifteen others to deal with idle and disorderly 
persons, and Voted that the said Committee make enquiry and 
get the best information that may be of all Idle & Disorderly 
persons in sd Town such as waste their time & substance at 
publick or private houses or any other place or places in sd Town, 
at any unlawful gaming, excessive drinking, quarreling or frolick- 
ing, or such as may be known to be frequent at horse racing, or 
any that use profane Cursing or swearing, sabbath -breaking, or 
any other unlawful & unbecoming behaviour: that the said 
Committee take the earliest opportunity to discourse with such 
persons and use the utmost of their endeavours to convince them 
of their folly and danger, and if any persons are known to the sd. 
Committee to continue in any such wicked practices, to shun the 
company of such offenders as much as may be consisting with 
good reason and justice, leave dealing with them or to entertain 
any such persons in any of their houses by night or by day saving 
when in some honest & lawful employment. To manifest a 
dislike to their conduct, and bear testimony against their vicious 
practices, and look upon them as disturbers of the peace and good 
order amongst us, and that any of the Inhabitants of this Town 
that shall entertain any such person in any of their houses 
unemployed when able to labour, such persons will procure to 
themselves the displeasure of this Town and shall be dealt with 
as offenders, and that the said Committee shall put out such 
idle and disorderly persons and see that they are employed in 
some lawful calling, or inflict such punishment on such offenders 
as the nature of their crime may require. And that the said Town 
will aid, assist and support and defend the said Committee in 
proceeding with such offenders as a fore said. 

CHANGES IN THE LIFE OF THE TOWN. 

In Virginia, local self-government was developed in the 
county system; in New England, the town system prevailed, 
owing to various causes, natural, industrial and financial. 

The town meeting has been called the most perfect local 
democracy that the world has ever seen. 

The Town originally had more governmental powers than it now 
has. Some it relinquished to the County and some to the State. 
Judicial functions were passed up to higher tribunals than the 
commissioners or board of selectmen. The Town militia had 
large independence, electing their own officers. The conditions 
of the early days made this necessary. 

The early land titles were given by the Town to whom it 
saw fit. Religious affairs were settled in town meeting. Religion 
was supported and largely controlled by the Town, until about a 
century ago, when this was given into the hands of voluntary 
societies, which were formed on sectarian lines, and by dividing 



466 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the religious life of the community, weakened it and marred its 
moral effect, as well as the unity of civic sentiment and activity. 

The spreading out of families from the central life of the 
village to settle on the more distant farms, the development of 
five distinct villages, and the dividing of the Town into school 
districts, no doubt weakened the sense of unity, and made sectional 
antagonism possible. 

The modern trend to the city has taken from the Towm much 
of its virile strength, its brain and brawn, and village life has been 
impoverished by urban competition in commercial, educational, 
social and ecclesiastical activities. 

The character of country life has changed with its conditions. 
The homes of the interesting old traditions are transformed by 
a new order of things. The isolated farm has an enlarged environ- 
ment. The moulding influences are those of the world at large 
instead of the immediate neighborhood. In the old days, there 
was little travel and few avenues by which the news of the world 
could approach. The intellectual and religious life was com- 
paratively circumscribed. Seventy-five years ago there was a 
daily mail brought from Lowell, when the stage-man did not forget 
it. Now, numerous mail trains pass daily through the Town; 
the rural delivery leaves the mail at every door ; the telegraph and 
telephone, the trolley car and daily paper inform the most remote 
of what the world is doing. The farmer is a citizen of the world 
instead of being limited to the interests of his native place. • The 
incandescent bulb in his home is but the symbol of a larger 
enlightenment, and the drudgery of other days is relieved by 
music, even if it be a graphophone, or by books and periodicals 
from the public library. And as travel by trolley and automobile 
increases over the well-constructed roads they have been instru- 
mental in building, the rural population being under closer and 
more constant observation, is prompted to take more pride in 
well ordered surroundings. 

The consolidating and grading of the schools, and transporting 
the children to central buildings, while these may have defects 
in practice, yet tend to strengthen the feeling of unity among the 
rising generation, as well as to increase the efficiency of the school 
system. Easy access to the city has been not entirely dis- 
advantageous. The returning villagers have brought back much 
to increase the happiness and comfort of the rural home; and 
often the wealth of the city seeks a quiet home in the country 
town, and gratefully bestows benevolent institutions in its midst. 
These and other considerations lead to the opinion that the rural 
community has an important part to play in the future of the 
State and Nation. 

The New England home of the earlier days, barren as it 
might seem of most things which are prized today, had some 
important elements of high character. There was, to use the 
well-worn phrase, plain living and high thinking. There was 



I 
I 



THE LIFE OF LONG AGO 467 

respect for authority, children obeyed their parents, there was 
thrift and self-denial. The religious influence of the old days 
was austere, but there is no doubt that it made strong character. 

For more than two centuries, such homes trained the men and 
women who have been largely the leaders of the best activities 
in American life all over the country. They have gone into every 
state, and into every walk in life. One of the serious problems 
of today is how to restore or preserve the home life with its whole- 
some influence in moulding the characters of those who are soon 
to take their part in the affairs of Town and State and Nation. 

Some of the strongest and pleasantest impressions of the 
writer's boyhood days are those received at the homestead of his 
maternal ancestors, where, for seven generations, the family of 
General Ward have lived among scenes and traditions of historic 
times. The dignity, solemn and severe, of the white meeting- 
house on the hill, the hush of the Sabbath-day, even in that quiet 
village, and the reverence for all sacred things, are features of that 
old religious life which Christians may well remember today. 
This was in Shrewsbury, the home of Elnathan and Lydia Pratt 
Allen, parents of Wilkes Allen, the minister of Chelmsford, and 
it was Dr. Joseph Sumner, of Shrewsbury, who preached Mr. 
Allen's ordination sermon in this Town. Dr. Sumner stood six 
feet four, a grave and dignified man, who filled the young with 
awe; a child who saw him approaching the house, ran in, fright- 
ened, and told his mother that God was coming. 



CHAPTER IX. 
TERRITORIAL LIMITS. 

BRIDGES, CANALS, STEAMBOATS, RAILROADS. 

"MriOWNS * * * became in effect municipal or quasi 
jL corporations, without any formal act of incorporation." 
[122 Mass., p. 349.] 

August 23, 1775. "Every incorporated district 'shall hence- 
forth be, and shall be holden, taken, and intended to be, a town 
to all intents and purposes whatsoever.' " [Prov. Laws, Vol. V, 
p. 420.] 

March 23, 1786. "The inhabitants of every town within 
this government are hereby declared to be a body politic and 
corporate." [Acts, 1785, Chap. 75.] 

Nov. 4, 1835. "All places now incorporated as districts, 
except the district of Marshpee, in the county of Barnstable, 
shall have all the powers and privileges, and be subject to all the 
duties to which towns are entitled by the provisions of this 
chapter." [R. S., Chap. 15, Sec. 9.] 

Chelmsford was incorporated May 29*, 1655. 
Common land. May 14,* 1656 land granted to Chelmsford. 
May 31,* 1660 bounds between Chelmsford and the Indian 
plantation at Patucket established. June 27,* 1701 bounds 
between Chelmsford and Billerica established. Nov. 23,* 1725 
part annexed to Littleton. June 13,* 1726 "Wameset" annexed. 
Sept. 23,* 1729 part established as Westford. April 24, 1755 
part annexed to Dunstable. April 28, 1780 part included in the 
second district of Carlisle. Mar. 1, 1783 part of the second 
district of Carlisle annexed. Mar. 1, 1826 part established as 
Lowell. Feb. 17, 1865 part annexed to Carlisle and bounds 
established. May 18, 1874 part annexed to Lowell. June 23, 
1874 act of May 18, 1874 accepted by Lowell. Aug. 1, 1874 
the act took effect. [Manual for the General Court.] 

A valuable article on the early land titles of this region, by 
Martin L. Hamblet, will be found in the Courier-Citizen History 
of Lowell, page 73. 

* Old style. This foot-note is retained from the Manual for the General Court. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 469 

CHELMSFORD BOUNDARIES. 

From the Atlas of the Harbor and Land Commission. 

Chehnsford was incorporated as a plantation May 29, 1655, 
and was first mentioned as a town May 14, 1656. It did not 
originally bound on the Merrimac river, its northeasterly corner 
being one mile distant therefrom in what is now the city of Lowell, 
south of the Pawtucket canal. It was bounded on the east by 
the Indian land known as Pawtucket, after 1686 called Wameset, 
as far south as "Patuxet stake" on the Concord river (now 
Billerica-Chelmsford 1); southeasterly by the line of Billerica, 
which was incorporated on the same date; southwesterly by the 
Indian lands called "Tadmuck" or "Zadmuck" (now the westerly 
part of Westford) ; and northwesterly by common, unoccupied 
lands and John Sagamore's plantation. 

On May 14, 1656, on petition of the inhabitants of Chelms- 
ford and Rev. Mr. Eliot, representing the Indian lands, this 
territory was extended northerly to the Merrimac river, one mile 
at its northeasterly corner, and three miles at its southwesterly 
corner, and westerly to the Groton line. This three-mile extension 
appears to move the northerly boundary as far as the present 
south line of Tyngsborough, although a strip of land about one 
and one-half miles wide and situated north of this line was settled 
and owned by Col. John Tyng of Chelmsford, making the northerly 
boundary of Chelmsford very nearly coincide with the southerly 
boundary of Dunstable. No record has been found, however, 
of this grant to John Tyng. 

On April 24, 1755, the farms of Col. John Tyng, John Alford 
Tyng and Willard Hall, Junr., were set off from Chelmsford to 
Dunstable. 

A small part of Chelmsford, including the estate of David 
Parker, was set off to Carlisle as incorporated, April 28, 1780. 
A portion of this area was set back to Chelmsford, March 1, 
1783, but was re-annexed to Carlisle, February 17, 1865. 

On September 23, 1729, the west precinct of Chelmsford was 
incorporated as Westford. 

On March 1, 1826, the northeasterly part, bounding on the 
Merrimac and Concord rivers, was incorporated as the town of 
Lowell. Another portion was set off to Lowell, May 18, 1874; 
this act was accepted by the city of Lowell, June 23, and took 
effect, August 1 of the same year. 

LINE BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF CHELMSFORD AND BILLERICA. 

Beginning at the corner of Billerica, Chelmsford and Lowell, 
a point in the middle of Concord river, north 58°, 01' west, and 
about 225 feet distant from the witness mark, a granite monument 
marked B T and standing in bushes 18 feet east of the bank of 



470 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the river; thence southerly along the middle of Concord river 
to corner 1, a point in the middle of the river; thence south 
32°, 18' west about 125 feet to the witness mark, a granite monu- 
ment marked B C and situated in cultivated meadow 25 feet 
west of the bank of the river, on land of Charles Judge, about 
1,500 feet east of the Boston & Lowell road; thence in the same 
direction 19,180 feet to the corner of Billerica, Carlisle and Chelms- 
ford, a rough granite monument, triangular in section, marked 
B C and situated in low land 16 feet east of an angle in a wall 
at the southeasterly corner of a woodlot, about 1-2 mile southwest 
of the Billerica-Chelmsford road. 

Chelmsjord-Billerica Line. The northerly portion, following 
the Concord river, was established on May 29, 1655, when Billerica 
and Chelmsford were incorporated, but was not definitely 
described, being a part of the westerly boundary of the plantation 
known as "Shawshin." It is shown on an early plan of Chelms- 
ford — 1656 — Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 112, page 81. The 
remainder of the line was defined June 27, 1701. 

LINE BETWEEN THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD AND THE 
CITY OF LOWELL. 

Beginning at the corner of Billerica, Chelmsford and Lowell, 
a point in the middle of Concord river, north 58°, 01' west and 
about 225 feet distant from the witness mark, a granite monument 
marked B T and standing in bushes 18 feet east of the bank of 
the river; thence northerly along the middle of the river about 
700 feet to corner 1, a point in the middle of the river; thence 
south 86°, 17' west about 200 feet to the witness mark, a granite 
monument marked C L and situated 15 feet west of the high- 
water line of the river, in open, cultivated meadow about 1,600 
feet east of Gorham street; thence in the same direction 8,343 
feet to comer 2, a rough granite monument marked C L and 
situated in cultivated land about 140 feet southeast of the line 
of Chelmsford street; thence north 46°, 55' west 329 feet to 
comer 3, a rough granite monmnent marked C L and situated 
9 feet northeast of the bank of the old Middlesex canal, and about 
125 feet northwest of the line of Chelmsford street; thence north 
62°, 02' west 9,481 feet to corner 4, a granite montiment 
marked C L and situated on the southeasterly side of Westford 
street at its junction with the Chelmsford road, then north 
16°, 52' west 4,126 feet to corner 5 witness mark, a granite monu- 
ment marked C L and situated about 12 feet south of the south 
bank of Merrimac river, and 26.4 feet north of the northerly rail 
of the double tracks of the Boston & Maine railroad; thence in 
the same direction about 400 feet to the true corner, a point in 
the middle of Merrimac river; thence westerly and northerly 
along the middle of the river to the corner of Chelmsford, Lowell 
and Tyngsborough, an unmarked point in the middle of the river 
opposite the mouth of Scarlet brook (old location). 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 471 

Chelmsford-Lowell Line. The westerly portion of this line, 
following the Merrimac river, is defined by chapter 240 of the 
Acts of 1874. The portion between comer 2 and comer 5 was 
established by chapter 241 of the Acts of 1874, and the portion 
between corner 2 and the comer of Billerica, Chelmsford and 
Lowell was established by chapter 112 of the Acts of 1826, incorpor- 
ating Lowell; the remainder of the line, following Concord river, 
was a portion of the original westerly boundary of Shawshin and 
the easterly boundary of the Indian lands, known as Pawtucket, 
or Wameset. 

LINE BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF CHELMSFORD AND TYNGSBOROUGH. 

Beginning at the corner of Chelmsford, Lowell and Tyngs- 
borough, an unmarked point in the middle of Merrimac river, 
opposite the mouth of Scarlet brook (old location) ; thence westerly 
and northerly along the middle of Merrimac river to corner 1, 
a point in the middle of the river, opposite the witness mark on 
the westerly bank; thence south 68°, 49' west about 310 feet to 
the witness mark, a rough granite monument marked C T and 
situated on the westerly bank of the river 15 feet from the water's 
edge, on the northerly side of a wire fence; thence in the same 
direction 598 feet to corner 2, a rough granite monument marked 
C T and situated 1.6 feet east of the wall on the westerly side of 
a road opposite the house of Frank Mallory; thence southerly 
along the westerly side of the road about 2,465 feet to corner 3, 
a rough granite monument marked C T and situated on the 
westerly side of the road, about 150 feet north of its junction with 
the Lowell and Dunstable road; thence south 37°, 41' west 252 
feet to comer 4, a rough granite monument marked C T and 
situated 22 feet south of the end of a wall at the westerly edge 
of young pines, and about 145 feet from the roadstone on the 
southerly side of the Lowell and Dunstable road; thence north 
57°. 35' west 1,240 feet to comer 5, a rough granite monument 
marked CT and situated 1.5 feet southwest of the wall on the 
northeasterly side of the Lowell and Dunstable road, nearly 
opposite Alfred Trubey's house; thence north 29°, 18' west 683 
feet to comer 6, a rough granite monument marked C T (sidewise) 
and situated in a wall on the southerly slope of a hill, at the 
northerly edge of a cultivated field belonging to George Worden; 
thence south 74°, 09' west 359 feet to comer 7, a granite monument 
marked C T and situated in an open field, about 150 feet northeast 
of George Worden 's house; thence north 78°, 51' west 1,222 feet to 
corner 8, a rough granite monument marked T C and situated on 
the southwesterly side of Lowell and Dunstable road ; thence south 
63°, 36' west 665 feet to corner 9, a rough granite monument 
marked T C and situated at the easterly edge of the root of a 
twin maple tree, and at the westerly edge of a pine grove, at a 
point about 550 feet south of the Lowell and Dunstable road; 



472 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

thence north 9°, 41' west 530 feet to corner 10, a rough granite 
monument marked C T and situated 12 feet south of the south- 
easterly corner of an old shed, and about 75 feet south of the 
Lowell and Dunstable road, just west of a pine grove; thence 
north 42°, 03' west 2,142 feet to the corner of Chelmsford, Tyngs- 
borough and Westford, a stone monument marked C T W and 
situated in swampy land at the northerly end of a comparatively 
open meadow surrounded by thick brush and young growth, about 
1,115 feet north of the road stone on the southerly side of the 
Lowell and Tyngsborough road. 

Chelmsford-Tyngsborough Line. The easterly part of this 
line, following the Merrimac river, Vv^as defined by chapter 13 of 
the Laws of 1789, incorporating the district of Tyngsborough. 
The westerly portion of the line follows certain farm lines of 
John Alford Tyng, Willard Hall, Jr., and others, annexed to 
Dunstable, April 24, 1755, the courses and distances agreeing sub- 
stantially with the official map of 1830. 

LINE BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF CHELMSFORD AND WESTFORD. 

Beginning at the corner of Chelmsford, Tyngsborough and 
Westford, a stone monument marked C T W and situated in 
swampy land at the northerly end of a comparatively open meadow 
surrounded by thick brush and young growth, about 1,115 feet 
north of the roadstone on the southerly side of the Lowell, and 
Dunstable road; thence south 11°, 47' east 38,653 feet to the 
corner of Carlisle, Chelmsford and Westford, a rough granite 
monument marked C C W and situated in level woodland 58 feet 
north of the center of a wood-road, and about 1,500 feet east of 
the junction of Acton street with Bear Hill road. 

Chelmsford-Westford Line. This line was established by 
chapter 2 of the Laws of 1729-30, incorporating the west precinct 
of Chelmsford as Westford. 

LINE BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF CHELMSFORD AND CARLISLE. 

Beginning at the corner of Billerica, Carlisle and Chelmsford, 
a rough granite monument, triangular in section, marked B C 
and situated in low land 16 feet east of an angle in a wall at the 
southeasterly corner of a woodlot, about 1-2 mile southwest of 
the Billerica-Chelmsford road; thence north 74°, 04' west 3,863 
feet to corner 1, a rough granite monument marked C C and 
situated 23 feet west of the center of a cart-path at the north- 
easterly base of a thickly wooded hill, and about 1-2 mile east 
of the intersection of Carlisle road with Lowell street, Carlisle 
or Concord street, Chelmsford; thence south 70°, 55' west 6,274 
feet to corner 2, a granite monument marked C C and situated 
in woodland 15 feet southeast of an extensive stone pile, and 
about 200 feet west of the road leading to South Chelmsford; 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 473 

thence south 61°, 21' west 6,151 feet to the corner of Carlisle, 
Chelmsford and Westford, a rough granite monument marked 
C C W and situated in level woodland 58 feet north of the center 
of a wood-road, and about 1,500 feet east of the junction of 
Acton street with Bear Hill road. 

Chelmsford-Carlisle Line. Established by chapter 34 of the 
Acts of 1865. 

CHANGES. 

In 1652, certain inhabitants of Concord and Wobum asked 
the General Court to allow them to examine the region later 
granted them — six miles square — and called Chelmsford. In 
1656, an extension was granted of about three miles on the north 
side of the Town. 

THE BLOOD FARMS. 

The lines between Chelmsford, Concord and Billerica, and the 
farms of John and Robert Blood, were the cause of considerable 
controversy, which was settled in favor of Billerica. In 1694 
a committee was appointed to run the lines between Concord and 
Chelmsford, Billerica, Wameset and the Blood Farms. Some 
vacant land was found which the committee claimed the right to 
grant. 

The writer saw some time since in the keeping of Mr. George 
H. Robbins of Carlisle four old deeds dated 1666 and 1667, and 
bearing the signatures of Daniel Gookin and Thomas Danforth, 
which had to do with the Blood farms. They are written on 
parchment, deer-skin or bear-skin, and one of them showed the 
round hole made by the bullet which killed the animal. One 
also has a patch sewed on with a rawhide thong to cover a hole 
or tear in the skin. 

Hazen's Billerica contains some facts concerning these 
farms. The Blood family have been represented in the neighboring 
towns. Robert married Elizabeth, daughter of Major Simon 
Willard and had twelve children. He died October 27, 1701. 

This item is found in the Town records: 

Chelmsford geniway the 15, 169^ 

In considderason of a proposishon mad by Robard Bloode 
conseminge a parsile of land purchased of the Indians, he the said 
robbarde blood prepoaseth to the town of Chelmsford that in 
case the afore named toune wile joine with him the sed robbarde 
in petishon for a confermason of the same and they doe asume 
the a fore said land then the abovesaid Robarde in gageth to the 
town to in treste them in one thousand acorse upon condishon 
the above said toune paye to the above said Robbart blood five 
pound in silver and beare parte of the charge and further the 
above said Robarte ingageth to give to Mr Thomas Clarke of 
Chelmsford one hundred ackerse of land. 



474 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

FARMS ABOUT MERRIMACK TO BELONG TO CHELMSFORD AND 
MIDDLESEX COURTS, 9 OCTOBER, 1667, 

Vpon information of sundry ffarmes erected aboue the toune 
of Chelmsford, about Merremack Riuer, whose inhabitants pretend 
their sajd farmes to be out of the County of Midlesex, & possibly 
be not conteyned in any county, it is therefore ordered by this 
Court & the authority thereof, that all & euery the inhabitants 
of such farmes as there are or shall be improoued shall, in all points, 
haue their dependances vpon, & performe services, & beare 
chardges wth the sajd toune of Chelmsford, & that the sajd 
ffarmers repaire to the Courts of Midlesex for justice, & all, till 
this Court take further order, any lawe or custome to the contrary 
notwthstanding. 
[Records of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. 4, Pt. 2, p. 351.] 

Feb. 2, 1685. "The toune in genorall chose Capt. Thomas 
hinchman Mr. John fhske and Ser. Josiah Richarson to bee a 
Commity to treate with the Courtt and indianes about Wamaseke 
Neck of land in way of purchasing the same for the townes 
propriety. 

In 1721, sundry inhabitants of Concord and Chelmsford 
were annexed to Littleton in regard to support of the ministry. 

1725, May 23, certain lands in Chelmsford were annexed to 
Littleton. 

1725, Dec. 24. Jonathan Bowers, Samuel Hunt and divers 
others, dwellers on the land called Wamesick Purchase and Win- 
throp Farm, which lands lie adjoining to Billerica between Paw- 
tucket and Chelmsford line, pray to be erected into a distinct town. 

This was never acted upon by the General Court. Chelmsford 
opposed it, and secured the annexation of the greater part of 
the Wamesit purchase, June 13, 1726. For an account of the 
Wamesit purchase, see Chapter X. 

1735, June 19. A petition was presented to the General 
Court, asking that Chelmsford, Billerica, Groton, Dunstable, 
Littleton, Westford, Dracut, Nottingham, Townshend, Lunenburg, 
Harvard, Tewksbury and Litchfield, in Middlesex and Worcester 
counties, might be made a new county. The Court ordered 
notice of the petition to be sent to each of the towns concerned, 
but nothing more was effectually done. Chelmsford aspired 
to become the shire town. The next year, it was voted in Town 
Meeting "that the agents for a new county be allowed for their 
servis as the Town will allow them, if they obtain this Town to 
be the Shear town." The condition has a pen mark drawn 
across it. 

In 1752, "Began the long struggle to form a new town from 
the corners of Chelmsford, Concord, Bedford, Billerica and 
Acton." 

In 1755, the Town voted to allow part of the District of 
Carlisle, the towns of Billerica, Chelmsford, Acton and Westford 
to be erected into a township or district. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 475 

The Journal of the House of Representatives, of June, 1757, 
says — A petition of sundry of the Inhabitants of the Towns of 
Concord, Chelmsford, Billerica and Acton in the County of 
Middlesex, shewing that they lie at so great a distance from the 
meeting houses in the several towns to which they belong that they 
cannot, without great difficulty and inconvenience, attend on the 
Public Worship; and praying that they may be erected into a 
separate Town or District. The petition was not sustained. 

1800. Certain persons in the northeasterly part of the 
Town desired to be set oflE to unite with a part of Dracut. In 
Town meeting it was voted "that all that part of this Town that 
lyeth between the little canal and Merrimack river be set off." 

1816. Captain John Ford and others petitioned to be 
incorporated into a new town. This Town was opposed to it. 

PAWTUCKETVILLE (dRACUt). 

In 1820, Feb. 1, the General Court passed an act by which 
a number of the citizens of East Chelmsford were (for parochial 
purposes) set off from Chelmsford to the Pawtucketville society. 
They were "to enjoy all the parochial privileges of the society 
and pay their proportion of all necessary charges that may arise 
for such purposes." The names of those set off were Phineas 
Whiting, Nathaniel Wright, John Ford, Silas Hoar, Artemas 
Holden, James Bowers, Jonathan Bowers, Samuel F. Wood, 
Nathan Tyler, Josiah Fletcher, John C. Hall, Otis Tyler, Nathan 
Tyler, Jr., Nathan Hunting, Nathan P. Ames, Joseph Dane, 
Ephraim Osgood, Simeon Parker, Lewis Butterfield, Zebulon 
Parker, Jeduthan Parker, Osgood Worcester, Joel Dix, Varnum 
Spalding, Robert Spalding, Micajah Bowers, Bradley Varnum, 
John Goulding, Samuel Hunt, Moses Chever, Jr., and Amos 
Proctor. 

DRACUT. 



The people who settled upon the north side of the Merrimack 
river sustained a peculiar relationship with Chelmsford. The 
grant of this Town did not extend beyond the river at any time; 
nevertheless, the people living there were regarded as citizens 
of the Town. They voted, paid taxes, and attended meeting in 
Chelmsford, and looked to the Town for protection. And when 
some of those people attempted to escape from their share of the 
burdens of taxation, on the ground that their farms were not in 
Chelmsford nor in the County of Middlesex, the General Court 
confirmed the relationship previously existing, and ordered that 
they "haue their dependancs vpon, & performe services, & beare 
chardges wth the sajd toune of Chelmsford" — "any lawe or cus- 
tome to the contrary notwthstanding, 1667, Oct. 9." 



476 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

When "A tract of land called Dracut beyond Chelmsford" 
was made a township, the General Court decreed "that the 
inhabitants of said land assist in the maintenance of the ministry 
at the town of Chelmsford as at present they do, until they are 
provided with a minister as the law directs." It was not until 
1720 that they had a settled pastor. 

Still, the Town's relationship with the people on the north 
side of the river practically terminated with the incorporation of 
Dracut in 1701. Chelmsford took no formal action, however, 
until 1706, when it was "Voted that Draw Cutt shall not voat in 
Chelmsford." 

WESTFORD. 

The agitation for the formation of a precinct in the western 
part of the Town began in 1713. In town meeting, "March 2, 
1713. Voted, that the town doth not esteme those petitioners 
that did petition to be a separate precinct capable at present." 
During fourteen years, a number of requests for a west precinct 
received similar treatment. "While the question was pending, 
the town of Littleton was incorporated, November 2, 1714; and 
the residents of that town doubtless selected their earliest location 
for a meeting-house and training-field, or common, near the 
boundary line of Chelmsford with the expectation that a portion 
of the westerly part of that town lying so remote from the centre 
would, at a future time, be annexed to Littleton. Several families 
were thus annexed for parish convenience, and so remained until 
the west parish of Chelmsford was formed, when they were 
disannexed from Littleton by the General Court and included in 
said west parish, and Littleton took early measures for removing 
their centre about one mile southwesterly of their early location." 
[Hodgman's Westford.] Allen gives the names of these families; 
Joshua Fletcher, Josiah Whitney, Benjamin Robbins, Moses 
Foster, Joseph Hildreth, John Reed and Samuel Chamberlain. 
These were "dismissed" from paying toward the support of the 
minister in Chelmsford as long as they paid in Littleton. Josiah 
Barrett paid in Littleton. 

An Act of the General Court erecting the western part of the 
Town into a separate parish or precinct was passed in May, 1724. 

1724-5 To Benj. Adams for time expended at Court 
and with the Committee and other time and writ- 
ting and money expended relating to the affair of 

the Precinct £10.13.02 

To Capt. Clark for time and money expended at 

the Generall Court Relating to the precinct affair £00.16.06 

The Court ordered that Chelmsford pay £100. to the west 
parish for their proportionable expense in building the meeting- 
house, 1710-12. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 477 

Mch 5. 1727-8 The town considered the petition of Joseph 
Underwood Joshua Fletcher and Thomas Read in behalf of the 
West Precinct praying that the Town would set them ofiE'a 
separate Town Ship for Reasons there in Mentioned * * * 
Voted that the West Precinct be and hereby are granted the 
Liberty to be set of for a Separate Town Ship with there Proportion 
of the Ministry and to take it in the sd Precinct and there pro- 
portion in the Town stock of Ammunition. And they bearing 
there part in the Town Charges this year ensuing. 
There were 324 pounds of bullets and lead. 

Chelmsford's part 216 pounds 

Westford's " 108 " 

The stock of powder weighed 150 with the casks 

Chelmsford's part with the casks about 100 " 
Westford's " " " " about 50 " 

NASHOBA. 

Nov. 1698 Joseph Easterbrook & Thomas Clark & several 
other inhabitants of Concord & Chelmsford asked for a grant of 
land for a Township commonly called Nashoba lying near unto 
the said towns — Elisha Hutchinson Esq. Maj. James Converse 
& Capt Jonathan Danforth were appointed a Comm. to examine 
into the quality & circimistances of the said land & that Henry 
Ashurst haue his grant of 1000 acres out of this tract if free. Major 
Jonathan Tyng was added to the Committee. 

PETITION OF THOS. HENCHMAN AND OTHERS ASKING CONFIRMATION 
OF THE SALE OF INDIAN LAND AT NASHOBA. 

Province of the 1 To His Excellency The Govemour, Council 
Massachusetts Bay [ & Representatives Now Assembled in 
J Generall Court at Cambridge 

Oct. the 15, 1702. 

The Humble Petition of Thomas Henchman Esquire of 
Chelmsford; Francis Burroughs of Boston, Mercht. as Adminis- 
trator to Major Bulkley Late of Concord, Deceased; Josiah 
Whetcomb of Lancaster senior, & Walter Powers of Concord. 

Hiimbly sheweth to Your Excellency & Honour's. 
That there is a Certain Tract of Land Call'd Nashoby containing 
about four miles Square & Lying Between Groughton, Chelmsford, 
Concord & Stowe, that was Reserved and Confirmed as A Town- 
ship for the Indian Proprietors thereof, who afterward Removed 
themselves and familys to Natick and Having No occasion for 
their lands at Nashoby, They and their Descendts. that Remain, 
and who now are Reduced to very few Have at several times upon 
valuable considerations By Good & Sufficient Deeds (Ready to 
be produced) alienated & conveyed away all their Right & Title 
Thereto, the one Half thereof to Major Bulkley when living and 
your Petitioner Henchman ; and the other Half e to y our Petitioners 
Whetcomb & Powers. 



478 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

But Your Petitioners not Dareing to Rely Upon their Title 
from the Indians, Doe in obedience to the law of the Province, 
now pray for a Confirmation thereof from this Great and General 
Assembly. Which Jf they may obtain they Design to Jmprove 
the Same By Settling their own and Other family s there and to 
annex themselves to which of the neighboring Townes shall to 
the Generall Court Seem most Convenient and thereby the more 
Serviceable to the Province. 

And Your Petitioners as in Duty Bound 
Shall Ever Pray &c 

The land petitioned for was confirmed to the Petitioners 
provided they agree with Ye Jndians yt remayne upon ye place 
for a Convenient setlemt. & yt ye sd Tract of Land be annexd 
to Ye Towneship of Stowe. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 30, p. 486.] 

For an extended account of Nashoba see "Boundary Lines 
of Groton." 

CARLISLE. 

In 1754, Carlisle was a "district"; annexed to Concord 
two years later, and in 1780, established as a district, made up 
of parts of Acton, Billerica, Chelmsford and Concord. Carlisle 
was made a town in 1805. 

March 1, 1783, David Parker's land was set off from Carlisle 
and annexed to Chelmsford. 

DUNSTABLE. 

In 1755, Jonathan Tyng and others of Chelmsford asked to be 
annexed to Dunstable, giving, as the reason, that they were five 
or six miles from the meeting house, and only a mile or two from 
a house then building in Dunstable. Numerous inhabitants of 
the latter asked that the petition be granted, as the 300 acres 
"would be of little consequence to the large and rich town of 
Chelmsford, and will be of some advantage to Dunstable." 
Ephraim Spaulding, agent for Chelmsford, petitioned the Court 
not to grant the prayer. It was granted, however, April 24, 1755. 
Hence "the extreme crookedness" of the line between Chelmsford 
and Tyngsborough. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 116, p. 744.] 

MIDDLESEX VILLAGE. 

Middlesex Village (660 acres set off to Lowell in 1874), was 
so called because it was at the head of the Middlesex canal, and 
really came into existence because of the construction of that 
waterway, previous to which the only buildings there were the 
Clark tavern, the Howard house, the Bowers house, Clark's 
house at the ferry, and the Sawin house. Judge Hadley, in the 
first volume of the publications of the Lowell Historical Society, 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 479 

gives a very entertaining account of life at this place. Almost 
all the houses in the village, some of them of good Colonial style, 
were built in the decade following 1820. "Whist parties, singing 
parties, and, among the younger portion, kissing parties, were 
common enough; while the elders met once a week at the house 
of Mrs. Baldwin, Mr. Wood, Deacon Adams, Mr. Smith or Mr. 
Tyler, for prayer and meditation, or the study of the Scriptures, 
in what was known as the Bible Class." In winter, balls were 
given at the tavern. "There were no round dances in those 
days. Fisher's Hornpipe, Money Musk, Chorus Jig, Portland 
Fancy, Lady Washington's Reel, Speed the Plough, and other 
old contra dances, which called for real dancing, and the cotillion, 
were in order." Then there was the "Chelmsford Appolonian 
Temperance Brass Band." 

Judge Hadley says: * * * 'pj^g territory between 
Black Brook and the present Chelmsford line was long a favorite 
Indian residence, and used by them for the purpose of their rude 
husbandry, and called "John Sagamore Plantation." The 
Indians sold to Henchman, and Henchman sold a part to Cragie 
and a part to the Howards. Cragie owned east of the present 
centre of the village, and the Howards all to the west. Cragie, 
or his grantees, sold to Capt. Tyler, and the Howards sold a part 
of their territory to Cyrus Baldwin. 

On the bank of the river, opposite Wood street, was Major 
Hinchman's garrison house, used in King Philip's War. 

The three-story house in Middlesex, a little way east of 
Hadley street and on the opposite side of Middlesex street, was 
owned by Samuel F. Wood, and occupied by S. P. Hadley, father 
of the Judge. The elder Hadley succeeded Cyrus Baldwin, who 
was in charge of the locks and the canal business at this point. 
Two immense pollarded willows stood in front of the house. In 
the second story of this house was the lodge-room of the Pentucket 
Lodge of Masons, chartered March 9, 1807. In the great gale of 
September 23, 1815, which inspired Holmes's poem, the roof of 
this house was blown off, and landed in the interval back of the 
building. The Bowers barn was also blown down, and other 
damage was done. 

The Tyler and Baldwin houses were among the well-appointed 
homes. The hat factory of Bent and Bush, later of Boston, 
and the glass factory, were the prominent industries. 

Within the memory of some persons now living, there was 
standing in a field opposite Hadley street, a buttonwood tree, 
twenty-two feet in circumference. 

COLONEL JONAS CLARKE. 

Some years since, James Bayles, a WTiter in the Courier-Citizen, 
gave an account of Col. Jonas Clarke, which is here reprinted. 

There is no record of the building of the Middlesex tavern; 
nor is there any tradition of the time when it was built, or by whom 



480 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

it was built. The supposition is that it was built by Jonas Clark, 
sometime early in the eighteenth century; for it is recorded that 
Jonas Clark presented a bill for the entertainment of the selectmen 
at his place in 1737. (He probably was there nine years earlier.) 

Jonas was the son of the Rev. Thomas Clark, the second 
minister of Chelmsford, and was born December 2, 1684. Where 
he was educated is not known, but probably his education was 
received chiefly from his father, with a view to entering the 
ministry. But be that as it may, Jonas took to another course 
of life. He is recorded as living on what was later known as the 
"Cragie" farm in Middlesex Village. His house stood between 
the tavern and the river. Baldwin street was then the main 
road to Boston, via Golden Cove and Chelmsford, and to con- 
venience the people who lived across the river, Jonas established 
a ferry which was called "Clark's ferry." It is presimied that, 
conceiving the prospect of a profitable patronage, Jonas built the 
tavern which was known as "Clark's tavern." 

In those days, the stream of travel from New Hampshire 
and the northern territories flowed past the tavern and, turning 
to the right, went over the hill toward Boston. There was no 
place of refreshment until Chelmsford village was reached, and 
Jonas Clark became a prosperous Boniface at his hospitable inn. 

His sister, Elizabeth, had married Rev. John Hancock of 
Cambridge, and became the grandmother of Gov. John Hancock, 
who signed the Declaration of Independence, and it is supposed 
that the Hancocks were frequent guests at the tavern, as were all 
the fashionable folk who traveled in those days. 

The tavern was then a square building, substantially built, 
as the timbers still show; a roomy, spacious house, with large 
square rooms and great open fireplaces. Its table had a fame, 
and its swinging sign waved a greeting to every advancing guest. 
The stables must have been in the rear, for there is an expansive 
stable yard there, and great must have been the stir when the 
coaches with their four and six horses drove up, the passengers 
alighted, and were greeted by the substantial, courteous host, 
who must have been a man of rare accomplishments and steadfast 
principles, for he was honored by his fellow-townsmen and by the 
people of his Commonwealth. He ranked high in military life, 
being a colonel, and he was a selectman in 1723, '26, '32, '35 and 
'36; a representative to the General Court in 1729; an assessor 
in 1728; a surveyor of highways and a member of important 
town committees. 

He was assessed as Lieut. Jonas Clark in 1720; as Captain 
Jonas Clark he was elected surveyor of highways in 1721 ; he was 
chosen representative in 1729 as Major Jonas Clark; and in 
1732 he was elected a selectman as Col. Jonas Clark. 

Here are a few excerpts from the ancient Town records, which 
make mention of Jonas Clark: 




CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, NORTH CHELMSFORD 




^O- ^S CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, NORTH CHELMSFORD, BURNED IN 1893 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 481 

In 1723 — To Capt. Clark for the Selectmen expense at there 
meeting there and the committee expense at Running the neck 
line, 00 16 00. 

1727 — Capt. Jonas Clark for seven days about the valluation 
01, 08 00. 

In 1727 — To Benjamin Fletcher for arranging the limits of 
the highway from Capt. Jonas Clarks to Jerathemeil Bowers 
to the Long Causeway. 

May, 19, 1729 — That Major Jonas Clark be Representative 
for the year ensuing. 

In 1730 — To Major Jonas Clark to answer his bill of expense 
and time expended about getting the neck land of from being a 
precinct 03, 04 06. 

In 1732 — That Major Jonas Clark be a member of the 
committee to confer for the management of the wammassett 
purchase. 

In 1732— That Coll.ll Jonas Clark, Capt. Samuel Chamber- 
lain, Leut. Joseph Parker, be ye agents to Joyn with Sum of ye 
neighboring towns in order to obtain a new county. 

In 1733 — It was put to vote whether the town would allow 
the highway throw collonall Clarks land to Jonathan Howards 
Land at the town cost and it was passed in the negitive. 

In 1733 — To com't Simeon Spaulding for one day spent 
in Laying oute a Road through the neck over Spens brook and 
across a Road from the Road that Leads from Coll'll Jonas Clarks 
to merimaeck River at Abbotts ferry, 00 02 18. 
[Refer to Index of Topics for further mention of ferries.] 

In 1736 — Coll.ll Jonas Clark was a member of the committee 
to manage the afaire concerning a new bridge and way petitioned 
for by Leutt Joseph hill of Bilerica. 

In 1736 — Coll.ll Jonas Clark for fowr Dayes rating ye province 
tax 00 16 00. 

In 1736 — 7 Coll.ll Jonas Clark have the Liberty of erichting 
a pew near Coll.ll Tyngs pew he being at the Cost of Cutting the 
Seatt according to the Direction of the Selectmen. 

In 1738 — On the day above said was measured out by the 
Selectmen that part of the Room in the meeting house neer 
Colonel Elizer Tyng's pew which was voted to Coll.ll Jonas 
Clark to erect a pew in which Room is in Lengthe six foot Betwixt 
coll.ll Tyngs Pew Dore and the Est Dore of the meeting hous 
allowing full Liberty of the opening of said Dore and the width 
five foot and three inches. 

March 1, 1762 — It was voted to except of a Bridle Road laid 
oute by the Selectmen from the north Side of the Road that leads 
from Hunt's ferry to Colo. Jonas Clark's bounded on the westerly 
side by a River Birch then running northerly to merrimack River 
low watter mark at Abbott's ferry extending two rods easterly 
from Said bound. 



482 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Rev. Mr. Allen's history of Chelmsford, published in 1820, 
has this foot note to a sketch of Rev. Thomas Clark: 

"Jonas, the eldest son, was bom December 2, 1684; resided 
in what is now known as the 'Cragie farm,' where he kept a public 
house near the ferry, which has since ever borne his name. His 
house was the great resort of all fashionable people in these parts. 
He was honored with various civic and military offices; was very 
popular, was esteemed as a very good Christian. 

"He was honored in his day and was the glory of his times. 

"He closed his long and useful life April 28, 1770, aged 86. 

"His highest military title was colonel commanding the 
Second Regiment Middlesex Militia. His descendants are now 
living in Tewksbury." 

Full of years and replete with honors, the soldier, civic servant, 
landlord and freeman departed this life to the regret of all whom 
he had served, and was carried with martial pomp and laid upon 
the knoll at the foot of which his reverend father slept. 

The tombstone of the colonel and that of his wife, Elizabeth, 
are fine specimens of colonial mortuary art, and are very well 
preserved. They are of slate and are very elaborately sculptured 
with floral borders, scallops and fleur de lis. There are two angels, 
one with a book, and the other with a tnmipet, hovering over a 
head, which may be that of the colonel, on his tombstone, and the 
inscription reads : 



HERE 

lies Interr'd the 

body of Coin. Jonas 

Clark, who departed 

this Life, April 28th, 1770. 

In the 86th year of his age. 

God's creatures are his own, their lives 

He may at pleasure take. 
While he resimies but what he gives, 

Who can objections make? 
Death to the grave this dust conveys. 

There sleeps the hidden prey. 
Nor wakes till with a mighty noise 

The heavens shall pass away. 

Thessalonians iv., 16. For the Lord himself shall descend 
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 483 

On the tombstone of Elizabeth is one angel sounding the last 
trump. The inscription reads: 

Here lies interr'd the 

remains of Mrs. 

Elizabeth Clark the 

wife of Jonas Clark, esqr. 

who departed this life 

April 27th 1767, aged 

74 years. 

Halt passenger as you go past 

Remember time it runneth fast. 
My dust in narrow bounds do ly; 

Remember man that thou must dye; 
This dust revive it shall again 

And in a grave no more remain; 
When trumpet sounds I shall be raised 

For God's Holy word hath said. 

Jonas Clarke was succeeded by his son, Timothy. 

About 1815, Jesse Smith became the proprietor of the tavern, 
and made the alterations which connected the tavern with the 
store, and built the hall. The Middlesex canal was then in its 
prime, and the tavern was the resort of the passengers and the 
boatmen, while the hall was the place of assembly for the people 
of the village in their merrymakings. Jesse Smith was landlord 
until Simeon Spalding took the tavern sometime about 1820. 
After leaving the tavern Mr. Smith and his wife, who was a 
daughter of Joseph Warren, took up their residence with 
Mrs. Warren in the house opposite the training field, where his 
daughter, Miss Abba Smith, now resides. 

Enoch Merrill became the owner in 1833 and made many 
improvements, and "Tom" Parker was the landlord. In addition 
to his reputation as a host, "Tom" had repute as a fiddler; and 
to sit by the open fire on a winter night and hear "Tom" fiddle 
was a never-to-be forgotten privilege. 

[Jacob Howard was landlord prior to 1816. Thomas Parker was 
a brother of William, the agent of the Glass Company. In the 
early forties the sign read, "D. Poor Middlesex House." 
Daniel was his first name.] 

But time works changes, and the iron horse came, and ban- 
ished the canal, the glass works and Bent and Bush's hat factory, 
and Middlesex Village subsided from the once busy place it was 
into the somnolent and peaceful section it now is. The busy 
days of the tavern ceased to be, and have but place in the remem- 
brance of those whom time has blessed with mature age. 

Since then, among the landlords have been Orrin Wilkins, 
and John Arlin. There was a Keeley cure there at one time. 
Of late years it has ceased to exist as a place of public refreshment. 



484 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

CHELMSFORD GLASS COMPANY IN 1820. 

On the east bank of Middlesex canal, at the distance of 
two hundred rods from Merrimack river, a large building 124 
feet long and 62 wide, with necessary appendages for the manu- 
facturing of window glass, was erected in 1802. 

Near it is a two-storied house, handsomely finished, designed 
for the residence of the overseer, and around it, at convenient 
distances, a number of smaller houses for the accommodation 
of the workmen and their families. 

There are, says Allen, appertaining to this manufactory, about 
20 families, consisting of 40 men, 20 women and 40 children, one 
hundred in all. It is now in a flourishing state. About three 
hundred and thirty thousand feet of window glass are annually 
made, or three thousand three hundred boxes of one hundred feet 
each, which, at $13 per box, will amount to forty two thousand 
nine hundred dollars. The situation is very favorable for the 
transportation of glass to Boston, and those raw materials from 
thence, which it would be expensive to convey by land. A ready 
and cheap supply of wood is also easily obtained, of which it is 
estimated, that about tv^^o thousand cords are annually consumed 
in the manufactory and houses attached to it. 

The manufactory consists of 2 furnaces, 3 flattening ovens, 
2 tempering ovens, 6 ovens for drying wood, cutting, mixing, 
and pot rooms, a kiln for burning brick, a mill-house and sand 
house. 
[Allen, page 75.] 

Various ornamental, as well as useful articles made at the 
Glass Works, of plain or colored glass, are still treasured in 
Chelmsford homes. 

The sand used in making the glass contained so much iron 
that much of it was hued with various tints. 

The Rev. Hezekiah Packard wrote, Oct. 11, 1831, while 
he was still living at Middlesex Village: "The spirit of 
enterprise is busy in this place. But Lowell still appears like 
enchantment. It once constituted a part of my parish, with a 
few, very few scattered houses and very little cultivation, and 
now the population almost sufficient to claim the privileges and 
hold the authorities of a city." 

Clark's ferry, at Middlesex Village, ceased operation when 
the Pawtucket Bridge was built. This was a great undertaking 
for those days. It was the means of opening up travel from 
Vermont and New Hampshire through Dracut and Chelmsford 
to Boston. Thousands of teams loaded with pork, butter, cheese 
and all kinds of country produce passed over the bridge every 
season for many years, even after the railroad was in operation. 

Hunt's ferry crossed the Merrimack at what is now Bridge 
street. It was afterwards called Bradley's ferry. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 485 

EAST CHELMSFORD IN 1820. 

At Middlesex Village was the Howard estate, the home of 
Nathaniel, 1682-1710, and of his son Jonathan, 1710-1758, then 
of his grandson, Benjamin. Along the bank of the river, past 
Pawtucket falls, were the residences of Silas Hoar, Amos 
Whitney, Archibald McFarlin, Capt. John Ford, the Spaulding 
place, now the home of the Molly Varnum Chapter, D. A. R., 
Capt. Phineas Whiting's place, where was afterwards built the 
residence of Frederick Ayer, (corner of Pawtucket and School 
streets); Asahel Steams, Jonathan Fisk, Mr. Livingston (a 
house once used as Capt. Whiting's store), then the house of 
Joseph Chambers, a cooper. Then near the present Corporation 
Hospital, (Kirk Boott's house, moved from where the Boott Mills 
now stand), was "a red schoolhouse, from whose windows the 
pupils, when tired of their books, looked down upon the water- 
falls and the huge rocks of the river." Benjamin Melvin's place 
was close to the foot of the falls, and not far away were Nathan 
Tyler's saw- and grist-mills, which the ice carried away in the 
winter of 1810. Below the site of the present City Hall was the 
house of a blacksmith named Hall. Near the corner of John and 
Paige streets, lived Josiah Fletcher. East of the Concord river, 
stood the "Old Joe Brown House" of two stories, and further on 
was a tavern known as the "Old Yellow House," which, subse- 
quently, became Judge Livermore's home. 

About 1737, Nicholas Sprake (Sprague), Jr., erected a fulling 
mill on the east side of Concord river, this being the first manu- 
factory for dressing cloth in what is now Lowell. A year or two 
earlier. Mr. Sprague also built the first dam across the Concord 
river, where the East Merrimack street bridge now is. (The 
easterly end of the bridge rested originally on an island.) Near 
the mill, above mentioned, were also a sawmill and a gristmill. 

The Spragues sold a large tract of land, with the mill privilege, 
to Timothy Brown, in 1769. Six years earlier. Brown had bought 
land of William Hunt, and owned land bounding on Merrimack 
river. A road was cut on the south bank of the Merrimack to 
the Concord, at whose mouth Brown's ferry was established, 
across the Concord, and Bradley's ferry across the Merrimack. 
The river-bank road was known as the road to Salem until East 
Merrimack street superseded it. 

Interesting articles on the dwellers of East Chelmsford will 
be found in Chapter X, also in Volumes I and HI of the Old Resi- 
dents' Contributions. 

In 1787, at Beverly, was made the first attempt in this 
country to manufacture cotton cloth by machinery. 

In 1790, Moses Hale removed from Dracut (where his father 
had a fulling mill), to East Chelmsford, and built a fulling mill 
on River Meadow brook, which, at that point, was afterwards 
called Hale's brook. He was bom in 1765 at West Newbury. 



486 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1801, he introduced a carding machine into his mill, which 
was between Hale's mills and Whipple's mills, and was, for many- 
years, run by Joshua Mather, a native of Preston, England, of 
which town was Richard Arkwright, the inventor of cotton- 
spinning machinery in that country. 

In 1811, a protest was made against the building of a dam 
across Merrimack river, above Pawtucket falls, as it would flood 
the low land along the river. It did render useless the locks at 
Wicassee falls. 

In 1812, the war with England put an end to our over-sea 
commerce, and attention was necessarily turned to the manu- 
facture of cotton goods in this country, as most of our manufacttired 
goods had been brought from England. 

In 1813, Captain Phineas Whiting and Major Josiah Fletcher 
erected a successful wooden cotton mill on the present site of the 
Middlesex Company's mills. A similar enterprise by John Golding 
failed. The former mill was bought by Thomas Hurd in 1818, and 
turned into a woolen mill. 

In 1816, the Bowers saw- and grist-mills were built, and 
Nathan Tyler started a grist-mill where the Middlesex No. 3 now 
stands. 

Hurd manufactured satinet. Winthrop Howe made flannels 
by hand looms until 1827, at Wamesit falls. 

In 1818, Moses Hale started the powder-mills on Concord 
river, with forty pestles. The next year, William Tileston and 
Oliver M. Whipple entered the business. This institution con- 
tinued in operation until 1855, Mr. Whipple having been 
sole proprietor for twenty-six years. In a single year during 
the Mexican war, says Cowley, nearly a million pounds of powder 
were manufactured here. [See Chapter: "Annals," 1820.] 

Nathan Appleton, in his "Introduction of the Power Loom 
and Origin of Lowell," gives an account of the beginning of the 
city, and how he and Mr. Jackson, on the suggestion of Ezra 
Worthen to Paul Moody, the Waltham manufacturers, after 
consulting Thomas M. Clark, the agent of the Pawtucket Canal 
Company, inspected the vicinity of Pawtucket falls, with a view 
to purchasing the canal. 

They first visited the place in November, 1821. The party 
consisted of Patrick T. Jackson, Kirk Boott, Warren Button, 
Paul Moody, John W. Boott and Nathan Appleton. "At that 
time there were, I think," says Mr. Appleton, "less than a dozen 
houses on what now constitutes the city of Lowell, or rather, the 
thickly settled parts of it: — that of Nathan Tyler, near the corner 
of Merrimack and Bridge streets, that of Josiah Fletcher, near 
the Boott mills, the house and store of Phineas Whiting, near 
Pawtucket bridge, the house of Mrs. Warren, near what is now 
Warren street, the house of Judge Livermore, east of Concord 
river, then called Belvidere, and a few others." This was written 
in 1858. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 487 

"Such," says Miles, "was East Chelmsford in 1820. A few 
scattered farmhouses, standing, however, on good soil, and 
occupied by intelHgent and substantial families, the store, the 
tavern, the humble wooden factory, the few small buildings for 
the powder-works, the two gristmills — this was nearly all that the 
place possessed. The head of the canal had some promise of 
becoming a flourishing village. There was the house of Captain 
Phineas Whiting; that long occupied by the Hon. Asabel Steams, 
before his appointment to the professorship of Law in Harvard 
University, and, subsequently, by Nathaniel Wright, Esq., who 
succeeded him in professional practice; the dwelling, also, of Mr. 
James Bowers; and the houses of Messrs. John and Elisha Ford. 

Much of the land was low, interspersed with swamps, muddy 
ponds and clumps of bushes. 

Mr. Clark made the purchase of the land and canal shares in 
his own name, the others furnishing the money. The story is 
told of how the prospectors were watched by the shrewd farmer, 
as they were apparently casting flies for salmon, on the river bank. 
He doubled the price of his farm over night, and said, 'I calk'lated 
su'thin' was in the wind when I saw two strangers across the 
river sit on a rock and talk, then one feller go up and the other 
daown, an' talk ag'in.' They bought four farms, containing 
about four hundred acres, paying from one hundred to two hundred 
dollars an acre. When they wanted more land, the farmers fixed 
their own prices." 
[Old Paths and Legends of N. E. : Abbott.] 

The story, as given by Oilman [Drake's Middlesex Co., 
p. 61], is this: 

In Kirkland's Anecdotes will be found the following amusing 
notice of Kirk Boott: When the prospect of founding a large 
manufacturing town on the Merrimack river was in contemplation, 
some of the persons interested in that great commercial enterprise 

sent up to Mr. B , a young gentleman skilled as an engineer, 

and who was also fond of sporting, to view the water privilege 
carefully, and to make inquiry as to the prices of land in the 
vicinity. He went with his dog, gun, and fishing tackle, and 

obtained board in a farmer's house, a Mr. F . He spent his 

time in viewing the falls, the canal, the river, and the grounds, 
with occasional fowling and fishing. After spending some time 
there, in talking with the farmer, one evening, he told him that he 
liked the place very well, and thought he should be pleased to 
come and live there. The man said he should be pleased to have 

him. "Well, Mr. F , what will you take for your farm?" 

"Why, I don't want to sell it, Mr. B , nor would I unless I 

got twice what it is worth, as I am satisfied here, and don't want 

to move." "Well, what do you say it is worth, Mr. F ?" 

"Why, it is worth fifteen hundred dollars, and I can't sell it for 
less than three thousand dollars." "That is too much," said 
Mr. B , "I cannot give that." "Very well, you need not." 



488 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Here the conversation ended. Mr. B continued his sporting, 

and, having received his instructions, in the course of a few days 

renewed his talk with Mr. F , and said to him, "Well, Mr. 

F , I have made up my mind that I should like to live here 

very well; and, though you ask so much, I will take up with 
your offer, and give you three thousand dollars." "Why, as to 

that, Mr. B , you did not take my farm when I offered it to 

you, and I am not willing to sell it now for anything less than 

six thousand dollars." "You are joking, Mr. F !" "Not so, 

Mr. B ; I am in earnest, and I shan't continue my offer more 

than twenty-four hours." B , finding he was determined, 

went off for instructions, and the next day told Mr. F he would 

give him six thousand dollars. The purchase was made, deed 
passed, and money paid. 

Some time afterward, Mr. B asked the farmer what 

reason he had, in the course of a few days, to double the price of 

his farm, and to insist upon it. "Why, Mr. B , I will tell you; 

a day or two after I offered you the farm for three thousand 
dollars, I saw two men on the opposite side of the Merrimack 
river, sitting on a rock, and talking for some time; then they 
got up, and one went up the river and the other down, and, after 
some time they returned, seemed in earnest conversation half 
an hour or more, when they arose and went away. I did not 
know what it meant, but I thought something was in the wind, 
and I determined, if you asked me again to sell my farm, I would 
demand double the price." Thus began the purchase, by Boston 
merchants, of the land upon which the city of Lowell has been 
erected. 

At Lowell's fiftieth anniversary, General Butler said: "First 
and foremost of the remarkable men who were its founders stands 
the name of Kirk Boott. * * * 'pj^g early engineers 
reported no water power here, and it remained for an English 
half-pay cavalry officer, wandering along the side of our fall, 
rod in hand, casting the fly for the salmon, to discover and appreci- 
ate the mechanical force of a river which now does the work of 
ten thousand horses. Kirk Boott reported this view of the 
capabilities of the Merrimack river to Patrick T. Jackson, which 
view was confirmed by Paul Moody. 

On the same occasion, John A. Lowell claimed that Ezra 
Worthen was the first to recognize the value of Pawtucket falls 
for commercial use, and that the purchase of land, &c., was made 
before Kirk Boott set foot upon it. The accounts are conflicting. 

February 6, 1822, the Legislature granted "An Act to incorpor- 
ate the Merrimack Manufacturing Company. Kirk Boott, 
William Appleton, John W. Boott, and Ebenezer Appleton were 
the persons named in the act. The capital was $600,000. Up 
to this time, they had purchased six hundred and thirty-nine 
shares in the Pawtucket Canal or Locks and Canals Company, 
for which they paid $30,607.62; the Tyler farm for $8,000; the 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 489 

Josiah Fletcher farm, for $6,860; the Joseph Fletcher farm, for 
$1,230.62; and eight-tenths of Cheever's land, for $1,605. These 
sums, with $2,700 paid to N. Wright, $647.80 paid to T. M. Clark, 
and other incidental expenses, amounted to $69,815.62. 

Says Oilman : Thomas Hurd, reputed to be a shrewd operator, 
being in Boston about the time these lands were bought, overheard 
a conversation that led him to hasten back to Chelmsford, secure 
a refusal of the Bowers Saw Mill near Pawtucket falls, and of land 
in that vicinity. The Merrimack Company purchased of him the 
mill and land adjoining. 

The dam across the Merrimack, at Pawtucket falls, was 
built in 1822. The main canal was enlarged, and the Merrimack 
and Hamilton canals begun. 

The Merrimack Company completed the first mill and started 
the wheels on the first of September, 1823. Bedford and 
Merrimack, N. H., furnished the bricks used in the construction 
of this and other mills. Chelmsford furnished the lime. Kirk 
Boott was agent and treasurer. 

The Lowell Machine Shop was started in 1824, by Paul 
Moody, who supervised the construction and setting up of most 
of the machinery for the mills, until his death, in 1831. 

A good account of the beginning of Lowell and of the men 
who made the town, will be found in Drake's History of Middlesex 
Co., also in the Courier-Citizen's History of Lowell. Kirk Boott 
was, no doubt, the moving spirit and most prominent man in the 
early history of Lowell. Born in Boston, in 1791, educated at 
Rugby, England, and at Harvard College, he was a lieutenant 
in the Duke of York's regiment, in the Peninsular campaign 
under Wellington. He returned to this country in 1817, and soon 
became superintendent of the new mills at East Chelmsford. 
Lowell was named for Francis Cabot Lowell, the founder of the 
cotton manufacturing industry in America. 

As early as November 22, 1824, a committee of the Merrimack 
Company was appointed to consider the matter of a new township 
for East Chelmsford. 

In 1824, Mr. Jackson remarked that the purchase of real 
estate near the falls comprised about as many acres as were 
contained in the original territory of Boston. "If our plans 
succeed," he said, "we shall have as large a population in our 
territory in twenty years as we had in Boston twenty years ago." 
The population of Boston in 1804, was 26,000, and that of Lowell 
in 1844, was 28,000. 

Where the first mills were built, four or five families moved 
off the land, and soon fifteen hundred people were at work. 

In 1824, Ezra Worthen, superintendent of the Merrimack 
Company, died and was succeeded by Warren Colburn, of 
Arithmetic fame, who had taught school. Great numbers of his 
books were sold here and in Great Britain. He had great mathe- 
matical and mechanical skill. 



490 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER PRINTED IN THE ESSEX REGISTER AND 

REPRINTED IN THE CONCORD GAZETTE AND MIDDLESEX 

YEOMAN OF AUG. 13, 1825. 

We started from Salem, and took the road leading through 
Danvers, Lynniield, Reading, Wilmington and Billerica. The 
usual silence and total destitution of incident worthy of remark 
on the roads through which we passed, afforded no topic for our 
journals. We could only observe the ruinous effects of the late 
drought in the withered cornfields, the crusty mowing grounds, 
the yellow potatoe patches, and the meagre hop-yards. 

In passing through the town of Wilmington, "famous for 
hops," but not "of high production," unless the tall hop-poles 
will make the words of the poet good, we sympathized with an 
old farmer on account of the late drought, and the destruction 
occasioned by the Tornado, which had made sweeping work in 
his hop-yards. We then proceeded for Chelmsford. In Billerica, 
we observed that the Mills and Factories at the Falls of the 
Concord River, were stopped, in consequence of the deficiency 
of water occasioned by the dry season. 

As we ascended the high grounds which lie on this side the 
Merrimack, the beautiful valley which has been chosen for the 
site of the Manufacturing Establishments, opened upon our view. 

It is indeed a fairy scene. Here we beheld an extensive 
city, busy, noisy and thriving, with immense prospects of increasing 
extent and of boundless wealth. Everything is fresh and green 
with vigor of youth, yet perfect in all strength of manhood. 

On the banks of the Merrimack are already erected five 
superb Factories, and two immense piles of brick buildings occupied 
for Calico printing. In front of these, and on the banks of the 
Factory Canal, which is fenced in, and ornamented with a row 
of elms, are situated the houses for the accommodation of those 
employed in the Factories. The houses are double, two stories 
high, and separated from each other by wide avenues. They 
are handsomely and uniformly painted, and are beautifully 
ornamented with little flower gardens in front, and are accommo- 
dated with out-houses in the rear. There is a beautiful Gothic 
Stone Church (St. Anne's) opposite the dwelling houses, and a 
Parsonage house (of stone) is erecting near the Church. 

There are in the vicinity of the factories, two printing offices, 
from which weekly papers are published, a book-store, a book- 
bindery, a post-office, five taverns, one of which is a superb stone 
edifice, with out-buildings of the same material, eleven English 
and West-India goods stores, hat and shoe stores, various 
Mechanic shops and perhaps two hundred houses, all fresh from 
the hands of workmen, & many others building. The whole 
ground is scattered over with lumber and other materials for 
six other factories which are erecting on the other side of the 
Canal. — The ground is intersected with fine roads and good 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 491 

bridges. The whole seems to be the work of enchantment, — all 
is in motion — Labourers, interspersed in all directions, hewing 
timber, cutting stone, making bricks, and teamsters moving the 
materials to their proper places. 

There are only two of the new Factories now in operation — 
another is nearly ready to put in motion. They intend to have 
six in operation in the course of the year. 

About three hundred persons, two thirds of whom are young 
women from the neighboring towns, are employed in each factory. 
The women earn from a dollar to three dollars per week, according 
to their skill. 

In addition to the Cotton Factories, there are already at 
Chelmsford two large Woollen Factories, a Glass-House, where 
they manufacture the cylinder window-glass, and a Gunpowder 
Manufactory. 

We stood gazing at this fairy vision at the distance of a mile. 
The roar of the water-falls intermingled with the hum and buzz of 
the machinery. Sometimes it would raise its voice above the 
roar of the waters, and then die away, and be lost and mingled 
with them in harmony. It seemed to be a song of triumph and 
exultation at the successful union of nature with the arts of man, 
in order to make her contribute to the wants and happiness of the 
human family. — 

In his oration, at the 75th Anniversary of the Incorporation 
of Lowell, Solon W. Stevens, referring to the mill life of the early 
days, said: "We shall notice, on the part of those who are promi- 
nent and influential, a strong desire to provide for both the 
physical and the moral well-being of the people who have left 
their homes on the farm to become workers in the mills. We shall 
find the boarding-houses where the mill people lived were, in 
reality, neat, comfortable and attractive homes; and among the 
female operatives, we shall see a remarkable degree of intelligence 
and refinement. The fact is, the New England women who 
came here to weave and to spin in those days were not degraded 
in the least by their employment or through their surroundings. 
They brought with them, their mental and religious training, 
and, as they grouped together, impelled by similar tastes, they 
naturally inclined to grow intellectually under the stimulus of 
association, rather than to deteriorate. They very often stepped 
out of the factory life into semi-professional occupations, and, in 
many instances, they left the loom and the spindle, to become the 
wives of self-reliant men of substantial means, to become the 
queens of homes of virtue and intelligence, and to become mothers 
of cultured daughters and sons, who, as they grew into the 
responsibilities of life, never forgot to honor the mother who 
taught their infant lips to pray, and who made their childhood 
happy with her sweet caress. It was in recognition of such 
conditions that Mr. Charles Dickens was moved to ask his country- 
men 'to pause and reflect upon the difference between this town 



492 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

(Lowell) and those great haunts of desperate misery' with which 
people living in the manufacturing districts of England were, 
at that time, perfectly familiar. 

The founders of the factory system in the town of Lowell 
(East Chelmsford) were far-seeing men who knew full well that 
the population gathering here, with its varieties of social character 
and religious belief, could not be moulded into a well-ordered 
community without the benign influences of the schoolhouse and 
the church. The first edifice dedicated to the worship of Almighty 
God, within the limits of the territory which became the town of 
Lowell, was St. Anne's church, the corner stone of which was 
laid in 1824. (The Rev. Theodore Edson was the rector.) For 
nearly sixty years, until the hour of his death, this godly man 
went in and out before this people in the spirit of perfect conse- 
cration to his Master's service, leaving behind the record of a 
life woven into the very texture of the events which gave perman- 
ence of character to the community in which he lived." 

For an account of Lucy Larcom, the mill girl of Lowell, see 
her Life by Addison. Her brother and sisters lived in Chelmsford. 

On November 25, 1825, in Chelmsford town meeting, a 
committee consisting of Joel Adams, Caleb Abbott, Nathaniel 
Howard, Samuel Stevens, and Benjamin Chamberlain, reported 
favorably on a petition of Kirk Boott and others for a new town, 
the State and County taxes to be paid jointly by both towns, 
according to their present valuation, and all debts due from the 
Town, excepting the principal debt due on the poor farm be paid 
as above. 

On an irregularly shaped piece of hand-made paper, seven 
inches square, is printed this 

NOTICE 



The Inhabitants of the Town of Chelmsford, qualified by 
law to vote in town affairs, are hereby notified and warned to 
meet and assemble at the Meeting house, in the middle of said 
town, on Monday the 2d day of January next, at one of the 
clock, P. M. to act on the following articles, viz. 

L To choose a Moderator. 

2. At the request of Ephraim Spalding and others, to see 
if the Town will take measures to prevent the establishment of a 
highway from near the house of Willard Read to Golden Cove, 
so called, or act thereon as the Town may think proper. 

3. At the request of Noah Spalding, to see if the Town will 
agree to alter the west line of the new or contemplated Town, 
so as to include the house and land now in the occupation of 
Osgood Worcester, or act anything thereon. 

By virtue of a Warrant from the Selectmen, dated Dec. 28^ 
A. D. 1825. EZEKIEL BYAM, 

Constable of Chelmsford. 
[Owned by Miss H. M. Spalding.] 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 493 

January 2, 1826, in town meeting it was voted that the voters 
go out of the (meeting) house and be polled on the common. The 
west line of the new proposed town (Lowell) was to be altered 
so as to accommodate the estate on which Osgood Worcester 
resided, and the south line to accommodate the estates of Sprake 
and Benjamin Livingstone. 

The original bounds of Lowell, as given in the charter, are 
thus described: Beginning at Merrimack river, at a stone post, 
about two hundred rods above the mouth of Pawtucket canal, 
so called; thence, running southerly in a straight course, until 
it strikes the Middlesex canal, at a point ten rods above the canal 
bridge, near the dwelling-house of Henry Coburn ; thence southerly 
on said canal twenty rods; thence a due east course to a stone 
post at Concord river. The area thus lost to Chelmsford was 
7,735 acres, or about twelve square miles. [See Map No. 6.] 

"The town of Lowell was incorporated March 1 , 1826. For four 
years after the work on the Merrimack Mills was begun, the village 
retained the name of East Chelmsford. The number of inhabi- 
tants in this village had risen from 200 in 1820, to 2300 in 1826, 
more than eleven-fold. These twenty-three hundred people were 
compelled to go four miles— to Chelmsford Centre — to attend 
town-meetings and transact other municipal business. The two 
villages had no common business relations and no social sym- 
pathies. The taxes raised upon the valuable property of the 
mills could be claimed and expended by the town of Chelmsford. 
The schools of the new village were under the management of 
the town. Various motives conspired to make it the desire of 
East Chelmsford to become a town by itself." 
[Lowell, by C. C. Chase.] 

A meeting of the voters of Lowell was called for March 6, 
at Balch and Coburn's tavern, the "Stone House" near Pawtucket 
falls, now the Ayer Home, and officers for the new town were 
elected. 

On a piece of paper similar to the above mentioned, is printed, 
of the width of a newspaper column, this notice: 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Middlesex, S.S. 
To KIRK BOOTT, of the Town of Lowell, in the County of 
Middlesex, aforesaid, Esq. 

Greeting : — 

Pursuant to a law of the Commonwealth, aforesaid, passed on 
the first day of March, instant; you are hereby authorized and 
required to notify and warn the freeholders and other inhabitants 
of the said Town of Lowell, qualified by law to vote in Town 
affairs, and for the choice of Town Officers, to meet at the Tavern 
of Messrs. Balch & Coburn in said Tov/n, on Monday, the sixth 
day of March instant, at one of the clock, in the afternoon, to 
act upon the following articles, viz: — 



494 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1. To choose a Moderator of said meeting; 

2. To choose all such Town Officers, as towns are required 
by law to choose ; 

3. To give their votes for a Register of Deeds, for said 
County; 

4. To agree upon the manner of calling future Town 
Meetings. 

Given under my hand and seal, this second day of 
March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred 
and twenty-six. 

JOSEPH LOCKE, 

Justice of the Peace. 

— 000 — 
In pursuance of the foregoing warrant, to me directed, I do 
hereby notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Lowell 
to meet at the time and place therein mentioned, and for the 
purposes therein expressed. KIRK BOOTT. 

Lowell, March 2, 1826. 
[Owned by Miss H. M. Spalding.] 

PART TWO. 

BRIDGES. 

In 1656, the bridge between Chelmsford and Concord was 
"driven down by the violence of waters." 

THE CONCORD RIVER BRIDGE. 

Soon after the settlement of Chelmsford and Billerica, the 
County appointed a committee to locate a bridge at the most 
convenient point between the towns.* It was built at what was 
called the Ford way, about one half a mile above North Billerica. 
In 1657, the County Court ordered that this bridge and that at 
Misticke should be the only two to be finished at the County's 
charge, and afterwards to be repaired by the towns. Chelmsford 
was abated two pounds and Billirrikey one pound in their rates 
to the bridge on account of its benefit to the County. In 1658, 
the same Court ordered that warrants be issued to collect arrears 
due to be paid towards "Chenceford and Misticke Bridges." 
The next year the selectmen of Chelmsford sent a petition to the 
Court, which appointed a committee to investigate the cause of, 
and amount of, needed repairs, and ordered that the selectmen 
of Chelmsford, with those that covenanted to build the bridge, 
should forthwith repair and finish it, and "that the charges 
expended in repairing" it "be repaid to those that undertook the 
work in manner following, i. e., Joseph Parker for his neglect in 
not finishing it according to covenant shall bear forty shillings of 
it." The remainder, £12. 11. 4, to be paid by the County 
Treasurer. The several towns to pay five shillings in the pound 

♦December 30, 1650, Thomas Adams of Chelmsford was appointed one of a committee to 
consider what bridges are necessary to be made and maintained in this county. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 495 

for so much as they were behindhand to the workmen. Groton 
was also required to pay, as the bridge was a great convenience 
to the travel from that town. It was a crude piece of work, and 
was constantly in need of repair. The work was done by Chelms- 
ford and Billerica in conjunction. In 1660, the two towns were 
presented, on account of the insufficiency of the bridge. In 1662, 
Hazen records, Billerica furnished five hands and Chelmsford 
four, "a day in the water," charging 2s. 6d. per day. There is 
also a charge for two quarts of liquor, 4s. In 1666, Chelmsford 
refused to assist further in maintaining the bridge, and Billerica, 
"for the prevention of dangers and hazards," had some of the 
planks taken away, and provided danger signals, so that the 
bridge ^could not be used. A year and a half later, the three 
towns were obliged by the Court to repair the bridge. The 
County Court "did nominate and empower Mr. John Webb, 
alias Evered, Mr. Thomas Hinksman, Mr. James Parker & 
Jonathan Danforth, to agree with some able and honest artificer 
for erecting" a bridge. Job Lane was employed to do the work. 
He was distinguished as a contractor. The timber arches were 
to be sixteen feet wide, and the flooring of oak plank four inches 
thick. The cost was to be "seven score and five pounds sterling." 
This bridge seems to have stood about ten years without repair. 
In 1699, the records show that it had been carried away by a 
flood, probably in 1698, for, in December of that year, Chelmsford 
arranged with Billerica, Groton and Dunstable to erect a new 
structure to replace it. Groton would not co-operate until 
compelled by the General Court. Thomas Hinchman, Solomon 
Keyes, Sen., and Nathaniel Hill acted for this town. Billerica 
preferred to have the new bridge nearer the centre of the Town, 
and it was built at the "Corner." Farmer, in his Historical 
Memoir of Billerica, says the bridge was removed from the Ford- 
way (higher up the river, [Allen]), in 1663, at the expense of 
Billerica and Chelmsford, and that, in 1699, it was rebuilt con- 
siderably higher up the river, which made it necessary to alter 
the road between the two towns. 

In 1716, the selectmen of the two towns met at the bridge 
and found it very defective, and took the advice of experts. They 
all agreed that a new structure should be built. In that year, 
Thomas Dutton of Billerica was voted twenty shillings "paid 
out of our (Chelmsford's) town treasury unto him in consideration 
of the loss of his cow at bilereca greit bridg." In the same year, 
Groton obtained a release from further expense for the bridge. 
This had been granted in 1699, but on the petition of the other 
towns, the General Court referred the matter to the Court of 
Sessions, with the result as above stated. Dracut, Dunstable 
and Westford were holden till 1737, and Chelmsford till 1792. 
[Allen.] 

In 1737, the bridge fell down, and it was debated whether 
or not to build again in the same location, or further down the 



496 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

river, "near the fordway where the ancient bridge stood." 
Chelmsford preferred the latter place, but it was rebuilt at the 
Corner. 

In 1768, it was voted to confer with the committee of Billerica 
about repairing the bridge, "to make the travelling safe for all 
his majesties subjects." 

The dispute between Chelmsford and Billerica was renewed 
in 1787, and the records of the Supreme Judicial Court say, that 
"The Inhabitants of Billerica recover against the Inhabitants 
of Chelmsford the sum of £31, lawful money damage and cost 
Taxed at £15:1:8. Sept. 20, 1787. 

In 1789, Chelmsford chose a committee to carry on a lawsuit 
with Billerica. The former town tried to get the Court to excuse 
them from further expense in relation to the bridge. 

The committee received £6:4:0:0 

An execution was levied, and some private property seized, 
as the following items from the Town records show. 

To one hog that was taken to satisfy the execution 

that Billerica had against Chelmsford £2: 8:3:0 

To one horse and saddle and bridle that was taken 
to satisfy the execution that Mr. Smith had 
against Chelmsford £12: 0: 0: 

To Money Wm. Fletcher paid to Barthw. Richardson 
on account of the execution that Billerica had 
against Chelmsford and for his trouble when 
his oxen was taken with the said execution . . . £15: 16: 0: 

To paid to Richardson when Mr. Isaac Chamberlain's 

and Mr. Wm. Fletcher's cattel was taken £17 : 13 : 1 : 

To money which Seth Lovering advanced to satisfy 
part of Billerica's execution against Chelmsford 
to the Cost of Billerica great bridge over Concord 
River £ 2: 11:0: 

Money advanced by Wm. Fletcher for same £ 0:13:5:0 

" " £ 0: 8: 6: 

To more for time and expense at sundry times when 

contending with Billerica £ 1:11:9:0 

To Mr. Willard Howard for money he let Mr. Saml. 
Perham, Jr., have when he was town treasurer 
to satisfy a part of an action which the Town 
of Billerica had against Chelmsford £0: 9:0:0 

Paid to Capt. Jonathan Stickney when Chelmsford 

and Billerica was in dispute £0: 4:6:0 

In 1789, the records of the Court of Sessions show that a 
memorial of Chelmsford was entered, respecting Billerica. The 
case was called the next year, but neither party appeared. In 
November, 1791, Chelmsford was discharged from any further 
expense in building or repairing this bridge. 




EAGLE MILLS, WEST CHELMSFORD, AS REBUILT AFTER THE FIRE OF 1863 




No 2g 



METHODIST CHURCH, WEST CHELMSFORD 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 497 

In May, 1792, it was voted in Chelmsford Town Meeting 
that the Selectmen be a committee to see if they can make out 
what became of the money that was borrowed to pay the execution 
that Billerica had against this Town respecting the Bridge. 

In 1873, the old wooden bridge was replaced by an iron 
structure. 

BRIDGE AT THE MOUTH OF THE CONCORD. 

Allen says the first bridge at the mouth of the Concord river 
was about twenty rods below the present. It was blown down 
by a gale of wind before it was entirely finished; and that the 
second bridge was just below the one now standing. The third 
and last bridge was built in 1810, at the joint expense of Tewksbury 
and Chelmsford. 

An iron structure now spans the river at this point. Brown's 
ferry was at this point before the bridge was built. The bridge 
was rebuilt in 1819, 1835 and 1837. The first bridge was built 
in 1774. 

PAWTUCKET BRIDGE. 

The Proprietors of the Middlesex Merrimack River Bridge 
were incorporated February 4, 1792. Their names were: 
Parker Varnum Bradley Varnum 

James Varnimi Jonathan Varnum 

Thomas Russell Benjamin Varnum 

Jonathan Simpson Nathan Tyler 

Louis de Marisquelles Eliakim Wood 

Joseph B. Varnum Daniel Coburn 

Loammi Baldwin Moses B. Coburn 

William Blanchard Asa Richardson 

Solomon Aiken Oliver Whitney, Jr. 

Samuel Cotton Joel Spalding 

William Hildreth, Jr. John Ford 

Jeptha Spalding Jona. P. Pollard 

Josiah Fletcher, Jr. Thomas Beals 

Peter Coburn, Jr. Ebenezer Hall 

There is an interesting history of this bridge in Vol. IV, of 
the Old Residents' Contributions, which is used in this account. 

The charter provided that, after fifty years, the legislature 
might alter the tolls, from time to time; and might authorize 
a canal on the bank, or under the bridge, for the passage of boats 
and rafts. But, at the end of four years, on petition, and repre- 
sentation that the tolls were inadequate for the maintenance of 
the bridge, the legislature allowed an increase of the tolls, on 
an average of about fifty per cent. The tolls were first designated 
in EngHsh money, but in 1796, they were changed to Federal 
money, indicating that the transition in the currency of this 



498 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

country was made about that time. The toll for a foot passenger 
was from two-thirds of a penny to one cent and five mills. Half 
cents were then in circulation. 

In 1807, all persons were given free passage to any public 
meeting at the west meeting-house in Dracut. Reduced rates 
were allowed to those who used the bridge regularly and often. 
The next year, Ebenezer Griffin bought the toll of the bridge for 
one year, for nine hundred dollars, but found it unprofitable. 

In 1822, the Proprietors voted to choose an agent to oppose, 
in the Legislature, the petition of Edward St. Loe Livermore, 
for a bridge over Merrimack river, at Hunt's falls. 

From time to time, they encouraged the laying out of roads 
which would increase travel over the bridge. 

It is recorded that one of the early meetings of the Proprietors 
took place at 5 o'clock in the morning. Col. Loammi Baldwin 
was appointed to procure one ton of iron and two barrels of New 
England rum. Each workman was allowed half a pint of rum 
per day. When the bridge was opened for travel, Nov. 5, 1792, 
all persons who came to see it were treated with flip or toddy, 
at the expense of the Proprietors. In 1803, stone abutments were 
built. 

The original cost of the structure was about £1,600, or $8,000. 
It was cheaply built, and had to be rebuilt in twelve years, and 
different parts of it were again rebuilt at various times, and in 
1848, the whole was rebuilt. In 1861, it was sold for $12,000, 
and became a free bridge with great rejoicing by the public. 
McFarlin's horses drew the toll-gate across the bridge, preceded 
by a band of music. A gathering at Huntington Hall, in which 
the neighboring towns took part, celebrated the event. 

CENTRAL BRIDGE. 

The Central Bridge Corporation was incorporated Feb. 24, 
1825, and the bridge was in use by December of the next year, 
when two stage coaches crossed it daily, one to Haverhill and 
Dover, and one to Londonderry. It was 540 feet long, and 
cost $22,128.25. It was a toll bridge, of the old covered wooden 
type. It was rebuilt in 1862. It was burned August 4, 1882, and 
was replaced by an iron structure. 

This bridge took the place of Bradley's Ferry, earlier known 
as Hunt's Ferry, between Chelmsford and Dracut, at Bridge 
street, Lowell. The ferry was kept on the Dracut side at the 
foot of Ferry lane, as it was then called, and those who wished 
to cross from the Chelmsford side of the river were obliged to 
blow a horn or shout across to the ferryman. The ferry was 
attached to a rope or chain stretched across the river. Clark's 
Ferry was at Middlesex Village. In 1737, a road was laid out 
between the two ferries on the Chelmsford side of the river. [See 
Vol. II, Old Residents' Contributions.] 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 499 

The tolls on Central Bridge were the same as on Pawtucket 
Bridge. The corporators were Joseph Bradley, Ezekiel Cheever, 
Abijah Fox, Ezekiel Fox, and Peter Heaselton. 

THE PAWTUCKET CANAL. 

It was inevitable that manufacturing enterprises should 
sometime be attracted to the locality provided with water power 
by Pawtucket falls. On August 8, 1792, there was formed a 
corporation entitled "The Proprietors of the Locks and Canals 
on the Merrimack River." The incorporators were Dudley 
Atkins Tyng — the reporter of the decisions of the Supreme Judicial 
Court — William Coombs, and others. To avoid the falls and 
rapids, the logs and lumber which came down the Merrimack 
had to be removed from the river at a point above Pawtucket 
falls, and transported nearer the mouth of the Concord, which 
flows into the Merrimack at a level thirty-two feet below that 
of the latter above the falls. The primary object was to connect 
the two levels by a canal, and thus provide continuous navigation 
to the sea, making the river passable to boats, rafts and masts. 
On March 11, 1793, a contract was made with Joseph Tyler for 
a canal not to exceed thirty feet in width, and one and a half 
mile in length. The cost was to be £4344, lawful currency. Tyler 
failing to fulfill the contract, Thomas M. Clark, of Newburyport, 
was employed. The canal w^as to begin at Pawtucket falls "near 
the great landing place, thence running to Lily pond, from thence 
by Speen's brook to Concord River." [See Map No. 5.] The 
canal followed Speen's brook along the swamp to the river. It 
was opened, October 18, 1796, and cost $50,000. The first boat 
passed through it in 1797. There were four locks — the Guard, 
Mink, Swamp and Lower. It was nearly thirty years before 
large manufacturing interests availed themselves of this water 
power. 

With the exception of the canal built, in 1793, around the 
falls of the Connecticut, at South Hadley, and, possibly, that at 
Turner's falls, (and some claim it without these exceptions), this 
was the first canal opened in this country, and when the first boat 
passed through it, several hundred people assembled to view the 
unusual event. They stood upon the walls of the first lock and 
the banks of the canal. The directors and other gentlemen 
invited by them to take the trip were on board the boat. "Scarcely 
had they entered the first lock," says Allen, 'when the sides 
suddenly gave way. The water, bursting upon the spectators 
with great violence, carried many down the stream. Infants 
were separated from their parents, wives from their husbands, 
young ladies from their gallants, and men, women, timber, and 
broken boards and planks were seen promiscuously floating in 
the water. ('Nantes — rari apparent in gurgite vasto.') Some 
had their clothes partially, others almost entirely torn off from 



500 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

them. Mothers were shrieking for their lost children, husbands 
swimming in search of their wives and daughters; paleness sat 
on the countenance and anxiety filled the hearts of those on shore 
for the safety of their friends in the water. All, at length, came 
safely to land without any material injury. Thus ended the 
amusement of that memorable day." 

THE MIDDLESEX CANAL. 

The value of the Pawtucket canal was greatly lessened by 
the building of the Middlesex canal, which provided a more direct 
route to Boston. 

The surveys between Chelmsford and Charlestown were 
made by Samuel Thompson of Woburn, superseded by Samuel 
Weston, an English engineer, and were completed, August 2, 
1794. The canal followed closely the ancient bed of the Merri- 
mack, from which it was shifted in the glacial period. Two 
routes were considered; the rejected route was, forty years later, 
selected for the B. & L. Railroad. The canal, thirty feet wide, 
four feet deep, with twenty locks, seven acqueducts, and crossed 
by fifty bridges, was, in 1802, sufficiently completed for the 
admission of water, and the following year was opened to public 
navigation from the Merrimack to the Charles. Its cost, about 
$500,000, of which one third was for land damages, was but 
little more than the estimate. 

From an article by Lorin L. Dame, in Vol. 3, Old Residents' 
Contributions : 

The curious traveller may still trace with little difficulty 
the line of the old Middlesex Canal, with here and there a break, 
from the basin at Charlestown to its junction with the Merrimack 
at Middlesex Villiage. Like an accusing ghost, it never strays 
far from the Boston and Lowell Railroad, to which it owes its 
untimely end. 

At Medford, the Woburn sewer runs along one portion of its 
bed, the Spot Pond water-pipes another. The tow-path, at one 
point, marks the course of the defunct Mystic Valley Railroad; 
at others, it has been metamorphosed into sections of the highway; 
at others, it serves as a cow-path or woodland lane ; at Wilmington, 
the stone sides of a lock have become the lateral walls of a dwelling- 
house cellar. 

Judging the canal by the pecuniary recompense it brought 
its projectors, it must be admitted a dismal failure; yet, its 
inception was none the less a comprehensive, far-reaching scheme, 
which seemed to assure a future of ample profits and great public 
usefulness. Inconsiderable as this work may appear, compared 
with the modern achievements of engineering, it was, for the 
times, a gigantic undertaking, beset with difficulties scarcely 
conceivable today. Boston was a small town of about twenty 
thousand inhabitants; Medford, Woburn, and Chelmsford were 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 501 

insignificant villages; and Lowell was as yet unborn, while the 
valley of the Merrimack, northward into New Hampshire, 
supported a sparse agricultural population. But the outlook was 
encouraging. It was a period of rapid growth and marked 
improvements. The subject of closer communication with the 
interior early became a vital question. Turnpikes, controlled by 
corporations, were the principal avenues over which country 
produce, lumber, fire-wood, and building-stone found their way 
to the little metropolis. The cost of entertainment at the various 
country inns, the frequent tolls, and the inevitable wear and tear 
of teaming, enhanced very materially the price of all these articles. 

The Middlesex Canal was the first step towards the solution 
of the problem of cheap transportation. 

The plan originated with the Hon. James Sullivan, who was, 
for six years, a judge of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, 
attorney-general, from 1790 to 1807, and governor, in 1807 and 
1808, dying while holding the latter office. 

A brief glance at the map of the New England States will 
bring out in bold relief the full significance of Sullivan's scheme. 
It will be seen that the Merrimack River, after pursuing a southerly 
course as far as Middlesex Village, turns abruptly to the northeast. 
A canal from Charlestown mill pond to this bend of the river, a 
distance of 27^ miles, would open a continuous water-route of 
eighty miles to Concord, N. H. From this point, taking advantage 
of Lake Sunapee, a canal could easily be run in a northwesterly 
direction to the Connecticut at Windsor, Vt. ; and thence, making 
use of intermediate streams, communication could be opened 
with the St. Lawrence. The speculative mind of Sullivan dwelt 
upon the pregnant results that must follow the connection of 
Boston with New Hampshire, and, possibly, Vermont and Canada. 
He consulted his friend. Col. Baldwin, sheriff of Middlesex, who 
had a natural taste for engineering, and they came to the con- 
clusion that the plan was feasible. Should the undertaking 
succeed between Concord and Boston, the gradual increase in 
population and traffic would, in time, warrant the completion 
of the programme. Even should communication never be estab- 
lished beyond Concord, the commercial advantages of opening 
to the market the undeveloped resources of upper New Hampshire 
would be a sufficient justification. Accordingly, James Sullivan, 
Loammi Baldwin, Jonathan Porter, Samuel Swan, and five mem- 
bers of the Hall family at Medford, petitioned the General Court 
for an act of incorporation. 

A charter was granted, bearing date of June 22, 1793, 
"incorporating James Sullivan, Esq., and others, by the name 
of the Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal," and on the same day 
was signed by His Excellency, John Hancock, Governor of the 
Commonwealth. By this charter the proprietors were authorized 
to lay such assessments from time to time as might be required 
for the construction of the canal. 



502 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Commencing at Charlestown mill pond, it passed through 
Medford, crossing the Mystic by a wooden aqueduct of 100 feet, 
to Horn Pond in Woburn. Traversing Woburn and Wilmington, 
it crossed the Shawshine by an aqueduct of 137 feet, and struck 
the Concord, from which it received its water, at Billerica Mills. 
Entering the Concord by a stone guard-lock, it crossed, with a 
floating tow-path, and passed out on the northern side through 
another guard-lock; thence it descended 27 feet, in a course of 
5}4 miles, through Chelmsford to the Merrimack, making its 
entire length 27)4 miles. 

In 1805, the Town sent a remonstrance to the General Court 
against the contemplated tow-path on the bank of the Merrimack 
river, and also against the proprietors of Middlesex Canal having 
certain privileges on the meadows. 

From a Thanksgiving sermon, Nov. 29, 1810, by Rev. 
Wilkes Allen : 

Note A. Middlesex Canal is supplied with water from 
Concord river at a fall in Billerica, four miles from its mouth. 
This river in the summer is about 107 feet higher than the waters 
in Boston Harbor at full tide, and 21 feet above the surface of 
Merrimack. You ascend from the Merrimack by three Locks 
to the level of the canal, and thence to Concord river; crossing 
its surface, you proceed 11 miles on the same level, passing over 
several small streams and rivers on aqueduct bridges, especially 
Shawsheen, which is 20 feet below the waters of the canal. From 
the Concord to Boston are thirteen locks. 

From a Paper Read by Prof. Geo. L. Vose of the Massachusetts 
Institute of Technology, before the Boston Society of Civil 
Engineers, 1885: 

The pioneer work of actual internal improvement in Massa- 
chusetts, if not in America, was the Middlesex canal, the inception 
and execution of which was due mainly to one of the most dis- 
tinguished men of the last century, James Sullivan. He saw, 
upon the map, the Merrimack river reaching far up into the heart 
of the great state, which lacked only the means of sending its 
products to market to set in motion a thousand wheels of industry. 
"The connection of Boston," says Mr. Amory, in his excellent 
life of Sullivan, "by a line of navigable waters with New Hampshire 
and Vermont, and perhaps with Canada, became early for Sullivan 
a favorite project. The Merrimack, after issuing from Lake 
Winnipesaukee, 120 miles from Boston, ran southerly within 27 
miles of that capital, and then, turning abruptly to the northeast, 
discharged itself, after an obstructed course of 50 miles, at New- 
bury port. Between Concord, in New Hampshire, and Windsor, 
Vermont, the Sunapee lake gave facility for connecting the 
Connecticut and Merrimack, and the latter could be made navigable 
by locks at low cost. Should the undertaking succeed between 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 503 

Concord and Boston, the gradual traffic would, in time, warrant 
its extension to the Connecticut, and perhaps to the St. Lawrence. 
The first step was a canal from Chelmsford to Boston." 

The length of the canal was 27 miles; the rise from the 
Merrimack river at Chelmsford to the Concord river mill-pond 
at Billerica was 27 feet, and the fall from the mill-pond to Charles 
river 107 feet. There were in all, 20 locks, 48 bridges over the 
canal, and 7 aqueducts. The work was under construction from 
1795 to 1803. The cost was about $500,000, of which about 
one-third was for land damages. 

In the month of May, 1793, several gentlemen, prominent 
among whom were James Sullivan, Loammi Baldwin and Jonathan 
Porter, associated themselves for opening a canal from the waters 
of the Merrimack, by Concord river or some other way, through 
the waters of Mystic river to the town of Boston; and a committee 
proceeded at once to obtain a charter from the General Court, 
which was signed by Governor Hancock on the 22d of June, 
1793. The company organized by the choice of James Sullivan 
as President, and Loammi Baldwin and John Brooks as vice 
presidents, and proceeded at once to make the necessary surveys 
to find the most eligible route between Medford river and the 
Merrimack. 

An accurate survey in those days was almost unknown in 
this country, and a leveling instrument was an unheard-of thing. 
In January, 1793, Mr. Sullivan wrote to Gen. Knox: "We are 
under the necessity of procuring a man who is skilled in the 
business of canaling, who can point us to the place where, under 
all circumstances, the canal ought to be cut. We hear that such 
a person is in Philadelphia, who has come to America on the 
invitation of Mr. Morris. We beg the favor of your inquiring 
whether such an artist is there, and whether we can obtain his 
aid." The "artist" referred to was Mr. Samuel Weston, an 
engineer brought up in England under James Brindley. 

A preliminary examination of the ground was made in the 
summer of 1793 by Mr. Samuel Thompson, of Woburn. He 
appears to have made a very careful study of the country, but was 
not provided with instrtunents of sufficient precision to obtain 
the elevations accurately. In March, 1794, the directors voted 
to send Loammi Baldwin to Philadelphia, that he might try to get 
Mr. Weston to make the survey for the canal, which he succeeded 
in doing. The surveys were commenced in July, and on the 2d 
of August, 1794, a full report was made upon the work. It was 
found that the route of the canal would be crossed in Billerica 
by the Concord river, which at that point was 107 feet above 
tide water at Boston, and 27 feet above the Merrimack at Chelms- 
ford, being at the summit of the canal, and able to supply water 
in both directions. 

The work of building the canal was commenced in the spring 
of 1795, under the direction of Col. Loammi Baldwin, the elder. 



504 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

and continued, in the face of numerous difficulties, until 1803, 
at which time it was so far completed as to be navigable from 
the Merrimack to the Charles river. The canal was 18 feet 
wide on the bottom, 30 feet wide at the water line, and 4 feet 
deep. The locks were 11 feet wide and 76 feet long, with an 
average lift of about 7 feet. Some of these locks were made 
of wood, and others of stone. In the wooden locks, the side 
walls, which were of wood, were inclosed between rough walls 
of masonry placed a few feet back of the timber-work. The 
masonry was, thus, the retaining wall for the earth, while the 
timber formed a tight box for the water, the two walls being well 
braced apart by struts of wood. In this way, expensive masonry 
was avoided, but the cost of maintenance in after years was 
increased. 

Although the Middlesex canal was completed in 1803, great 
expense was incurred for many years, owing to imperfections in 
the banks and other parts of the work, and nearly the whole income 
was expended in additions, alterations and repairs, so that no 
dividend was declared until Feb. 1st, 1819. One hundred assess- 
ments were put upon the shares, which, with interest added to 
the above date, amounted to $1,455.25 on each share, making 
the whole cost of the canal, $1,164,200. From 1819 to 1843, 
there were paid in dividends, $504 a share, averaging $20.16 per 
annum, being an interest on the cost of about 1.39 per cent, per 
annimi. From the year 1819 to the time when the Lowell railroad 
went into operation, the receipts gradually increased, so that the 
dividends rose from $10 to $30 a share. The year the Boston 
& Lowell road was opened, the receipts of the canal were reduced 
one-third, and when the Nashua & Lowell was opened, they were 
reduced another third. The receipts of 1842-3 were not enough 
to cover the cost of repairs and current expenses. 

After 1846 the traffic was small, though boats continued to 
run until 1852. In 1859 the charter was declared forfeited. 
The property was finally disposed of for about $130,000, and 
after the final dividend little more than the original assessments 
had been returned to the stock-holders. 

When the Middlesex canal went into operation it was the 
greatest work of internal improvement in America. It had 
been twenty-two years in operation when in October, 1825, 
DeWitt Clinton made his triumphant passage from Lake Erie 
to the Hudson river. Like many more recent works, it produced 
a large indirect benefit. It was said by Daniel Webster to have 
added $5,000,000 to the value of the New Hampshire forests. 

The Middlesex passage boat, Governor Sullivan, according 
to the advertisement, left the head of the canal in Chelmsford 
precisely at 8 o'clock, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 
returned on the alternate days. Stages left Lowell and Boston 
an hour earlier to connect with the boat at Middlesex Village 
and Charlestown. Fare on the boat was 75 cents; on the stage, 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 505 

6>^ cents. Previously, in 1831, the fare from Lowell to Boston 
by stage was $1. This was the fare in the early days of the 
railroad. Five cents a mile was all that could be demanded [i. e., 
this was the legal limit]. 

Some interesting facts are contained in A Historical Sketch 
of the Canal by the Agent (Caleb Eddy) of the Corporation, 
printed in 1843 (53 pages). Samuel Thompson of Woburn was 
appointed engineer. By the original survey, the ascent from 
Medford river to Concord river was 68>^ feet. Actually, it was 
104 feet. By the original survey, the Merrimack was IQ'jA feet 
above the level at Billerica bridge over the Concord, whereas 
actually, the water in the Concord at said bridge was about 25 
feet above the Merrimack at Chelmsford. 

Quantity of water lost by evaporation and 

filtration of such a canal estimated at . . 7,560,000 galls, per day 
Loss by Lockage at Chelmsford filled and 

discharged 6,000 times a year 1,000,000 " " " 

Loss by Lockage at Charlestown 1,400,000 " " " 

do do at Medford 1,000,000 " " " 



10,960,000 



In addition to this, vast quantities pass over the waste wiers. 

It was estimated that the cost of conducting water from the 
canal at Woburn to supply the city of Boston would be $900,000. 

Dr. John Farmer, born in Chelmsford, June 12, 1789, son of 
John, of Chelmsford, a tiller of the soil and a deacon of the church, 
furnished Allen with much of the material for his history of 
Chelmsford. In 1816, Farmer printed, in pamphlet form, a 
history of Billerica in thirty-six pages. His mother was Lydia 
Richardson, daughter of Josiah. Farmer died August 13, 1838, 
and was buried in the old cemetery at Concord, N. H. At 
Billerica, September 18, 1818, he wrote: There is considerable 
navigation on the canal this season. Boats loaded with wood, 
barrels, various kinds of timber, the Chelmsford granite, &c., 
are almost constantly passing. The Middlesex packet, a very 
pleasant and handsome boat, passes here every day, having 
ladies and gentlemen on board. 

In 1816, the General Court granted to the proprietors of the 
Middlesex canal two townships of land on the east side of Moose- 
head lake. The location is indicated on the map of Maine in 
Johnson's Family Atlas, 1865. Until 1820, Maine belonged to 
Massachusetts. 

The following is the preamble and part of the first section 
of the act of incorporation: 

"An act for incorporating James Sullivan and others, by the 
name and style of the Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal. 



506 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Whereas, James Sullivan, Esq., and others, have petitioned 
to be incorporated for the purpose of cutting a canal from the 
waters of the Merrimack river into the waters of the Medford 
river; and whereas, it is represented that sundry persons are 
ready to raise funds sufficient for the purpose of opening the same 
canal : 

Sec. 1. Be it therefore enacted, by the Senate and House 
of Representatives in General Court assembled, that the said 
James Sullivan, Oliver Prescott, Jas. Winthrop, Loammi Baldwin, 
Benjamin Hall, Jonathan Porter, Andrew Hall, Ebenezer Hall, 
Samuel Tufts, Jr., Aaron Brown, Willis Hall, Samuel Swan, Jr., 
and Ebenezer Hall, Jr., their associates and successors, are hereby 
incorporated and shall be a corporation forever, under the name 
of The Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal," &c. 

"Ascending the Merrimack through three stone locks, it 
extended through Chelmsford, and entered Concord river mill- 
pond by an excavated stone guard-lock, and crossed it with a 
floating tow-path. It left Concord river through another guard- 
lock, and passed through a difficult excavation a quarter of a 
mile in length over ground low and wet, where a canal could be 
easily made, but was liable to lose its water. Proceeding through 
swamps, deep cuttings, and over extensive embankments, it 
passed through another aqueduct at Wobum to Horn Pond. 
Here it descended through five locks, somewhat apart, to the 
head of Medford river; thence by Wilmington valley, across the 
Brooks estate at Medford, to Medford river; then to tide-water 
in Charlestown mill-pond, and thence by a tide-lock consummated 
its connection with Charles river, opposite Boston." 

Benjamin Blood of Lowell, who was engaged in boating over 
the canal for twenty years, says that one year he helped take 
through the canal 43,000 feet of stone, used in building the state 
prison at Charlestown. 

The stone was quarried at Westford and Chelmsford by 
Tuck & Reed. The stone used for the U. S. Bank on State street, 
and the pillars and pedestals of Quincy market, Boston, were 
got out by Charles Hollis of Tyngsborough and floated down the 
canal. Much of the first brick used by the Merrimack corporation 
in Lowell, was transported from Charlestown to Lowell by the 
canal, 843,000 coming through in one season. During the War 
of 1812, it supplied material to the navy yard at Charlestown, 
and in time of peace, it distributed through a wide extent of 
country many articles of foreign commerce. 

The motive power consisted of two horses harnessed 
"tandem." 

Slowly moved the laden boat through the still water, between 
smiling hedgerows, through patches of woodland, under low 
bridges, and past pleasant villages, with delicious glimpses all 
along of charming, romantic or pastoral scenery. Sometimes 
the canal widened into a miniature lake, mirroring the azure 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 507 

vault of heaven and the bending foliage of the surrounding 
trees. Ever and anon a "sail ahead" would appear in the shape 
of a vast flat-boat, laden with flour or lumber, or the product of 
some of the nascent factories, or it may be a huge raft of timber, 
came floating down with two or three mariners in charge, an old 
spavined horse dragging the establishment along. 

Many points on the line were exceedingly picturesque. One 
in particular, was quite charming — the place where the canal 
skirted Horn Pond at a much higher elevation, and you looked 
down through the buttonwood trees on the broad expanse of 
water, with its little wooded islet in the centre, and across to the 
mountain that guarded and guards, like a giant sentinel, its 
southern shores. 

In fact, a panorama of the Middlesex Canal, after the fashion 
of Banvard's Mississippi, would have been by no means an 
uninteresting exhibition. But the condition of this pleasure was 
fine weather. To embark on the "raging canawl," in a storm, 
required a hardihood and nerve vouchsafed to few. Then furious 
waves, at least an inch in height, disturbed the usually placid 
surface of the water. The little ponds into which the canal 
frequently widened realized the descriptions of a mud-puddle 
in a thunder-storm to be found in ancient poetry. Your safety 
depended on the strength of the tow-rope, the skill of the rider- 
boy, the docility of the horses, the vigor of the mariner with the 
setting-pole, and the experience and energy of the captain, who 
usually managed the helm. The captain, the ruling spirit of the 
elements combined in canal-voyaging, must needs be an "ancient 
mariner" of unequivocal force of character. Fabius told the 
Roman Senate — and a very sensible gentleman was that same 
Fabius — that any of the sailors could steer in pleasant weather, 
but when a storm had arisen, and the deep was disturbed, then 
the helm required a strong hand. This was emphatically true 
of canal navigation. 

In pleasant weather, the very cabin-boy could steer; in a 
storm, it took a man, and he "couldn't hardly." 

* * * But the voyages of the canal-boats on the 
Middlesex, though pursued frequently in the midst of storms, had 
this alleviating feature — they were never made in the night ; that 
horror at least was spared the hardy mariners. When darkness 
covered the face of the earth and heaven as with a pall, the canal- 
boat rode out the storm either at Chelmsford or Boston, with 
both bow and stem anchors under foot, fast grappling in the 
mud, a stopper on the tow-rope and the tiller lashed amidships. 
[From an article by Maj. A. C. Varnum in Lowell Vox Populi, 
July 6, 1881.] 

The Merrimack Manufacturing Company was incorporated 
in 1822; they built a dam across the Merrimack above Pawtucket 
falls, and, having obtained possession of the Pawtucket canal, 



508 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

doubled its width, and also built the Merrimack canal, which leaves 
the Pawtucket canal near the Swamp Locks, and furnishes power 
to the Machine Shop, Lowell Company, the Merrimack Mills, and 
the gristmill at the foot of Anne street. In 1825, the Locks and 
Canals Company was reorganized, and regained possession of the 
Pawtucket canal. 

STEAMBOATS. 

The first steamboat was put on the Merrimack by Hon. 
John L. Sullivan about 1814 or '15. "It had four wheels, two 
on each side connected by a broad belt or chain, from which stood 
out at right angles with the belt square pieces of board which, 
as the wheels revolved, were carried forward on the top of the 
wheels till they came to the forward wheel, when they were 
plunged into the water, and passed back to the hind wheel." 
It was of a size to pass through the locks. 
[Old Res. Hist. Soc, Contrib. I, 4.] 

In order to afford the passage of boats and rafts by the 
Wicassee falls, just west of Wicassee Island (Tyng's Island), 
the present home of the Vesper Country Club, the Middlesex 
Canal Co. were authorized to widen and straighten the natural 
waterway of the river on the east side of the island, and construct 
a lock through which boats and rafts could be lowered to the 
level of the canal, as the new waterway was called. The original 
Act of 1793, in which this power appears, was amended in 1814, 
Chapt. 100, and reads as follows: Be it enacted &c., That the 
Proprietors of Middlesex Canal be, and hereby are authorized 
and empowered to demand and receive toll on boats and rafts 
that shall pass Wicassee Lock and Canal in the town of Tyngsboro, 
in this Commonwealth, at the following rates, viz., for every 
cord of pine wood, eight cents; for every other kind of wood, ten 
cents per cord; for every ton of merchandise or other loading, 
ten cents; for other articles going down the canal, one tenth of the 
toll now collected on the same articles at Middlesex Canal, Feb. 
11, 1815. [See Chapter: "Annals," 1816.] 

The raising of the water by the dam at Pawtucket smoothed 
out the Wicassee falls, but the remains of the old lock can be 
clearly seen where the canal leaves the river, just north of the 
boat house. 

The Act of 1812, Chapter 113, provides as follows: "The 
Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal are hereby authorized and 
empowered, in order to make Merrimack River completely and 
conveniently navigable for boats, from the said canal to the 
boundary of the State, to make and construct a lock and a dam 
at the rapids in Tyngsborough, known by the name of Wicassee 
Falls, at such place or point of said rapids or falls, and on which- 
soever side of the island that may be found most convenient." 
The company were required to keep and maintain an opening, 
slope, or fish way in the dam for the passing of fish and rafts. 



TERRITORIAL LIMITS 509 

In 1819, the General Court passed an Act (Chapter 51), 
to incorporate William Bartlett, Moses Brown, John Pettingill 
and others as Proprietors of the Merrimack Canal, empowering 
the proprietors within the term of six years from the passage 
of the Act, to open and cut a canal from the head of Hunt's 
falls in Merrimack river to the tide-waters of said river, to erect 
such locks, and dams as may be necessary in order to admit the 
passage of boats, rafts, and masts into and through the said 
canal and to the tide-waters of said river. Nothing appears to 
have been done under the authority of this Act. 

The improvements in the navigation of the Merrimack, in 
connection with the canal were, says Mr. Oilman: the locks 
built at Wicasee falls, round Tyng's island, which were afterwards 
rendered useless on account of the back flowage when Pawtucket 
dam was built; the locks at Moor's falls, at Little Cohoes, at 
Short's falls, at Moor's Big falls, at Amoskeag (now Manchester), 
at Hooksett falls. Craven's falls, and Turkey falls, a little below 
Concord. Going up, those locks had to be used; but, coming 
down, the boats, in an ordinary state of water, ran the falls. 

In 1851, the proprietors of the Middlesex Canal surrendered 
their charter, and in 1852, sold the property in sections, and the 
owners on its borders were, in most cases, the purchasers. On 
October 3, 1859, the proprietors were declared, by the decree of the 
Supreme Judicial Court, to have forfeited all their franchises and 
privileges by reason of non-feasance, non-user, misfeasance, and 
neglect. On November 25, 1851, the last boat, owned by Dix and 
Rand, and in charge of Samuel King, passed through the canal. 
Its cargo consisted of eighteen tons of stone and two cords of 
pine wood. 

RAILROADS. 

The early railroad charters of Massachusetts, about 1830, 
gave extraordinary powers to the Corporations. The Boston 
and Ontario Railroad, in 1831, was authorized to construct a 
railroad, beginning at any point in or near the town of Lowell, 
and running thence to the northerly and westerly line of the 
Commonwealth in such manner as they might deem most expedient 
— six rods wide — and to take as much more land as might be 
necessary. Railroads were considered to be like common high- 
ways, over which any one could run his carriage by obeying the 
rules and paying toll. In the Boston and Lowell charter, it is 
provided that "such road may be used by any persons who shall 
comply with such rules and regulations, and the corporation are 
authorized to erect toll-houses, establish gates, appoint toll col- 
lectors and demand toll upon the road." 

The Boston and Lowell Railroad was chartered June 5, 
1830, and, although not lying at all within the limits of the town 
of Chelmsford, affected the interests of the inhabitants con- 



510 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

siderably. It was opened June 24, 1835. Stone sleepers and 
fish-bellied rails were used. The stone was soon replaced with 
wood. The Lowell and Nashua Railroad was chartered in 1836, 
and opened October 8, 1838. There is a station at North Chelms- 
ford. The Stony Brook Railroad has stations at North Chelms- 
ford and West Chelmsford. 

The first locomotive used on the Boston and Lowell Railroad 
was a Stephenson engine made in England. It was taken apart 
in Boston, and was brought to Lowell on the canal, the usefulness 
of which, by the irony of fate, it helped to destroy. 

The Proprietors of the Canal fought the proposed railroad. 
They argued against it at the State House; spoke of a supposed 
source of revenue to a railroad from carrying passengers; thought 
they could be carried as rapidly and safely on the Canal, and 
said that the terminus of the road must always be at Lowell, as 
there never could be sufficient inducement to extend it further. 
"Railroads," they said, "may do well enough in old countries, 
but will never be anything for so young a country as this." But 
the charter was granted, with the provision that no other railroad 
should be constructed within five miles, thus preventing the 
Canal Proprietors from becoming competitors by putting iron 
rails on their canal line. 

The Framingham and Lowell Railroad was opened, August 
22, 1871, with stations at Chelmsford and South Chelmsford. 

The next year $2,000 was raised by subscription in the 
Centre Village to secure an "Early Train" from Chelmsford Centre 
to Lowell, guaranteed by the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg 
Railroad, lessees of the Framingham and Lowell Railroad. Of 
this amount, David Perham paid $500, and Israel Putnam, $200. 
The others varied from $100 to $10. The train was put on July 8, 
1872, and was to run once each way daily for five years, arriving 
in Lowell at 6.45 A. M., and leaving there at 6.15 P. M. Later, 
what was known as the "Scoot-train" went back and forth several 
times a day, making in all eight passenger trains daily between 
Chelmsford and Lowell. When the trolley cars began to run, 
in 1894, the "Scoot" was taken off. 

This road is now operated by the New York, New Haven 
and Hartford Railroad. 

In 1837, a committee was appointed "to see that the railroad 
corporation does not intrude on the public roads and passageways." 

In 1839, the Lowell and Nashua Railroad was required to 
put up gates at the crossing near Amos Whiting's. 



CHAPTER X. 
PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM. 

THE following papers, by Mr. Perham, are of such interest that 
it is thought they should find a place in this history, in which, 
had he lived to complete it, he would, no doubt, have incorporated 
much of the material they contain. They have been printed in 
the Contributions of the Old Residents' Historical Association. 



THE WAMESIT PURCHASE. BY HENRY S. PERHAM, CHELMSFORD. 
READ BEFORE OLD RESIDENTS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, 
LOWELL, MASS., FEBRUARY 16, 1897. 



By the Wamesit Purchase the Indians relinquished forever, 
to their white neighbors, their ancient possessions upon the south 
side of the Merrimack and west of the Concord rivers. 

Here from immemorial time their wigwams had dotted the 
landscape and their frail canoes had glided over the waters of 
the Merrimack. They hunted the noble game of the forest and 
plied their rude arts all unconscious of the mighty changes to be 
wrought upon their native haunts by the white man's civilization. 

Through the kind ofifices of the apostle Eliot, this tract had 
been reserved to the Indians by an act of the General Court in 
1653. Their title now passed to other hands and their home 
from henceforth was in the northern wilderness. It was such 
a movement as has since become somewhat familiar in Indian 
history. Allen* states that a few families still "remained at 
Wamesit several years; and others were occasionally there on 
hunting and fishing parties and for the purpose of visiting their 
English friends and former neighbors." Several families lingered 
upon the Dracut side of the river as late as 1820. Two Indian 
pilots were employed about that time, to guide the log rafts down 
the river, one at Wickiseck and the other at Hunt's falls, f (The 
rafts were taken apart above Pawtucket falls and the logs floated 
around by way of the canal and Concord river). But from the 
time of King Philip's war the Indians had practically abandoned 
their Wamesit "plantation" and in 1685 the people of Chelmsford 
took steps looking to the purchase of their title. 

•History of Chelmsford, p. 151. 
tM. L. Hamblet, Esq. 



512 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Wamesit purchase was consummated by Jonathan 
Tyng, Esq., of Dunstable, and Maj. Thomas Hinchman of 
Chelmsford the same year, and conveyed by them the year 
following to fifty proprietors living in Chelmsford. 

The conveyance from Tyng and Hinchman was by separate 
deeds one from each conveying to the fifty associates one moiety, 
or half part of one fiftieth of the entire purchase, to each purchaser. 
The original deeds, executed upon scrolls of buckskin, * are now 
in the possession of a descendant of one of these proprietors now 
living in this city. 

The deed from Tyng reads as follows: 

To all people to whom these Presents shall come greeting know ye that 
the worshfuU Jonathan Ting Esqur of the Towne of Dunstable in the county 
of midlesex in his majties Territory and dominion of New England in America. 
For and in consideration of the full and just summe of one hundred and 
fiuety pound pound sterl. New England coyne to to him well and truely paid by 
Maj. Thomas Hinchman Ens: John ffisk & Serj: Josiah Richardson all of the 
Towne of Chelmsford in the forenamed county in New England aforesd 
which money so paid by t[ ]m was for their owne use and behooffe as also 
for the use and behoofFe of seuerall other gentlemen and neighbours here 
after mentioned in this Instrument. The receits of said hundred and fiuety 
pound, the said Jonathan Ting doth by these presents acknowledg, and there 
with to be fully satisfyed, Contented and paid, & Thereof and of euery part 
part and parcell, Thereof do fully, freely, clearely and absolutely: acquit, 
release and discharge the said Thomas Hinchman, John fiske and Josiah 
Richardson, they & euery of them their h[ ]res associates and assignes and 
eurey of them for Euer. Haue granted, bargained and sold. Aliened, 
Enfeoffed and confirmed, and by these presents to fully freely clearly and 
absolutely grant bargaine and sell, Alien, enfeoflfe and confirm vnto the said 
Thomas Hinchman, John fisk, Josiah Richardson senr and to their associates, 
Mr Moses ffisk, of Brantry, Mr Tho clarke, Josiah Richardson Junr Jerihmeel 
Bowers, James Richardson, Thomas parker, Solomon Keys Junr Joseph 
Parkiss senr Joseph Hide, Edward Spaldin Senr Samuel fifletcher, Sen. Steuen 
Peirse, Benjamin Parker, Moses parker, Andrew Spalden, Eliazar Browne, 
william vnderwood, Nathaniel Howard, John wright Junr John perrum, 
John Spalden Junr Josiah fifletcher, Benjamin Spaldin, Joseph Spalden, Joseph 
ffarwell, Solomon Keys Senr Peter Talbott, John Kidder, William fifletcher, 
Samuel ffoster Junr Edward ffoster, Sam ffoster Senr John Steuens, Nathaniel 
Butterfield, Samuel Butterfield, Joseph Butterfield, John Spaldin Senr John 
Shipley, mr Cornelius Waldo Senr georg Robbins, John Parker, John Bates, 
gorsham Proctor, Peter Proctor, Isaack Parker, and Abraham Parker, to 
each of them and to euery one of them, their heires and assignes, and to each 
and Euery of their heirs and assignes, for euer, to their only proper vse and 
behoofe, one moiety or half part of weymesit lands which were sold by ye 
indians of sd Weymesit to the said Jonathan Ting, by a deed of sale baring 
date, the sixth day of Septembr last past, the moiety or half of said Weymesett 
lands being at ye same time and by ye same instrument Conueyed to Maj: 
Hinchman aforesaid, this aboue said grant contained in this instrument, 
containes the one half of the wholl purchase which was joyntly made by the 
afore sd Thomas Hinchman and Jonathan Ting, the wholl purchase containing 
all that part of indian plantation called Weymesitt, & lying on ye west_ side 
of concord Riuer, but not taking any part of the indian field that is within 
fence and ditch, by Concord River side, but said land is bounded eastward, 
by said field & Concord riuer, from the most southerly Corner, (which is at 
Chelmsford corner stake, where Billerica, chelmsford & weymesitt land meet 
all at one stake, by ye riuer side) vntil you come to the mouth of Concord 
riuer by merimacke, bounded Northward by mcrimack riuer & Westward by 
*A hole in one of them is said to have been made by the bullet that brought down the buck. 




.-^^ilmmm*^ m«mM»m KluPIWIHUji!""^*^ '-*-■ 






ST. JOHN S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, NORTH CHELMSFORD 




A'b. JO INTERIOR OF ST. ALBAN"S MISSION, NORTH CHELMSFORD 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 513 

wanalansits old field, and Maj: Hinchmans land, formerly purchased by him 
of the indians, and on ye South West it is bounded by Chelmsford according 
to a former exchang betwene said Towne, & said Weymesitt indians. Also 
fiue hundred acres more of wilderness land lying on the Northside of Merimack, 
bounded by patucket falls southward & by beauer brooke, eastward, according 
as it was granted by ye Honrble General! Court to said plantation & laid out 
to them be the same more or less. The indians by said deed reseruing to them 
selues, their heires and associates for euer, their ancient priuiledges of all 
fishing places in said land for their owne vse as formerly they haue made vse 
of it, as also free liberty of fier wood & timber upon said whoU Tract of land 
on both side merimack (not making any strip and wast of said wood & timber, 
but to cleare all they cutt downe) to them ye said weymesitt inhabitants their 
heirs and associates foreuer. Now it is the one half only yt is sold by said 
Jonathan Ting by this instrument. To Haue and to Hold the aboue granted 
and bargained moiety or halfe part of said purchase of Weymesitt with all 
the priuiledges and appurtenances to the same appertaining or in any wise 
belonging to, them the said Tho Hinchman to each indiuidall person, one 
fiuetyeth part of ye whoU moiety to be enjoyed by euery and each Pson afore- 
said, their and euery of their heires and assignes forever to theire and their 
only Proper vse and behooffe. And hee the said Jonathan Ting, for himself 
his heires and admstrators do couenant, promise, and grant to and with the 
said Thomas Hinchman, John ffisk, and Josiah Richardson Senr and with their 
heires & assignes by these Presents, as Trustees for and in behalfe of the rest 
of the aboue Named Persons, that hee the said Jonathan Ting, Now is and 
at the ensealing and deliuery here of shall stand and Bee lawfully and rightly 
sole seized in his demeanes of the aboue granted premises, of a good and 
indefeasable estate of inheritance, in fee simple by good right and lawfuU 
authourity, absolutely without any manner of condition, or mortigage or 
limitation of vse or vses, to alter change or determine the same. And that 
hee the said Jonathan Ting hath in himselfe good right full power and lawful! 
authority the premises to grant bargaine and confirme to them and to each 
and euery of them named Psons, and to their heires and assignes for euer. 
And that they the said Thomas Hinchman, John fifisk, Josiah Richardson, 
Moses fhsk. Tho: dark, Josiah Richardson Junr Jarahmeel Bowers, James 
Richardson. Thomas Parker, Solomon Keys Junr Joseph Parkiss Senr Joseph 
Hides, Edw: Spaldin Senr Samuel fifletcher senr Steuen Peirce, Benj: Parker, 
Moses Parker, and the rest of the persons aboue named their heires and 
assignes for Euer hereafter shall and May at all times, and from time to time 
for euer hereafter, quiedy and peaceably Haue, Hold, occupy, possess and 
enjoy each person aforesaid and euery one of them, one fiuetyeth part of the 
sd Moiety and aboue granted Premises without the lawful! lett, Hinderance, 
Eiuction, Expulsian, sute, Molestation, contradiction or denial of him the 
said Jonathan Ting, his heires or executors, adm'strators or assignes of him, 
or of them, or of any other Pson or Psons what so euer lawfully claiming and 
hauing any ciuill and legal! right title & interest therein or therevnto by from 
or vnder him, or by any other lawful! way and [ ]what so ever, in Witness 
whore of the said Jonathan Ting hath affixed his hand and scale herevnto, 
December the forthten day. Anno Domini one thousand six hundred eighty 
six Anno: Regin Regis Jacob! secunde secundo Memor anduni, that is 
couenanted & agreed, that the said Jonathan Ting, doth yet rcserue to himself 
& at his dispose, one fiuetyeth part of said moiety exprest in th prmises & 
is at equal! charg for it wth any one of ye fortynine, aforesaid, 
signed. Sealed and deliuered in the Presence of 

Samuel Manning Senr 

Josiah Parker 

Nathanel! Hill. 

Before signing it is to be vnderstood yt ye worshipful! Jonathan Tynge 
Esqr doth not in this instrumt make sale of the meadow in wamesit belonging 
to ye Honrable House of ye wynthrops wch meaddow is excepted & not [ ] 
ye Honrd Councills Answer to ye sd worshipful Tyngs petition. 

JONATHAN TYNG. 



514 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Winthrop meadow mentioned was a part of the grant 
to Margaret the widow of Gov. Winthrop in 1640. A part of 
this grant lay upon the west side of Concord river. 

In Hinchman's deed of the other undivided half the con- 
sideration is 49 pounds (euery man hauing paid for himself twenty 
shillings in silver and so are thereby all equal in purchase.") 

Maj. Hinchman had already purchased Nov. 18, 1685, Wana- 
lancet's old planting field which lay at the west of the Wamesit 
Purchase in what is now Middlesex. This land is described as 
30 acres — *"south of Merrimack river at a place called Neaham- 
beak near Wamesit upon Black brook — bounded by Merrimack 
river on the north Hinchmans land on ye west, it contains that 
whole com fields fenced in with ditch & other wise that was 
broken & improve for some years by said Sachem Wanalansit 
& by his sonnes & by his men it lying near to the old Indian fort 
in that place." 

The Indian field at the east end of the Wamesit purchase, 
was bought by Jerathmel Bowers, for "3 pounds & also much 
former kindness." It is described as "west side of Concord river 
lying within the Indian field that is within Ditch & fence — near 
their old pound" &c.t June 9, 1686. 

This Indian name of what is now Middlesex, Nehambeak, 
is given in an earlier deed from the Indians to Hinchman, 
Naamcook. | It is to be regretted that more of the Indian names 
in this vicinity have not been perpetuated. The Indian name 
of the tract at the mouth of Stony Brook, is given "Suneanassitt" 
in a deed from Hinchman to Andrew Spaulding, in 1692.1 

The acreage of the Wamesit Purchase is not given. General 
Daniel Gookin who accompanied the apostle Eliot, in one of his 
visits to the Wamesits, estimated that their grant consisted of 
about 2500 acres. Allen estimated that of this amount 1500 
acres were upon the west of the Concord. It included about the 
same area as was originally incorporated as Lowell. 

These 50 proprietors of the Wamesit Purchase managed 
their lands very much as did the proprietors of townships in the 
early days. 

Their record book covers a period of a hundred years, and 
then the last Proprietors' clerk, Benjamin Parker, at whose house 
the last recorded meeting was held, laid away the old book, and 
deeds, in his attic where they have since remained. This old 
book now comes forth brown with its age of more than two 
centuries, and with its covers badly worm eaten, but with contents 
unimpaired to enlighten us as to the doings of the first white 
owners of the land now occupied by this populous city. 

In this book is given a full description of what each 
man received by the first division of the land, but no 

♦From copy of M. L. Hamblet, Esq. 

tCopy of M. L. Hamblet, Esq. 

iCambridge Registry, Vol. 4, p. 120. 

§Tho deed is now in the cabinet of the Adams Library, Chelmsford. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 515 

separate descriptions are given of the alotments by subsequent 
divisions. They laid out highways, erected a pound, made 
regulations respecting the maintenance of fences, set apart a 
quantity of land to encourage the erection of a mill, and at one 
meeting (1726) to enforce their regulations they chose Surveyors 
of Highways, Fence Viewers, and Field Drivers, who were sworn 
to the performance of their duties. 

The title page of the record book reads: 

"This booke belongeth to the purchasers & proprietors of the VVameset 
neck and was bought by theire order & for theire use may: 26: 1687: prise: 
4s:" 

Town Voted. 

The record upon the first page is as follows: 

"Seuerall of the inhabitants of Chelmsford hauing bought a persel of land 
of mr Jonathan tyng of Dunstable and maigor Thomas hinchman of Chelms- 
ford, the sd purchesors at a generall meeting at Chelmsford; did Joyntly 
agree together: to flfence in & in Close part of sd land for their present use & 
in order their unto sd Company did make Choise of a Comette to state ye 
fenc & make a division of sd land medow & fenc into fifty parts acording to the 
nomber of ye purchesors of sd land; whos nams are spescefied in ye deeds 
granted from sd. Tyng & hinchman, the Comette haueing stated the fenc & 
mad a diuision of: sd : land medow & fenc. & bownded them wt so many marked 
staks, as are Judged soficient (Js maintained by the owners) for each proprietor 
to know his own proportion of upland medow land & fenc; the Comette guing 
notes to the proprietors for a meeting: sd; Company did meet upon the: 
13: theenth. day of may 1687; whear each persun had liberty to draw his 
fiuger from under a hat each mans proportion of upland medow land & seueral 
persels of fenc answering the fiuger yt fell to him by lot; each proprietor 
hauing receued his lot desired their seuerall persels of upland medow land & 
fences should be recorded, for the preuenting of futer trobel;" 

Upon the following 50 pages are recorded the descriptions 
of each man's portion of the first allotment. From these descrip- 
tions it appears that the field which they had voted to inclose 
for "their present use" consisted of 900 acres, with a fence upon 
the south side and upon the east and west ends; the Merrimack 
river making a fence unnecessary upon the north. 

The lots, which were numbered from west to east extended, 
with a few exceptions, from the fence upon the south back to the 
Merrimack river. The exceptions were lots 1 and 2 (at the west 
end) which were bounded upon the north by the Indian ditch 
near to Merrimack, lots 40-41-42-43-44 which were bounded 
upon the north by land reserved at the fishing place, and the 
six at the east end of the field which were bounded north by 
Pawtucket meadow, each person selecting his lot, as we have seen, 
by the impartial method of drawing his figure from beneath a 
hat. 

I will read one of these descriptions which will be sufficient 
for an understanding of the whole. Instead however of selecting 
a figure from under a hat I will take number 50 as I shall have 
occasion to refer to that lot later on. 



516 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"The vpland medow Land & several persels of fenc wc belongeth to 
Thomas Parker it being his full proportion in ye first Diuision of ye wamaset 
Land as it fell to him by Lott upon ye 13th day of may: 1687. 

1. 18 Acres being ye 50th Lott bownded on ye south by ye fenc on ye 
east by A Range of stakes marked wt 50ty: Vpon A Lyne from stake to stake 
from sd fenc to patucat medow on ye North by patucat medow, Except John 
Stevens medow on ye west by ye Land of John Perhum. 

2. Two Acers more or Les Lying on ye north side of speens brooke, 
bownded on ye North by ye higeway, on ye east corner by A Stake marked 
wt 50ty, Runing down by Another stake to speens brooke on ye south by 
speens brook, taking ye bredt [ ] of two Lots next speens brook from sd 
brook to samucl ffoster Juns. vpland, on ye west by samuel fosters Jun vpland. 

Also three persels of fenc, Two of which Lyeth At ye west end of sd feeld 
being ye 50th Lott both ways. 

3. Three or four poll A ye east end of sd fTeeld At ye end of ye Indian 
Ditch by merimack River side." 

Most of the proprietors had two of the small lots outside 
the fence, or "without the fence" and some had three; one lot 
in each case being meadow. 

This large field was known by the name of the "general field" 
or "Wamesit Field." It was used in common for some years 
as a pasture for stock. 

At a meeting of the proprietors March the 7, 1712 it was voted "that 
every man that hath Right or Rights in sd neck: may turn in six creturers 
to a Right & no more." In "feb 13 1722 et wos voted yt the fence aboute sd 
felld shall be shall be made acording to law and so contenewee yerely by the 
seuenth day of martch. 

3 te was voted that now Cretors shoud be torned in to sd felld only from 
the seuenth of ocktober To the Thurteth." This would indicate that the 
field was under cultivation and only pastured after the crops were harvested. 

This also appears from a deed from Stephen Peirce to his son Robert 
Mch 3, 1729-30* of land "within the Now improved Generall feild in Wamas- 
sett ajoining to Chelmsford." 

In 1739 however it would appear to be again in pasturage 
as a committee of twelve was chosen to see that six creatures 
were turned in to a right and no more. 

In the history of Chelmsford by Rev. Wilkes Allen, published 
in 1820 1 he describes the field thus "The north west boundary 
of said 'purchase' began near the head of the Middlesex Canal 
and so to the glass manufactory and thence running near the 
houses of the late Mr. Philip Parker, Mr. Micah Spalding; and 
Capt. Benj. Butterfield, terminated at Wamesit falls in Concord 
river, or at the mouth of River Meadow Brook." 

Philip Parker, here mentioned, lived upon what is now 
Pine street; Micah Spalding at the corner of School and Liberty 
streets, and Capt. Butterfield upon Hale street where stands the 
residence of the widow of the late Benj. Edwards, a few rods 
from Lincoln square. 

♦Benjamin Parker papers. 
tPage 15. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 517 

To give his description by the present city streets it would 
be bounded by Baldwin, Pine, Liberty, and Hale streets and 
from there to Wamesit falls or to the mouth of River meadow 
brook. 

The names of the proprietors given in the descriptions m 
the record book correspond with those in the deed, but vary 
slightly from a Hst in the book headed "The Names of the first 
Proprietors of Wamesit Purchers." In the latter the name of 
Joshua Fletcher is omitted and that of Cornelius Waldo occurs 
twice, and the name Peter Fascutt is given in place of Peter 
Talbott. The list is not in the handwriting of either the first 
clerk Eleazer Brown, or his immediate successor Solomon Keyes 
Sen. 

The first action in reference to the mill lot appears in the 
record of the meeting of "march; 17; 1695-96, a vote in reference 
to the undevided land was passed at the same time. 

1. yt ye stream together wt twenty Acors of Land below winthrops 
meadow on both sids of ye brook shall be Reserued for ye vse of ye whol 
Company yt is to be vnderstod yt place whear is it most Conuenient to set 
vp A mill: this sd twenty Acors is to be Layd out befor ye Lots are Layd out, 

this voted , . . , . i v n u 

2. yt all ye vndiuided Land & meadow on this side merimack shall be 
deuided this year ensueing, this voted." 

It appears by a subsequent vote that the same method was 
used in selecting the lots by each man drawing his "figer." 
The following is the description given of the mill lot. 

"aperell the: 11: 97. . 

land layd out for the incoregdment of bilding a mill at wamasite this 
land is twenty aceres moer or lese bounded south and southarly by the riuer 
medo riuer and north and noreast and norweast by marked tres: one whight 
ocke one red ocke on the nor weste part: on the north and noreast part: thre 
black ocke tres marcked: one acere of sayd land lys on the south syd of sayd 

riuer by the mill place. 

Solloman Keyes, senier. 
Sameuell foster, Junier. 
Andrew Spolding, Senier. 

Committee." 

By these votes we find that it is just 200 years since the 
first movement was made proposing to utilize some of the abundant 
water power within the present limits of this city for manuf acturmg 
purposes. A primitive saw mill only was then contemplated. 
There is no record to show when the mill was erected, or by whom, 
but a record in 1714 shows that the mill was there at that time. 
I will give the full record of that meeting. 

"Chelmsford sum Time in The munth of Nouember 1714 et wos voted 
at a meting of the proprietors of wamaset pvrches yt The land Land Lefte 
vndivided by The saw mell place should be diuideed in to htty loots and 
hywayse convcniant to The fishing place and to the sawmell and in to concord 
riuer Neck— Edward foster Edward Spavlding Stephen peirce wos chosen 
for To lay out These loots and hywayse 1 fist a hyway wos laid out 1 hrow sd 
Land roneing To the neckfield fence To mr Borlens land Two Rod wide Z a 



518 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

hyway from this hyw [ ] to the sawmill be Tweene Solomon Keyses house 
and barn Two Rod wide 3 a hyway from the saw mell esterly by marked Trees 
to a black ock Tree marked by The side of The River Two Rod wide a hyway 
from The a boue sd black ock a croce the Riuer and by stacks To The format 
deuided land — 

4 a hyway from The fust hyway below The place calde ye wolnut Tree 
to The olde ford way aboute six rod wid 

as wetnes our hand this Twenty forth 
day of Janawary 1715 
Stephen peirce atest 

Edward Spaulding Stephen peirce 

commety Clark" 

It seems from these entries that the saw mill was upon 
River Meadow Brook, perhaps where Hale's mill was erected 
later. 

The mention of Solomon Keyes' house in the record just 
read leads me to digress a moment, as it sheds light upon a 
disputed question. Solomon Keyes (born June 24, 1665) was the 
son of Solomon, the second proprietors' clerk, who died in 1702 
(Mch 28). He also had a son *Solomon (born May 11, 1701) 
13 years of age at the time of this record. This son was later a 
member of the company of Capt. John Lovewell and participated 
in the famous "Lovewell's fight," that obstinate and deadly 
fight with the Indians in the wilderness. His part in the battle 
is thus told by fParkman. "Solomon Keyes, of Billerica received 
two wounds, but fought on till a third shot struck him. He then 
crawled up to Wyman in the heat of the fight, and told him that 
he, Keyes, was a dead man, but that the Indians should not get 
his scalp if he could help it. Creeping along the sandy edge of 
the pond, he chanced to find a stranded canoe, pushed it afloat, 
rolled himself into it, and drifted away before the wind." 
Fortunately a favoring breeze wafted him across the lake, and, 
notwithstanding his wounds, he succeeded in reaching the stockade. 
There he found several others of the survivors with whom he set 
out through the wilderness for Dunstable which place they 
managed to reach six days later. The brave and hardy Keyes 
recovered from his wounds but was killed in battle thirty years 
later at Lake George while commanding a company from Western 
(now Warren), Mass. Why he was credited to Billerica does 
not appear. Hazen's History of Billerica gives no evidence of 
such a name there until it appeared upon their tax list in 1749. 
Hodgman, the Westford historian, claims him for that town. 
We will make the claim for Chelmsford where we find his early 
home at Wamesit, and the name upon the tax list until after the 
date of Lovewell's fight. 

What disposition was made of the 500 acres included in the 
"purchase" upon the north side of the Merrimack river does not 
appear from anything to be found in the record book. Allen 
states t that it "appears to have been retained by the Indians." 

♦Keyes Gen. 1880, p. 74. 

tHalf Century of Conflict, Vol. 1, p. 255. 

JPage 170. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 519 

If SO it was by sufferance only. It evidently had a recognized 
value. In 1702 a committee was chosen to run the line "Betwene 
the Varnums and said proprietors on the land purchesd by 
said proprietors on the North side of Merimake Riuer" and 
ftirther to employ "Capt Danforth as an Artie" (artist) if they 
"should see cause" 

and Sar. Solomon Kej'es records the sale* in 1701 "to capten bowe-r my 
whol intrest in the five hundred acres on the north syd of meramack which 
belongs to my lot in wamesat neck." 

The following are some of the local names given in descriptions of land 
and highways. 

Georges' brookf Pine Hill 

SpeensJ brook Black brook Hill 

Pond meadow meeting house Hill 

Round " Wamesit meeting house§ Hill 

Pawtucket meadow Great swamp 

Wamesit meadow Blind bridge 

Long Pond Great Pine plain 

Round Pond Long cause 

These names have long since gone out of use. Some of them 
however can be located from their relation to other objects. 
Pawtucket meadows extended from the fishing place, at the foot 
of Pawtucket falls, to the mouth of the Concord river. They 
have since been filled in and occupied by the mills along the river 
bank. Wamesit meadows were along the Concord river. 

The "long cause" was the causeway where Plain street 
crosses the river meadow. In the early Chelmsford records the 
road from the centre of the town in that direction was described 
as the road to the "long causeway." The "great pine plain" 
was upon the south side of River Meadow Brook and included the 
land now occupied by the Catholic and Edson cemeteries. The 
name "Wamesit meeting house hill" is probably the name given 
to the spot where the apostle Eliot was accustomed to gather 
the Indians about him to teach them the principles of the christian 
religion. The name occurs in the description of Moses Parker's 
small lot, or lot 2. It reads "Two Acers more or Les Lying at 
wamaset meeting house hill bownded on ye North by ye highway, 
on ye North east Corner so Runing down by another stake to 
wamaset medow, on ye south by wamaset medow, on ye west by 
thomas Parkers Long Lott" 

The name occurs also in the description of a highway recorded 
in 1696. 

"3 ye way begins at A blake oake vpon ye meeting house hill & gos along 
ye south side sd hill by marked trees & gos ouer wamesit medow in mr John 
Fisk his Lott & on ye south side sd meadow Cros all ye Lots to mr Moses fisk 
his Little Lott" 

♦Page 53. 

tAlso given George Robbins' brook. 

jNamed for an Indian "James Speen, Indian, received £8 for four wolves heads." 

§Page 43. 



520 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

There are two points given in this first description which 
help us in fixing its general location: its southern boundary upon 
Wamesit meadow, and its western boundary upon Thos. Parker's 
"long lot." Parker's lot was No. 50 in the general field, and 
therefore at the extreme east end. If there was ever a hill near 
the corner of Central and Merrimack streets I should say that 
that might be the place. 

Provision was made for the convenience of fishermen by 
"*A small parsel of Land against ye fishing place Reserued As 
well for strangers As town dwelers To bait yr horses." They 
were not so liberal however towards strawberry pickers as "it 
was voted that evry propriator shall pick strabres. Apone his one 
land and yt no parson that is not A propriotor shall pick A pone 
Any mans Loot on Las Te oner of The loot be Thare with tham." 
The fishing place was sure to be kept open as the fish were 
abundant and furnished an important article of food up to the 
time when the factories were established along the rivers' banks. 
As Mr. Sidney Davis describes the method which he has seen 
employed for taking fish it was by nets, one of which was spread 
between two boats, and as they rowed into shoal water at the 
shore their haul would load a wagon with the salmon and shad. 
No farmer's cellar was well furnished without its barrel of salted 
fish; indeed so abundant and cheap were they that it is said that 
in order to prevent apprentices from being fed too exclusively 
upon a fish diet, it was sometimes specified in their indentures 
that only a certain proportion of their food should consist of shad. 
We may conclude that Merrimack river salmon were highly 
esteemed in Boston for when Justice Oliver Fletcher of Chelmsford 
wished to give a present to his friend Judge Sewall in 1755 he 
sends a nine pound salmon, which "my said Brother deli'd at his 
house in Boston." It seems that salmon also frequented the 
smaller streams in the vicinity as the selectmen testified in 1745 
that the mill dams were no obstacle to their course in Great 
brook. "Chelmsford March ye 11th 1744-5 we whose names 
are here unto Subscribed are of oppinion that the Mill Dams a 
Cros Grate Brook so Called in Cheemsford is of no damedg to 
any person or to the publeck in perticuler, so to the Coarce of 
Fishes pasen Espetially Saman Shad Ealwaives & c — but is of 
Service to the Publect to have them kept up and Improved. 

Ephraim Spaulding 

Danl. Procter 

Benj Chamberlin 

Zachariah Richardson 



Selectmen 

of 
Chelmsford 



Allen, the Chelmsford historian, estimated f" The quantity 
of salmon, shad and alewives, caught in Chelmsford annually 
may be computed at about 25 hundred barrels, besides a large 
quantity of other fish of less value." 



*Page 9. 
tPage 41. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 521 

As the Wamesit land came to be divided into farms there 
was a smaller number of proprietors 

is as folfJws:"'"' "'" '"' "-^'^"- '^'"^ '"=°'^ °' *at meeting 

Andrew Fletcher on seuen 
Sert Benjamin Parker on five 

Henry Fletcher on three 
Sert Joseph moors on Seuen 

Stephen Fletcher on fiue 
Sert Jerathmiel Bowers on fiue 

Benjamin Parker Junr on two 

Ebenezer Frost on one 
Quat Robert Peirse on fiue 

Josiah Fletcher on two 
Sert Henry Stevens on two 

Robert Fletcher on four 

John Burg and David Butterfield on one 
Lapt Ebenezer Parker on one 
Sert James Perkust on one 
Capt John Butterfield on two 

Stephen Peirce on two 

2 voted and chose Capt Ebenezer Parker modderator 

3 voted and chose Robert Fletcher Proprietors clerk. 

joseXprs%.?^^,!^%^Tr, li'si ?re?Jhfr's;;.ifr:^- 't 

^Z^^^^r' '-''' ''- ^-"^^ bi^^e^'r^paSero^^n^inriotS 

6 voted that the meeting for the futer Should be att Corn! Jonas Clark. 

Attest Robert Fletcher, Clrk. 

Col. Jonas Clark here mentioned kept the tavern bv Clark's 
ferry now known as the "old Middlesex tavern " ^ 
JNo meeting was again called until 1773 (Aug. 7.) 

SocLln ;h: atr°no"n°''''"" ""'''''' ^"^°'^^^ '" Chelmsford at one of the 
concerni:'rthT^p:Ji'ng^tS^;S^^^^^ " " ^« ^ ^^at they will doe 

and to see what they will doe with the undevided Lands or any part of them. 

Robert Fletcher 

proprietors Clark." 

cH-ii ^"^Ti °^y^s lived at Davis' corner where the propertv is 
^assi^f th'rL^i: tt sS'm^"'^- "'^ ^^ -ommodate^ t'riX's 
brirf^"' one meeting was held after that, the record of which is 



522 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"Chelmsford January the 13 / 1785 at a Meeing of a Number of the 
Proprietors of Wamasett purchas so called at the House of Benjamin Parker 
January the 13 / 1785 at fore aclot in the ater noon in order to Chuse a Clark 
for the to Keep the Boock and All other Rightings first proceaded and Choase 
Mr Moses Davis Modrater for sd Meeting then proceaded and Chose Benja- 
min Parker their Proprierts Clark." 

Mr. Benjamin Parker was a son of one of the first proprietors, 
Benj. Parker. His house stood upon what is now Pine street, 
near the Highland school. One of his descendants, Mr. Henry E. 
Parker, (of the fourth generation from Clerk Benjamin*) still 
occupies the ancestral homestead. And to that family we are 
indebted for the preservation of these valuable historic records. 

This old record book contains not a line in reference to the 
hardships and dangers encountered by those who established 
their homes upon this tract. 

The purchase of their lands from the Wamesits was an 
amicable transaction, but they were nevertheless in danger of 
attack from bands of hostile Indians in quest of scalps and cap- 
tives. In 1695, such a band surprised some families in Billerica, 
killing or carrying away as captives fifteen persons. Other 
neighboring towns suffered at different times. So that the 
danger must have been sufficient to keep the families in a constant 
state of anxiety and dread. A petition f on file in the Massa- 
chusetts archives of which the following is a copy, shows the 
danger to which they felt themselves exposed in 1725: 

"To ye honourable William Dummir Esqr Lieut Governour in Chief in 
and over her Majesties province of the Massachusetts bay in New England 
The petition of ye subscribers Humbly Sheweth that where as Merry make 
River is at present being Exceeding low and thereby ye Town of Chelmsford 
is very Exceedingly indangered and we humbly pray your honor wee may 
be allowed a scout of men to scout upon said River and other Exposed partes 
of the Town for about ye space of Two months from ye Date here of as in 
Duty bound your homble petitioners shall ever Ever pray 

Jonathan Richardson Captains for 

Jonas Clarke Chelmsford 

Chelmsford June ye 23: 1725" 

But notwithstanding these dangers which menaced them 
they had prospered so that at the very time of this petition they 
felt themselves sufficiently strong to entertain the ambition to 
assume the responsibilities of a separate town. Heretofore 
although Wamesit had not been formally annexed to Chelmsford, 
they were considered as inhabitants of that town, and it was 
there that they went to meeting and were assessed for taxes. 
This anomalous condition could not always continue. In 1725 
the General Court refused to seat the Representative from Chelms- 
ford, Deacon Stephen Pierce, who lived at Wamesit, on the 
ground that he was not a resident of Chelmsford. % This brought 
matters to a crisis. The people of Wamesit refused to pay the 
taxes that had been assessed upon them. 

♦1. Benjamin. 2. Jeduthan. 3. Benjamin. 4. Henry E. 
tPetitions, Vol. 72, p. 247. 
t Allen, pp. 171; 45. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 523 

The inhabitants of Wamesit together with the people adjacent 
to them on the east side of the Concord river petitioned the 
General Court to be "erected into a separate and distinct Town,"* 
and Chelmsford sent in a petition by the selectmenf asking to 
have Wamesit annexed to Chelmsford. 

The General Court took the petitions into consideration and, 
June 10, 1726, "Ordered that they Prayer of the Petition be so 
far granted. That the Tract of Land called Wameset & ye Inhabit- 
ants thereon be and hereby are annexed to and accompted as Part 
of the Town of Chehnsford."t 

Failing in their efforts to become a separate town, they 
petitioned the General Court two years later to be formed into a 
separate precinct. The following is the report of the legislative 
committee and the action thereon, April 9, 1729: "Spencer 
Phips Esqr from the Committee on the Petition of the Inhabitants 
of Wamasset gave in the following Report, viz. The Committee 
appointed on the Memorial of Samuel Hunt and others Inhabitants 
& Proprietors of Lands called Wamasset Purchase or Winthrops 
Farm, by an Order of this Court of June the seventh last past, 
have in Obedience to the said Order repaired to the said Lands 
petitioned for to be erected into a Precinct & have carefully viewed 
the said Land & considered the Situation & Circumstances of the 
Petitioners as well as the Town of Billerica in this affair, & are 
humbly of Opinion, That the Lands hereafter described together 
with the Lands commonly called Wamasset or Indian Purchase 
& their respective Inhabitants be erected into a distinct & separate 
Precinct: The Line to begin at Concord River between the 
Lands of John Rogers Junr & Enoch Kidder & so on that line to 
the Way leading to Winthrops Farm so called thence on a strait 
line to the South East End of Prospect Hill six Score Rods North 
of the House of James Kittredge, Continuing the same Line to 
Andover Line; From thence on Andover Line to Merrimack 
River thence on said River to the Bounds till it comes to Chelms- 
ford old Line (which was the Bounds between the said Town & 
Wamesset or Indian Purchase) Keeping said Line to Concord 
River to a Stake called Patucket or Wamasset Stake; Thence 
crossing Concord River to the Bounds first mentioned: Wch 
includes Wamesset or the whole Indian Purchase: — And 

is submitted In the name & by order of the Commtee 

Spencer Phips 
Ju 

In the House Representves Read & Ordered that the Lands 
Set forth & deliniated in the within Report be & hereby are made 
& constituted a distinct & Separate Precinct (The former Order 
of this Court referring to Wamasset Purchase Land notwithstand- 
ing:) And the Inhabitants of said Lands are hereby vested with 
the Powers Privileges & Immunities that the Inhabitants of other 

♦Massachusetts Court Records, Vol. 13, p. 55. 

tAllen, p. 171. 

^Massachusetts Court Records, Vol. 13, p. 154. 



524 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Precincts within this Province by Law are or ought to be vested. 
Provided that the Inhabitants of said Precinct do within the 
space of three years from this time order & finish a good and 
Suitable House for the pubHck Worship of God & place it where 
the Committee that have already viewed the said Lands shall 
appoint & also procure & settle a learned orthodox Minister of 
good conversation & make Provision for his Comfortable & 
honourable Support 

In Council; Read and Concurd."* 

It seems that the opposition of Chelmsford prevented this 
act from being carried into effect, for in 1730 the town paid to 
"Majr Jonas Clark to answer his bill of Expense and time expended 
about getting the neck Land of from being a precinct 03-04-06." 

The people at the Neck continued their relations to the 
Chelmsford Church up to the time embraced in the memory of 
some persons now living. Mr. Sidney Davis tells of the long 
ride there to meeting on Sunday mornings and the sermons of the 
minister, Rev. Wilkes Allen. He remembers also that pastor's 
parochial calls at the Davis home (at Davis corner) observing 
that when the decanters of liquor were set on (as the social custom 
of the time demanded) the minister partook sparingly. The 
"noon house," where the family of Silas Pierce spent the inter- 
mission between the morning and afternoon service, stood at the 
corner of Lowell and Billerica streets. 

THE EARLY SETTLERS OF THAT PART OF CHELMSFORD NOW LOWELL, 
READ FEB. 16, 1892, BY HENRY S. PERHAM. 



When the tract which now includes Chelmsford, Westford 
and Lowell, was first examined by the English, in 1652, with a 
view to settlement, it was already partially occupied by the 
Indians. The explorers found "a planting ground about a hill 
called Robins Hill," and wigwams of the Pawtuckets, or Wamesits, 
were standing upon the banks of the Merrimack at Pawtucket 
Falls and at their village, Wamesit, on the east side of the Concord 
River. Large numbers of Indians assembled here in the fishing 
season. The fertile lands "yielded them plenty of com," and 
from the river, with their nets made of wild hemp, they drew 
forth the salmon and bass. Or with a flaming torch of birch-bark 
waving from their canoe at night, they allured the sturgeon which 
came "tumbling and playing and throwing up their white bellies" 
to the unerring spear of the Indian. 

Rev. John Eliot, called the Apostle to the Indians, visited 
the Pawtuckets every year. And here by the sound of the falling 
waters, this noble teacher assembled these children of the forest 
about him and attempted, with some success, to instil into their 
minds the principles of the Christian religion. 

*Court Records, Vol. 14. pp. 242, 243. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 525 

The English petitioned the General Court, May 19, 1653, 
for a "quantity of six miles square of upland and meadow, which 
parcel of land we do entreate may begin at Merimacke River at 
a necke of land next to Concord River — and so run up by Concord 
River south and west into the country to make up that circum- 
ference or quantity of land."* 

But the faithful Eliot could not see the Pawtuckets wholly 
despoiled of their ancient possessions, and he forthwith filed a 
petition on behalf of the Indians. The General Court granted 
both petitions and appointed committees to lay them out. Gookin 
says that Wamesit (the Indian grant) contained about twenty-five 
hundred acres. Allen, the historian of Chelmsford, estimated 
that about one thousand acres were upon the east side of Concord 
River, and fifteen hundred on the west side. 

The line between Pawtucket and Chelmsford was the occasion 
of some dispute and several changes were made. But from the 
description of the bounds as finally established in 1665, t the 
line may be determined approximately, especially the northern 
portion of it. Beginning at Merrimack River the line followed 
very nearly what is now the bed of the Old Middlesex Canal for 
some distance through Great Swamp, and then taking a more 
easterly direction over the ridge upon what is novv^ the city farm, 
and across the River Meadows to Pawtucket stake at the Concord 
River. 

A number of the early settlers of Chelmsford erected their 
dwellings near the northern end of this line and within the limits 
of the present City of Lowell. They were doubtless attracted 
to this quarter of the town, which was called the "north end" 
or the "neck," by its proximity to the river, and it is also not 
unlikely that more land may have been cleared of forest here by 
Indian fires. The latter view of the case is strengthened by the 
fact that we find some of them upon the very poorest land, upon 
what is now Stedman Street. Others located in the neighborhood 
of Baldwin, Westford, Pine and perhaps Parker Streets, and one, 
at least, at Middlesex Street. 

Several roads and foot paths were laid out for the accommo- 
dation of this neighborhood, and from the description of these 
and the land grants to individuals, we learn the location of the 
dwellings. 

The meeting-house at the centre of the town was the point 
from which all the main roads radiated. There is no record of 
the first one laid out to this section, but in a description of a land 
grant by the town of Chelmsford in 1659, the "Highway to the 
Merrimack River" is mentioned. It was undoubtedly the old 
road passing by the Golden Cove and Carolina Plain. The 
Lowell end is now Stedman Street. Originally, however, it turned 
to the right from Stedman Street, passing to the south of Mount 

*Allen, p. 162. 
t Allen, p. 166, 



526 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Pleasant, or Mount Misery,* as it was formerly called, and termin- 
ated at Poorman's Bridge, at Black Brook. In 1673 this road was 
extended to the river, corresponding to what is now Baldwin Street, 
to its termination at Westford Street, and from there below 
Mount Pleasant to Poorman's Bridge. 

The following is the description given in the records (Book 
A, 1656, p. 117): 

20: 3: 1673 Will underwood, Will Flecher and Abraham parker being 

A highway. apointed to lay out a high way for the inhabitants on other 
side of meremake do determin that it shall beegine att the 
Country way att pore mans bridge and so alonge bettwne the swamps and 
over Will Underwoods medow all along bowndid by marke treese on both sids 
and so runeth below mr hinchmans dame and so to the endian line to answer 
the Contry Rode att Meremake and on this side this is a trew retorne of the 
Comity as above datted and heare enterd by order of the Selectt men. 

Samll Adams, 
Clerk. 

Previous to this, in 1668, another road was laid out which 
is described as follows: 

"There is a Highway Laid out of twelve rod wide beginning at the country 
Road on the East of Poor mans Bridge and so it extendeth itself over Black- 
brook into the woods."t 

They are in the habit of defining the bounds of the highways, 
in that quarter of the city, more accurately to-day. But that 
no misapprehension should arise as to the width intended for this 
road, the following language was inserted in a subsequent record : 

"always provided that the Highway over Black Brook on the 
farther side be twelve polls wide. "J 

I have seen no explanation of the object which they had in 
laying out a highway nearly two hundred feet wide. I think it 
may be accounted for by the fact that it passed into the Indians' 
grant where the possessors were indifferent as to the amount thus 
taken. 

The point from which these several roads extended, as will 
be noticed, was Poorman's Bridge. And it is a singular fact that 
although this bridge must have been known by that name for a 
hundred and fifty years, the name is now so completely lost that 
I have been unable to find any person who ever heard of it. 
Several records appear upon the town books, from time to time, 
showing that Poorman's Bridge was a recognized public way. 

In 1757 an article was inserted in the warrant for the town 
meeting as follows: 

"At the desire of Saml. Chamberlain and others to see if the town will 
proceed and vote to make a bridge and casaway beyond and near Poorman's 
Bridge so called whare the water Flows the Country Rode at Every Freshet. "8 

The town voted in accordance with this request. 

♦The marks of this ancient road from Stedman Street down to the swamp are plainly visible ' 

J Transcript, p. 40. 
Transcript, p. 89. 
§Book F. p. 118. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERM AM 627 

Chelmsford, July 30th, 1798. 
Received of the Town of Chelmsford an order on the Treasurer of the 
said Town for the sum of thirty dollars Payable in sixty days which is in full 
of all Damage Sustained by me and my Brother by Reason of Poormans 
Bridge So called Braking down and leting several Barrels of Potash & other 
artacals into the Brook & in full of all demands of me and my brother against 
the Said Town 

James Aikens* 

From the evidence stated I conclude that Poorman's Bridge 
crossed Black Brook some distance south of Westford Street, and 
the road, twelve rods wide, crossed the land now belonging to the 
estate of the M. C. Pratt heirs. Mr. Sewall Bowers states that 
a road crossed there within his knowledge, and turned to the left 
into Pine Street. The foundations to a former bridge are still 
plainly to be seen. 

There were several residences upon the road leading from the 
centre of Chelmsford to Merrimack River. Henry Boutel, or 
Bowtal as it is sometimes given in the records, lived upon what 
is now Stedman Street, near the present line between Chelmsford 
and Lowell. Anthony Harker and Thomas Sewell were both 
granted house lots in 1659, bounded by the highway to Merrimack 
River. I think that neither remained to become permanent 
residents, as I do not meet with their names upon the records 
except at a very early day. 

It was a custom of early times, before the people had their 
lands enclosed with fences, for the town to establish ranges over 
which the cattle roamed in the care of a field driver, who protected 
them from wolves, and prevented them from straying and doing 
damage to growing crops. The range which accommodated this 
neighborhood is thus described: 

"7:1:71 [1671]. Its ordered concerning herding of cattell that from 
Cros Bridge to Henry boutells Shall bee one herd." 

Cross Bridge is near the centre of the town on the North 
Chelmsford road. Three other herds were laid out at the same 
time for other sections of the town. Boutell came from Cam- 
bridge. Savage (Gen. Diet.) gives the name Bowtell or Boutwell. 
He married Elizabeth Bowers April 25, 1657. He returned again 
to Cambridge, where his will came to probate, June 21, 1681. 
The last clause reads: 

"Moreover my will is that my beloved wife may have the use of my 
now dwelling house with the sixe acres adjoining to it during her naturall life 
but in case She see good to goe and live with her son bowers then to have halfe 
the rent the said hous and land produceth," etc. 

A highway, which is marked in the margin "Country Way," 
meaning a road leading from town to town, was laid out in 1674. 
In the transcript made in 1742 it is marked "Dunstable Highway." 
The following description is given in the original record (Book A, 
1656, p. 125): 

♦Book Q, p. 215. 



528 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Country The 1 Day of January 1674. leften Thomas hinchman and lilten 

Way. Samuell Foster beeing Apointed by the towne to Joyne with 

leftenant Whealer and Abraham parker the comitty to lay out 
the Contry way from Donstable to Chelmsford thay Doe Joyntly Agree on 
both parties that the way shall in Chelmsford bowns beegine att mr Tings 
Farme and so to bee sixe polls wide and so to Continew as by marked treese 
Downe to Jerathmell bowers land and so to black brook into the Contry way 
that comes from merimack this is a trew Rettorne of the Comity as above 
Datted witt[nlis. 

Samuel Adams 
Clerk 

This corresponded to the road which passes from Dunstable 
through North Chelmsford towards the centre of the town till 
it comes to the north side of Drum Hill, swinging there to the left 
over an old road still open, for the greater part of the way, and 
coming out on Westford Street near the house of Sewall Bowers. 
The travel to Boston from Dunstable, and the towns above, passed 
over this road for many years, passing what is now the Chelmsford 
town farm and crossing the Concord River at Billerica. 

The Sewall Bowers farm has been in the family possession 
as far back as the history of it is known. The dwelling is, I think, 
the oldest now standing in Lowell. It is said to be two hundred 
years old, which I think not improbable. Here lived Jerathmell 
Bowers (born May 2, 1650), one of the prominent men of the time. 
He probably came to Chelmsford with the family of Henry Boutell, 
who was his step-father. He was a son of George Bowers who 
was in Plymouth in 1639, and afterwards removed to Cambridge. 
(Savage.) He was the ancestor of those of that name in this 
vicinity. Jerathmell was a man of some wealth. He was chosen 
representative to the General Court, and, as captain in the military, 
performed good service against the Indians. Chief Justice Samuel 
Sewall made a tour of inspection through Middlesex County. 

In his diary he wrote: 

"Monday, Oct. 26, 1702. 
. "Went to Chelmsford, by that time got there twas almost dark; 
Saw Capt. Bowers and his company; Gave a volley and Huzzas; Sup'd at 
Mr. Clark's. I and Col. Pierce in his study."* 

This diary has been printed in the "Collections of the Massa- 
chusetts Historical Society." In the printed volume the name 
is Bowles but in the original manuscript it is Bowers. The Mr. 
Clark at whose house they supped, was the minister, Rev. Thomas 
Clark, an ancestor of Gov. John Hancock. Bowers removed to 
Groton a short time before his death, which occurred in 1724. 
His gravestone in Groton bears the following inscription, as given 
in "Groton Epitaphs," by Hon. Samuel A. Green: 

Here Lyes ye Body 

of Capt JERATHMELL 

BOWERS Who 

Deed. April ye 23d 

1724 in ye 78th 

Year of His Age. 

*Sewall Papers, Vol. II, p. 67. 




■I 



r^ 



^ 



PAPERS BY AIR. H. S. PERHAM 529 

His wife is buried in Chelmsford. Her epitaph reads as 
follows : 

Here Lyes ye Body of 
Mrs. Elizabeth Bowers 
Wife to Capt Jerathmell 

Bowers Who Deed 
March 4th 1721 in ye 76 
Year of Her Age. 
Near it is: 

Nathaniel Bowers 
Son of Mr. Jerathmel & Ms Sarah Bowers 
Deed. Februry ye 27th 1726 
Aged 4 years & 11 Mo. 

The will of Jerathmell Bowers was lodged for probate June 10, 
1724. He mentions three sons, Jonathan, Samuel and Jerathmeel ; 
three daughters, Elizabeth Shed, Hannah Wilson and Mary- 
Page; grandson, Jerathmeel Pearce, son of daughter Hannah; 
grandson Benjamin, son of son Jonathan, and children of son John, 
deceased. An administratrix was appointed Jan. 27, 1752, on 
estate of Jerathmael Bowers, and John Shed was appointed 
guardian of his son Jerathmal, in his third year. Jerathmael 
Bowers made his will Feb. 23, 1764, which was probated Sept. 18, 
1764, and the widow, Elizabeth, appointed executrix. He 
mentions: Sons — Oliver of Chelmsford, and Charles of Charles- 
town; daughters — Lucy Colburn and Betty Peirce, both of 
Dunstable; grand-daughter, Sarah, wife of Simeon Butterfield 
of Merrimack, N. H. Jonathan Bowers made his will April 6, 
1756, which was probated Nov. 29, 1756. He mentions five 
sons, Isaac, William, Benjamin, Francis and Luke; daughters, 
Mary and Hannah; son Jonathan of Litchfield, deceased, and 
that one's sons, Benjamin and Francis. No other estate of Bowers 
of Chelmsford was settled through the probate office, down to 
modern times.* 

Jan. 2, 1683, Jerathmeel Bowers of Chelmsford, conveys to 
John Cooper, Jr., of Cambridge, six acres of land in Cambridge, 
with buildings, "sometime the dwelling of Henry Boutell, decd."t 

Sept. 16, 1703, Capt. Jerathmeel Bowers, and Elizabeth, his 
wife, convey interest in Wamesit lands, north of Merrimack, to 
the Varnums-I 

Same parties to Sam. Sadey, cordwainer, Sept. 21, 1711. 
Capt. Bowers to son Jonathan, land in Chelmsford, 1710: 

N. by land of Thos. Sewell. W. by John Spalding, Sr. 
S. by Capt. Bowers. E. by common. § 

Capt. Bowers and Elizabeth to son Jerathmeel, Jan. 6, 1713: 

N. upon county road. S. upon Jona. Bowers. 

W. upon Eben Parkhurst. E. upon Capt. Bowers and a ditch, II 

*Mr. George A. Gordon. 
+Lib. VIII, Fol. 526. 
iXIII, 736. 
§XVi, 239. 
II XVI, 325. 



630 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Joseph Spalding, Sr., to Jerah. Bowers, Jr., land on Wamesit 
Neck, lot 16, 18 acres. 

There were two footways laid out in this section, described 
as follows: 

"By appointment of the townesmen ther is tew foott waies 
A highway laid out through the land of John Wright the one begining at 
the still next to Jerathmell bowers and so to the cartt brige 
and then below the orchard to the land of Jonathan butterfeild and then close 
by the fence of John wright vp to the drift way and the other begining against 
John Sheplies and then straight to the drift way at Jonathan buterfilds barne 
by William underwood's and Jrathmell bowers and for partt of satisfaction 
hee hath taken apece of land about an acer and halfe bonendid North vp on 
the towne common east vp on the medow of John wright south vp on the lands 
of Jonathan Butterfeild and west upon land of John wright: Recorded by 
order of the Selectt men 21 7mo 1677."* 

In the transcript which was made of the first two books 
of town records, the word still is given stile, but in the original it 
is plainly still. This, perhaps, explains why all roads tended to 
Jerathmell Bowers'. That "still" was the word intended, is made 
evident by the fact that in 1686, Oct. 5, Jerathmeel Bowers and 
John Fisk were licensed by the court to sell "strong waters." 
Sept. 4, 1688, Jerathmeel Bowers and Cornelius Waldo were 
licensed, and in 1687 Edward Spalding was appoinged "Gager." 

John Fisk was a son of the minister, and Cornelius Waldo 
was deacon of the church and lived at the centre of the town. 
No stigma attached to that occupation in those times. The 
sentiment which then seems to have prevailed upon the temperance 
question was, that liquor was bad for the Indian but very good for 
the white man. An instance of the enforcement of the law against 
selling to Indians is given in the records, book 1656, p. 150: 

"The 24 day of march 167f Abraham Parker senior with his tew sonnes 
Moses and Isack weare Acused for seling of strong lickers to severall endians 
Contrary to the law established they doe each of them freely Acknolige ther 
faults ther in and doe heare by bind them selves severaly unto the selectmen 
of Chelmsford never hear after to sell any more Stronge lickers to any Indians 
as wittness our hands the day above." 

Mr. Sewall Bowers states that he found a circular space 
paved with stones, near his garden below his house, and opposite 
to it evidence of an old cellar. He called the paved space an 
Indian hearth. Is it not more likely that he has discovered the 
foundation of Jerathmell Bowers' "still"? 

The description given of the two footways indicates that 
three of those whose names are there mentioned, viz: John Wright, 
John Shepley, and Jonathan Butterfield, were located on the east 
side of Black Brook, in the neighborhood of Pine and Parker 
Streets. In the description of the line between Pawtucket and 
Chelmsford, in 1665, Butterfield's highway is mentioned. 

John Shipley, or Shepley, was one of the early settlers of 
Salem. In 1637 he was living in that part of Salem which became 

♦Book 1656, p. 129. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 531 

Wenham. His wife was admitted into the church at Wenham 
Aug. 15, 1648. He disposed of his lands in Wenham to William 
Fiske (a brother to the minister), and removed, with his minister, 
Rev. John Fiske, to Chelmsford in 1655. Shipley had three 
children, John, born at Salem in 1637; Nathaniel, born in 1639; 
and Lydia born in 1641. They were baptised into the church at 
Chelmsford Dec. 1, 1656. John Shepley died Sept. 10, 1678, 
and his widow Ann July 11, 1685. 

The second John Shepley removed, with his family, to Groton, 
where, with one exception, they were all massacred by the Indians. 
The inscription on the Shepley monument in Groton, says : 

"The Indians massacred all the Sheples in Groton save a John Sheple, 
16 years old who the[y] carried captive to Canada and kept him 4 years, after 
which he returned to Groton and from him descended all the Sheples or 
Shepleys in this vicinity." 

John Shipley and Susannah, his wife, sold his "homestead 
lott & land" in Chelmsford, in 1698, to Jerathmel Bowers. The 
first John Shipley has, however, numerous descendants now living 
in this vicinity, through the marriage of his daughter, Lydia, to 
John Perham in 1664. John Perham settled upon the farm where 
I now live, in Chelmsford. I am of the eighth generation from 
John Shipley. 

During the time of Indian troubles places of rendezvous were 
designated at which the people were to take refuge in case of 
alarm. In the "Settlement of the Garrison in the Wt Regiment 
of Middx.* March, 169^," there are nineteen garrison houses given 
for Chelmsford. The first on the list is "Jerathmiel Bowers and 
with him Jno. Wright, Ebenezer Wright, Joseph Wright, Jno. 
Shipley, Joseph Parker and their families — 8 men." The last 
two on the list, which were doubtless on the north side of the 
river, were "Samuel Varnum and Jno. Whittaker, Jno. Walker, 
Ezra Colbum — 10 men," and "Edward Colburn and with him Jno. 
Colbum — 3 men." 

John, Joseph and Ebenezer Wright were the sons of John 
Wright of Wobum. Ebenezer removed, later, to the part of town 
now in Westford. Hodgman (historian of Westford) says he lived 
upon what is now the Edwin Heyward farm, near Chamberlin's 
Corner. 

John Wright remained at the neck. His wife was appointed 
to teach the children of the neighborhood. The order reads: 

"Chelmsford Agust the 26th 1699 the selectmen of said Town Apointed 
Samuell Fletcher Junr Schoolmaster to Learne young persons to write: on 
the Day Above said Selectmen Apointed for Scooldames: Decon Fosters wife 
Jno. Wrights: Moses Baratts wife and Joshua Fletchers wife."t 

Deacon Foster lived near the centre of the town, Moses 
Barrett upon South Row, and Joshua Fletcher in the Stony Brook 
neighborhood. 

♦The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, October, 1889. 
tBook 1656, p. 189. 



532 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Jonathan Butterfield, whose bam is mentioned in the descrip- 
tion of the footway, was born in England.* He came to this 
country with his father Benjamin. In 1638 they were living in 
Charlestown; in 1640 at Woburn, where Jonathan's brothers, 
Nathaniel, Samuel and Joseph, were born. Benjamin Butter- 
field's name heads the Hst of petitioners for the Chelmsford grant 
in 1653. He died at Chelmsford March 2, 1687-8. His sons all 
lived and died in Chelmsford. 

Samuel Butterfield, a son of Nathaniel, was a man of some 
prowess as an Indian fighter. He was taken prisoner by the 
Indians at Groton, in August, 1704, and remained a captive 
upwards of a year, f His petition to the General Court after his 
release, sets forth that he was an inhabitant of Chelmsford sent by 
Capt. Jerathmel Bowers to Groton to help Col. Taylor, when the 
enemy came upon them. From some early accounts of the affair, 
it appears that Butterfield made a vigorous resistance, and before 
being captured, slew an Indian Sagamore "of great dexterity in 
war," in consequence of which the Indians proposed to inflict 
upon him a death by torture, but the squaw of the slain Indian 
interceded in his behalf and his life was spared. 

John Shepley, then living in Groton, was paid four pounds 
for killing an Indian in the same engagement. 

A Lieutenant Butterfield, while returning from Dunstable, 
two years later, was set upon by Indians. His horse was shot 
and his wife taken captive, "and Jo English, a friend Indian, in 
company ym, was at the same time slain." 

Another resident of this section was Joseph "Parkis." He 
was a son of George Parkhurst, who came from England and 
settled at Watertown, an ancestor of a family which has always 
been prominent in Chelmsford. One of the footways passed 
through Joseph Parkhurst 's land and he was granted an acre 
elsewhere in compensation. He was granted a "house lott fifteen 
acers . . . west by town highway to the mill north by land of 
Thomas Sewell east by town common south by land of John Wright." 
The term "town common" meant land which had not been granted 
to individuals, and was held by the proprietors in common. Also, 
"Joseph Parkis is granted Tenn Rods of Land Lying by the swamp 
side against his house to make a garden and Well: and approved 
of by Henry Boutall and John Wright." Parkhurst (or son) 
later removed to the Stony Brook neighborhood, now in Westford, 
where he died. 

William Underwood and John Spalding both had grants of 
land here, but it is uncertain where their dweUings were. 

James Parker had a large grant of land near the Indian line. 
He was one of five brothers who came from Woburn to Chelmsford. 
He was admitted an inhabitant Feb. 1, 1656. He early removed 
to Groton, where he became the most influential inhabitant of 

*The Butterfields of Middlesex, by George A. Gordon, A. M. 
tGroton during Indian Wars. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 533 

that town.* After the destruction of Groton by the Indians, in 
the spring of 1676, Parker again found an asylum among his old 
neighbors of Chelmsford, as we learn from a letter addressed by 
him to the governor and council at Boston, "From Mr. hinchmans 
ffarme ner meremack: 23: 1 mo. 16^f." 

James Richardson and Thomas Hinchman were near neigh- 
bors. They lived near the Indian line, as appears by the following 
description of land laid out to James Richardson: "48 acres 
east by tree joining upon the Indian line there is a 
highwaie laid through the midst of the said Thomas [Hinchman] 
for the use of the said Thomas Hinchman's house." Richardson 
was a soldier against the Indians in King Philip's war. His good 
services were recognized by Captain Wheeler at the engagement 
at Brookfield, which will be mentioned later on. 

In 1668 a highway was laid out in this section, described as 
follows (page 53, Transcript) : 



Mr. Webbs 
Highway. 



"Mr. John Webb desiring a highway from his Farm over 
Merimack River to wards Chelmsford: The Selectmen con- 
sidering thereof: have apointed William Fletcher and James 
Parker to Lay out the Same, and the fore sd. William Fletcher and James 
Parker make there Return to the Selectmen that they have determined the 
fore sd. Way to begin at Merimack River where Mr. John Webb made his 
Wair: and so to be of a sufficient breadth for Carting: and to run through to 
the common." 

This introduces us to John Webb, alias Evered, the first 
settler upon the north side of the river, and the man in whose 
honor the town of Dracut was named. Webb, or Evered, obtained 
his land by a grant from the General Court to the military officers, 
the record of which is as follows:! 

"June 7 1659 laid out to Left. Peter Oliver Capt. James Oliver Capt. 
James Johnson and ensigne John Evered: 1000 ace: of land: in ye wildernesse 
on ye northerne side of Merimack river: lying about nahamkeage being 
bounded with merimack river on ye south and on ye west, the wilderness else 
wher surrounding according to marked trees: as by a platt taken of the same 
is demonstrated by Jonathan Danforth surveyr." 

Webb doubtless purchased the right of the other grantees to 
this tract, as their names do not appear in any later transfers. 
A. C. Varnum, Esq., in his article upon Dracut, in J. W. Lewis 
& Co.'s History of Middlesex County, states in relation to the 
residence of Webb, "It was on the river bank below the old 'Captain 
Blood Place,' later owned and occupied by William H. Durkee, 
and now owned by Dr. George W. Clement, formerly of Dracut, 
now of Boston." 

Webb's highway must, then, have passed through the J. C. 
Ayer farm, purchased by him from the Howards. An old path 
is still to be seen leading, under the railroad, down to the river. 
A ferry was maintained at this point within the memory of persons 
now living. 

*Groton Indian Wars. 

tState Archives, Plans and Maps, Book 1, p. 7. 



534 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Webb, before coming to Chelmsford, was a merchant in 
Boston, and the honors bestowed upon him soon after his settlement 
here argue that he was regarded as a person of consequence. 
Webb came to this country in the ship James, which sailed from 
England in April, 1635, and arrived June 3rd. In the list of 
passengers his name is given John Webb alias Evered, laborer or 
husbandman, Marlboro in Wiltshire. The htmible occupation 
given and the alias may both have been for the purpose of deluding 
the English authorities who sometimes prevented persons of 
prominence from embarking for America. There is some evidence 
that he was in this country at an earlier date and after returned 
to England, as John Webb, then a single man, was admitted to 
the church of Boston Feb. 9, 1634. He was admitted a freeman 
Dec. 7, 1636, and a member of the Artillery Company in 1643. 
This was the famous organization now known as the "Ancient and 
Honorable Artillery Company." 

His residence in Boston was upon that historic spot now 
known as the "Old Corner Book Store." A former occupant of 
the property was the gifted but unfortunate Anne Hutchinson, 
who was banished from the colony because of the disturbance in 
the church caused by the promulgation of her peculiar religious 
views. Some time after the banishment of the Hutchinsons 
Mr. John Evered, alias Webb, bought the property, consisting of 
a house and half an acre of land, of a relative of the family, Richard 
Hutchinson of London. At that time what is now Washington 
Street was known as the road to Roxbury, and School Street was 
"School-house Lane." The brick building now standing upon 
that corner was built about 1712, and is one of the oldest brick 
buildings now standing in Boston. Webb sold a portion of this 
estate in 1661, probably about the time of his removal to Chelms- 
ford. He made several other transfers of real estate in Boston. 
One of these, Oct. 30, 1665, was to William Alford, and is described 
as "Land & ware houses upon the town way down upon the flats"; 
another in May of the same year, to Thomas Deane, of a dwelling 
house and land on "the broad street." 

The Town of Chelmsford granted several parcels of land to 
"Mr. John Webb," under date of November 9, 1661. All of these 
were near to Merrimack River. He was chosen, by the Town of 
Chelmsford, deputy to the General Court in 1663, 1664 and 1665. 
In the list of members of the General Court in 1663 his name is 
given Ensigne John Webb, and for the session of 1664 it appears 
as Ensigne Jno. Euered. In 1664 he and Samuel Adams were 
"empowred to joyne persons in marriage that shall be duely 
published according to lawe wth in the toune of Chelmsford." 

But alas for human frailty. While Webb was attending a 
session of the General Court at Boston, in May, 1665, he was 
convicted of unchaste conduct, at the tavern of Jno. Vialls, where 
he was staying, and the court acted in the case with true Puritan 
rigor. His sentence was: 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 535 

"To pay twenty pounds as a fine to ye country »& be discharged the Court 
and his comissions for civil and millitary trust, and to stand disfranchised, & 
all during the pleasure of this Courte, & give bond wth sufificjent suretjes to 
the value of one hundred pounds for his good abearing during the pleasure of 
this Court, & stand comitted till the sentence be performed." 

The next year: 

"The Court being informed that Mr John Euered aljas Webb hath payd 
his fine, & carried it humbly & submissively, & under a due sence of his sinne, 
the Court Judgeth it meete to sett him at liberty from the rest of the sentence 
of this Court," and the Town of Chelmsford were given liberty to "make 
chojce of military officers as they shall see meete." 

Webb obtained, by purchase from the Indians, Wickisuck 
Island (now called Tyng's Island) in the Merrimack River. This 
was, in 1665, released to Wannalancet and other Indians, by order 
of the Court, and Webb was granted five hundred acres elsewhere 
in compensation. 

In 1664 Webb disposed of a portion of his land. The following 
is the description of the conveyance (Mdx. Deeds, Vol. Ill, p. 
347): 

"John Evered alias Webb, of Drawcutt upon Merrimack (Co. of Norfolk) 
to Richard Shatswell and Saml Varnum of Ipswich, for £400 One halfe of the 
farme of Drawcutt aforesaid, except the field with the houses barnes, struc- 
tures, edifices & Buildings & the garden, the field mentioned to be called the 
upper field, and three acres of the lower field below the the log fence next the 
barne to containe 1100 acres. 10 Jan. 1664." 

This is the earliest mention of the name Dracut. Webb, as 
we have seen, came from Wiltshire, England, where Dracut, or 
Draycote, was a local name. 

Webb came to his death in a singular manner. The date 
given in the Chelmsford records is Oct. 1, 1668. Rev. Simon 
Bradstreet's journal contains the following account (Gen. Reg., 
Vol. IX, p. 44): 

"1668 Mr. Jno. Webbe, who sometime liued at Boston was drowned 

Octob. catching a whale below the Castle. In coiling vp ye line vnad- 
visedly he did it about his middle thinking the whale had been 
dead, but suddenly shee gaue a Spring and drew him out of the boat, he 
being in ye midst of the line, but could not bee recouered while he had any 
life. (Mr. Webb's death, as after I was better informed was not altogether 
so as related.)" 

After Webb's death his widow sold the estate to Jno. Faire- 
weather, Sept. 4, 1669. And in 1671 Thomas Hinchman sold the 
Shatswell portion of the eleven hundred acres bought of Webb, 
to Edward Cobum. All the transfers of property in Dracut 
previous to 1700, are given in an article by E. W. Thompson, in 
the Lowell Journal of April 1, 1887. 

Edward Coburn and Samuel Varnum were the first actual 
settlers to follow Webb. They both came from Ipswich, and 
were the ancestors of families which have always been prominent 
in Dracut and vicinity. 



536 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In speaking of people upon the north side of the river I have 
called them citizens of Chelmsford, and, previous to the incorpora- 
tion of Dracut, in 1701, they were so regarded, although the 
Chelmsford grant never extended beyond the Merrimack River. 
The people living there voted, paid taxes and attended meeting 
in Chelmsford. In the Chelmsford minister's rate, March 30th, 
1671, are the names of at least six persons who lived on the north 
side of the river. They were Samuel Varnum, John Coborn, 
Robert Coborn, Edward Coborn, Thomas Coborn, and Edward 
Coborn, Sen. When some of the people attempted to escape from 
their responsibilities to Chelmsford the court established their 
relations by the following order (Records of Mass., Vol. IV, Part 
2, p. 351): 

"Vpon information of sundry ffarmes erected aboue the 
Farmes abt toune of Chelmsford, about Merrimack River, whose 

Merremack to inhabitants pretend their sajd farmes to be out of the 
belong to County of Midlesex, & possibly be not conteyned in any 

Chelmsford & county, it is therefore ordered by this Court & the authority 
Midlesex thereof, that all & euery the inhabitants of such farmes as 

Courts there are or shall be improoued shall, in all points, haue 

their dependances vpon, & performe services, & beare 
chardges wth the sajd toune of Chelmsford, & that the sajd ffarmers repaire 
to the Courts of Midlesex for justice, & all, till this Court take further order, 
any lawe or custome to the contrary notwthstanding. 1667 Oct 9. 

The following action by the town of Chelmsford, in 1706, 
terminated the relationship: "Voted that Draw Cutt shall not 
voat in Chelmsford." 

Edward Coburn, Jr., was killed by the Indians, at Brookfield, 
July 14, 1675. He was a soldier in Captain Wheeler's company 
of horsemen, who were waylaid by the Indians near that place, 
and thirteen of their number killed or mortally wounded. The 
remnant of the company then took refuge in a garrison house in 
the town, where they repelled the assaults of the foe for two days 
and nights, when they were relieved by a force under Major 
Willard. There were three other Chelmsford soldiers in that 
engagement, viz., James Richardson, John Fiske and John Waldo, 
the latter of whom was wounded. Captain Wheeler, when he 
became incapacitated by reason of his wounds from continuing 
the command, "appointed Simon Davis of Concord, James 
Richardson and John Fiske of Chelmsford, to manage affairs for 
our safety," etc. 

Of those who settled within the present limits of the City of 
Lowell, prior to the year 1700, Maj. Thos. Hinchman was, without 
doubt, the most influential person. He was often selected by his 
townsmen, and also by the General Court, for the most delicate 
and responsible services. And whether he was called upon to 
negotiate with the Indians or to act as a committee to seat the 
meeting-house, his conclusions were accepted with confidence; 
and as seating the meeting-house meant the assignment of the 
different families to the seats to which by their relative consequence 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 537 

they were entitled, it is uncertain which of those two kinds of 
service would call for the most skillful diplomacy. A study of 
the history of the town at that period cannot fail to inspire a 
genuine respect for the character of this man. He was withal a 
very modest man. He shrunk from accepting the office of deacon 
of the church because of want of confidence in his fitness. (Fiske 
Records.) 

As trustee for the Indians he seems to have held the entire 
confidence of the Pawtuckets, both before and after the breaking 
out of hostilities. This is the strongest evidence that his actions 
were governed by principles of justice. The fact that Chelmsford 
suffered less from Indian depredations than most of the frontier 
towns was doubtless due, in a great measure, to his wise manage- 
ment. Thomas Hinchman was admitted an inhabitant of Concord 
in 1654. The name is spelled in various ways in the records. 
Farmer says that he spelled it Hinchman, and that it was pro- 
nounced as if spelled Hinksman. He was a magistrate, a major of 
the Middlesex regiment, and a representative to the General Court 
in 1666, 1667, 1671 and 1676. 

Upon the breaking out of King Philip's war, in 1675, several 
garrison houses were built in different parts of the town. Hinch- 
man erected one for this neighborhood of which the following 
account appears in the Records of Massachusetts, Vol. V, p. 54: 

"Whereas Left. Thomas Hinchman hath been at great charge in providing 
flfor the diet of serteine souldjers appointed to garrison his house upon Merre- 
macke Riuer, where sundry Englishmen, his neighbours, are concerned, 
which is a very apt place to secure that frontier, and besides, the sajd Hinch- 
man hauing, vpon all occasions, binn very serviceable, and hath expended 
much time and charge to put in execution sundry orders and directions sent 
to him from the council, this Court doe order, that the souldiers of that 
garrison be maintayned both for diet at the toune of Chelmsfords charge for 
the tjme to come, and vntill the Court or council take further order; and 
further more, that tenn pounds be allowed him for his extraordinary expense 
and labor out of the country tresury." 

The tradition in reference to this garrison house is that it 
stood upon the bank of the river about opposite to what is now 
Wood Street. Judge Samuel P. Hadley states that, when the 
water in the river was low, he has seen what was evidently an 
old well laid up with brick. The bricks were wide at the outer 
end so that they would fit together when laid in a circle. He also 
found near it the skeleton of an Indian woman. 

The atrocities of Phihp's war excited the greatest animosity 
in the minds of the people towards the Indians, and when some 
of Eliot's Christian Indians were found among the parties that 
were burning and pillaging the exposed settlements, popular 
feeling toward all Indians became very bitter. The court enacted 
very severe measures, which it is not pleasant to dwell upon. 
Eliot and Gookin, and some others, who were more intimately 
acquainted with the Indian character, exercised their influence 
in favor of more moderate measures, but without avail. Several 



538 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of the peacefully disposed Pawtuckets were wantonly shot because 
they were suspected of having burned a barn and haystack. The 
state of the public mind at the time may be inferred by the 
language of the order of the court for the investigation of the 
affair (Mass. Records, Vol. V, p. 57): 

"13 Oct. 1675. Whereas the Wamesit Indians are vehemently suspected 
to be actors and consentors to the burning of a haystack at Chelmsford, 
this Court judgeth it meet that such Englishmen as cann inform or give 
evidence in the case be forthwith sent for, and those Indians now at Charls 
Toune, and the case to be heard by this Court, then and there to consider and 
conclude what wth the sajd Indians." 

The following spring, 1676, the Pawtuckets withdrew into 
the wilderness; not however until they had retaliated upon the 
English (Drake's Hubbard, Vol. I, p. 222): 

"At Chelmsford the said Wamesit Indians about March 18th before fell 
upon some Houses on the North side of the River, burnt down three or four 
that belonged to the Family of Edward Colburn: the said Colburn with 
Samuel Varnham his Neighbor being pursued as they passed over the River 
to look after their Cattel on that side of the River; and making several Shots 
against them who returned the like again upon the said Indians (judged to 
be about forty) what success they had upon the enemy was best known to 
themselves; but two of Varnham's sons were slain by the Enemies Shot 
before they could recover the other side of the river. April 15 also were 
fourteen or fifteen houses burnt there." 

The author of this account was Rev. William Hubbard of 
Ipswich. He was a former neighbor of Cobum and Varnum at 
Ipswich, and he doubtless obtained his information from them. 
I think buildings was what was meant when he gives the nimiber 
as fourteen or fifteen. There could not have been that nimiber of 
separate dwellings on that side of the river at the time. 

This conduct of the Pawtuckets occasioned great alarm. 
Wannalancet must be won back if possible, and who could better 
accomplish this desirable object than the just and moderate 
Hinchman. The court directed Lieut. Thomas Hinchman and 
Cornet Thomas Brattle as follows: 

"You are to endeavor either one or both of you (if it may bee) to gain the 
Indian Sachem Wannalanset to com in againe and live at wamesit quietly 
[and] pecabley: you may promise him in the councills name yt if hee will 
returne & his people and Hue quietly at Wamesit hee shall susteyne no pruidise 
by the English; only you are to ppose to him yt he deliuer for a hostage to 
the English his sonne who shalbe wel vsed by vs. & in case hee come in and 
can bee gained then you are to impour him to informe the Pennakooke and 
Natacook indians and all other Indians on the east side of Merrimack River, 
that they may Hue quietly and peacably in yr places and shall not be disturbed 
any more by the english provided they do not assist or ioyne with any of or 
enimiy nor do any dammage or periudice to ye english." 

Later, in 1685, Hinchman reminded the court that Wannalancet 
and other Indians had received no acknowledgement for their 
services in the treaty with the Indians at Pennacook; and in 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 539 

two Indians from Pennacook came to Mainr ^J.l ' ^ ,' 
Imported a plot against the life of ^Sjor wSon o^Po.r^" ^"^ 

fatal night of June 27th, while the courie? was data ned J-^\ *" 
h^"se^s,^%rdThrdt.^tt^^Sn?^hT^^^^^^^^^^ 

.^. fn"ro?d%ret:v^kss^-i|{Sl 

HERE LYETH 
YE BODY OF MAJOR 

THOMAS HINCHMAN 

Aged 74 Years 

Decd. July ye 17 

1703. 

doubSl':" sTe t^^^^^^^ '' his property. It was 

the bulk of hif estate to hTs wirgli 'aSr Th^ """''■ ^' ''^' 
bequests, one of five pounds Ind';,n^?.f;- I^T T'^ ^^° ^^^er 
to his minister, Re^ TLmls CwT'^'^ 

Warren, 'W kinsm^n^b/rrrlgef and Ruth \t^^^^ ^'T^ 
kmswoman, ye house and all IhlJj f^^f^^^h, his wife, my dear 

Blanchards' (L cZ^X calledV' ^ ^^'^-^ '' 

to Joseph Warren is th/r^rl ^' ^ , ^^ ^^^ bequeathed 

at ChelLsford Centre It hLh"" ''''"'.^ ^^ J°'^P^ E^arren 
family. It,is pheasant to ''Ct''^T^''?:::l^, S^^"^" 
Hmchman IS still kept green in the Warren7aSS7 Mr P ""5' 
Warren, the present town treasurer of CheSrd ff^QP] ^• 
named m his honor, E. Hinchman Wan-en ^ ^ ^' ^^^ 

section from the%?af r7li)"L'?,5n^ the development of this 

facturing in 1823^ whch resulted '?^^^^^^^ f '"""" "^""^- 

prosperous city. Some writers hipl. ^i ^7^^°?"^^"^ ^^ this 

JaSran^/f ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ %' 

KmacT^^^^e'rTt^ r,!.r' f ^^^ ^^^ ^^'-^ ^^"^^e 
History of the Peoole of ?h??f v''^ c"""^" industry. "The 
McMaster, in speaW o the ^l^^'r^'f ^'f 'I ^^ J°^" Bach 
says (Vol. I p 61^ ^ condition of the people in 1820, 



540 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"When, in 1820, the fourth census was taken the country around Lowell 
was a wilderness where sportsmen shot game. The splendid falls which now 
furnish power to innumerable looms, were all unused, and the two hundred 
needy beings who comprised the whole population of the town, found their 
sole support in the sturgeon and alewives taken from the waters of the Concord 
and Merrimack." 

It is unnecessary to prove to the members of the Old Residents ' 
Association, the falsity of this picture of poverty. The canals, 
bridges, schoolhouses, and manufacturing establishments of 
various kinds then in operation, gave ample evidence of the 
presence of an intelligent, thrifty and enterprising people. 

The social condition of the other parts of the town may be 
inferred from the fact that Dr. John C. Dalton was engaged in the 
practice of his profession at the centre of the town ; Willard Parker, 
one of Chelmsford's sons, who later acquired more than a national 
reputation in the medical profession, was teaching the district 
school; Joel Adams, A. M., was practicing law; Rev. Wilkes 
Allen, at his handsome residence, had just completed his "History 
of Chelmsford"; and only five years later, in this territory which 
the historian would have us believe was something of a wilderness, 
Ralph Waldo Emerson was teaching the Chelmsford Classical 
School, and among the youth of the town who were his pupils, 
were Benjamin P. Hunt and Josiah G. Abbott. 

THE FOLKS AT THE NECK (nOW LOWELL), IN YE OLDEN TIME. 
READ BEFORE THE OLD RESIDENTS* HISTORICAL ASSOCIA- 
TION, LOWELL, MASS., DECEMBER 21, 1897, BY 
HENRY S. PERHAM, CHELMSFORD. 



In a former paper* I gave some account of the early settlers 
of Chelmsford, who located near the borders of the Indian reserva- 
tion upon land now included within the limits of the City of 
Lowell. Their homes were scattered along the Merrimack inter- 
vale and upon the easily cultivated plain about Mt. Pleasant. 
This section included what is now Middlesex Village and extending 
along up the river, to the Stony Brook and as far south as the No. 2, 
or North Row, schoolhouse, came to be known as the North End. 

The Indians' land passed to an association of individuals in 
Chelmsford in 1686, by what is known as the Wamesit Purchase; 
it included practically the whole of original Lowell. The period 
embraced in this paper is from the opening up this tract to settle- 
ment up to the time of the revolution. 

The section from the North End eastward between the Merri- 
mack and River Meadow brook was called the Great Neck in 
distinction from Concord River Neck, which lay between the 
River Meadow brook and the Concord River. But the simple 
name Neck came to be more generally adopted. The name 
Wamesit also clung to this entire tract for some time. 

♦The Early Settlers of that part of Chelmsford now Lowell. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 541 

The people who occupied this section performed their political 
duties in Chelmsford and attended meeting there, although no 
formal act of annexation was passed until 1826.* 

This step was brought about by the refusal of the General 
Court to seat the representative of Chelmsford, Stephen Pierce, 
whose home was in Wamesit, on the ground of his not being a 
resident of Chelmsford. 

Rev. Wilkes Allen, the historian of Chelmsford, states that 
"His [Stephen Pierce's] house, the cellar of which is now [1820] 
visible, was between Capt. Isaac Chamberlain's and Mr. Samuel 
Marshall's houses. "f Chamberlain lived at what is now called 
the Jenness place on Chelmsford street, and Marshall at what is 
known as the Noah Spalding house on Parker street. Chelmsford 
street passes diagonally across the site of the old road between 
those two points. The house was near the corner of Forrest and 
Chelmsford streets. The place continued in the Pierce family 
for several generations. That spot has especial interest as the 
early home of Gen. Benjamin Pierce, the father of President 
Frankhn Pierce. Stephen deeded to son Robert March 3, 1730, 
land "within the now improved general field in Wamesit ajoining 
to Chelmsford. "t Robert was the uncle of young Benjamin and 
furnished the latter a home after the death of his father in 1764, 
and until the alarm guns upon April 19, 1775, called young Benja- 
min to the stern duties of a soldier. A school was kept in Robert's 
house in 1755, and probably at other times before a schoolhouse 
was built in this section. The first of the Pierce family who 
settled in Chelmsford was Stephen, a tailor. He was granted 
land at the center of the town in 1671, "a small parsill to sett a 

house upon, 20 rods south west side of beaver brook bridge." 

The line of descent from him to Benjamin is ^Stephen Pierce, son 
of Thomas of Woburn, married Tabitha Parker dau. of Jacob 
Parker, Nov. 8, 1676. ^Stephen m. Esther Fletcher, Jan. 5, 1707 
d. Sept. 9, 1749. ^Benjamin b. Nov. 25, 1726, m. EHzabeth Merrill 
of Methuen, pub. Aug. 2, 1746; he d. June 16, 1764. ^Benjamin 
baptised Dec. 12, 1756. 

Alien! states that "The first English settlements made on 
the Indian plantation were on the borders of Concord river, upon 
a plot of ground much resembling a heater, which gave rise to 
the name Concord River Neck." Here lived Solomon Keyes, 
(son of Solomon and Frances, b. June 24, 1665,) as early as 1714, || 
and his hardy son Solomon (b. May 11, 1701,) who later was one 
of the heroes of the famous Lovewell's fight. 

Among the original proprietors of the Wamesit Purchase, 
Benjamin Parker was the only one whose possessions there have 
continued in the hands of his descendants to the present time. 
He was a son of Jacob and Sarah Parker, (b. July, 1663). In 

♦See "The Wamesit Purchase." 

tAllen's Chelmsford, p. 45 — Note. 

tBenj. Parker Papers. 

§Page 15. 

II Wamesit Proprietors' records. 



542 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1732, March 21, he and wife Sarah deeded, "to sons Benjamin 
and Jona. lands and buildings in Wamesit Purchase" and other 
property.* This son Benjamin extended this Wamesit property 
by the purchase of adjoining lots. His brother Philip lived upon 
an adjoining farm. Perhaps they occupied a barn in common as 
the minister Rev. Ebenezer Bridge mentions in his diary: "was 
invited to a barn moving by Benjamin and Philip Parker." 

A barn moving in those times was a work performed by the 
united efforts of the neighbors and their oxen, and the minister 
was invited whenever the people gathered for any laudable purpose. 
His diary frequently mentions attending barn and house raisings. 
At the raising of Oliver Barron's tavern at the center of the town, 
to take the place of one that had been burned, the 34th Psalm 
was sung. The liquors which were freely served at such occasions 
were frequently the cause of conduct which brought a sharp reproof 
from the parson. 

Benjamin Parker was commissioned by Governor Shirley, 
July 29, 1754, to be "Second Lieut, of the First Foot Company 
in Chelmsford, under the Command of Capt. Ebenezer Parker." 

This interesting document is still preserved by the family 
of one of his descendants, Mr. Henry E. Parker, at the old home- 
stead on Pine street where Lieut. Parker lived. Mr. Parker has 
many other manuscripts and relics of former days, some of which 
are of great historic value. 

The year following the date of Lieutenant Parker's commission 
was one of active military operations in the Colonies. A supreme 
effort was made in an attempt to accomplish the reduction of 
Canada. A day of fasting and prayer was observed July 3, 1755. 
The people gathered at the meeting house and Parson Bridge 
preached to them from Psakn 102: 13-17, f "Thou shalt arise & 
have mercy upon Zion for ye Time to favour Her, yea ye set time 
is come &c." 

This discourse is interesting as it gives expression to the 
political sentiments which prevailed at the time, and which 
prompted them to make the great sacrifices necessary in support 
of those perilous campaigns. He tells his people: — 

"Had it not bin for ye French who have settled Northward of us, and 
Extended Their settlements all along Westward & Even to ye Southward of 
us — These — Dupes To Arbitrary powr & Tyranny — blind adherers to the 
Docts of passive obedience & non resistance — base born miscreants. Nour- 
ished and brot up, upon ye breasts Of ye great Whore, ye Mothr of Harlots — 
Mortal Enemies To our liberties as English men & as christians — have all 
along envied our happiness & Taken advantage Of ye darkness & Ignorance 
of ye poor heathen, the Indians — and set em upon ye most barbarous murders 
& devastations wch were in their powr To perpetrate — And have not ye 
whole land Groaned often, on accot of ye Wars wch have prevailed wth em — 
have not Multitudes of particulr persons & families, mourned and Groaned 
on accot of ye bereavemts some times Of ye heads, sometimes of ye 
branches of ye families &c. wch These poor barbarous pple have bin ye 
Instruments of wch in all likely hood had bin in a great measr prevented if 

*Benj. Parker papers. 
tBridge's mss. aermona. Vol. 23. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 543 

it had not bin for French religion, French Malice & French policy — perhaps 
we had by this time bin more successful in our Missions among em To bring 
em To ye Faith of Christ & his gospel, wch wod have softened their minds, 
and disposed em To live in love & peace — if it had not bin yt ye notions Of 
ye papists, inculcated upon em, by French Jesuits are Vastly more agreeable 
to ye Dark understandings of those unhappy Pagans, than ye sublime Docts 
& maxims of xtianity, (Christianity) uncorrupted are — And To this source 
may be attributed ye great advantage ye French have over ye Indians. 

"Be it so, or frm wt quarter it will. The Indians are in ye Interest of & 
in subjection to ye French — and These i. e ye French have demonstrated it. 
That yy have laid schemes for To Overcome us & if possible to root us out — 
Our knowledge hereof occasions our Vigorous Efforts, In our warlike Enter- 
prises in this day To resist em & if we Can to bring ye mischief yy design'd 
us to fall down upon their own heads. Still Thoo. we are alarmed & our 
Nation Alarmed upon our Accot &c— yet That War shod Arise to us, and 
That we have reason To go forth in Great Armies one way & anothr to defend 
ourselves in our just rights, & to remove Encroachments wch are already made 
upon us, this is Grievous — & it must be look'd upon as a Day of affliction — 
A day of fear and Calamity — A day & Time calling aloud upon Every one to 
considr of their ways & their doings — To repent & return unto ye lord frm 

whom we have departed ought we not firmly to believe 

& To depend upon it that L (God) will arise & have mercy upon Zion & favr 

her in ye set time _ when there are such Vast preparations 

& armaments upon this Continent & yese (these) nothern seas as nevr have bin 

known before We have heretofore called, & L 

(God) hath answd — Witness ye remarkable & almost maraculous success 
in our Expedition agt Cape Breton — Wittness ye remarkable Interposition 
of ye Divine prov. in ye scattering ye French squadron undr ye Comd of ye 
Duke D'Anvil, upon our own Coasts, who were Design'd upon our ruin, but 
Tho nevr followed or resisted by an English squadron, yet baffled, dispersed, 
ruin'd & turned back ashamed — And shall we not be Encouraged In Faith & 
prayr frm ye already favourable success granted us — 

"Our forces frm England arrived safe to ye southward, our own men 
remarkably spirited To Inlist & to offer emselves to go in & upon ye several 
Expeditions on foot one way & anothr — A fine squadron of our own upon ye 
heels of a french one upon our Coasts & already masters of their ships, success 
of our army at Nova Scotia, plenty at home, & scarcity of provisions among ye 
french — are not these all Encouraging symptoms. Of good success attending 

our Enterprises we must not Trust to our own men, our numbrs our 

Strength or our skill — but in God & to him Shod we cry - - - - We 
may observe that ye Spirit of ye English Nation in ye pastt day seems to be 
the ancient spirit — & both ministry & pple seem to be united & not divided 
as hath bin too Common a Circumstance very favourable an omen (we hope) 
for Good" 

"Preached 3 July 1755 Fast day on accot of several Expeditions To 
drive ye French frm their Encroachments." 

In the Nova Scotia expedition of that year which resulted in 
the removal of the Acadians, were twenty-two Chelmsford men, 
fourteen of whom were with Col. Winslow at Grand Pr^.* 
[See pages 164, 165, 167.] 

In the Massachusetts archives are preserved the rolls of some 
of the soldiers who took part in the expedition against Crown 
Point, and Bridge's diary furnishes some interesting details in 
regard to their fate. He writes: "Jona Barron going off on an 
expedition to Crown Point is made a Lieut prayed with the 
soldiers at Lieut. Barron's." With Lieut. Barron were twelve 

*Win3low'3 Journal, Massachusetts Hist. Collection. 



544 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Chelmsford men.* They took part in the battle of Lake George 
and from the losses sustained it is probable that they were in the 
fray long known as the "bloody morning scout." The news of the 
battle was received in Chelmsford seven days after and at the 
same time the call for re-enforcements. 

"Sept 15 A general muster of companies through the Provinces to raise 
men to reinforce army at Crown Point. Spent morning at Parkers with 
officers & this day the news came of the engagement between Gen Johnsons 
army & the French & Indians, in which Johnsons army came off conquerors 
having taken the French General & killed 700 officers & men & taken and 
wounded many. The battle was on the 8 Sept instant. A signal mercy, 
though at the same time we are called to mourn the loss of divers brave 
officers & Soldiers to the number of about 120 or 130." 

Soon rumors began to be received of casualties among the 
Chelmsford men, which were verified by more definite news, and 
the dutiful parson was constant in his ministrations to the afflicted 
families. The account can best be given in his own words. 

"Sept. 25. Visited the wife of Jona Barron as I did yesterday towards 
night upon a flying report of her husband being killed 'n the battle ag't the 
enemy on the way to Crown Point." 26 "Visited IV rs Barron this morning 
upon the acct of her hearing more news of her husbanc' jeing killed & discoursed 
with her" "Prayed at Parkers with a company soldiers going off to Crown 
Point, Capt. Butterfield, of Dunstable." "27 Visited Widow Parker upon a 
flying report of her son being killed in the fight under Gen. Johnson, so upon 
the same acct visited wife of Jacob Parker." "30 Visited Mrs. Barron who 
this day is certified of the death of her husband in the late battle with our 
enemies in the way toward Crown Point, by an extract of a letter of Maj 
Nichols (to his wife) who also was wounded in the same engagement, I dis- 
coursed with her again & endeavored to comfort her" "Visited the wife of 
Jacob Parker upon [ ] that her husband was certainly [ ] in 

battle." "Oct 6 P. M. I visited widow Parker she has received a letter 
from her son Moses in the army whereby is certified to us the death of Lieut 
Barron, Jacob Parker & James Emery of this town, also visited the widow 
of Jacob Parker." 

Lieut. Jonathan Barron was a son of Lieut. Jona. and Rebecca 
Barron. Jacob Parker was a son of John and Rebecca. Emery 
was son of Zachariah Emery. The town record of deaths states: 
"Died in the Grate Battle at Lake George September 8th 1755." 

Lieut. Benj. Parker died in 1771, and was buried from his 
home upon what is now Pine Street. 

One of the customs, of long standing at that time, was the 
giving of gloves at funerals. In the case of persons prominent 
in Church, state, or society, this custom was often carried to 
great excess. Alice Morse Earle saysf "one great expense of a 
funeral was the gloves. In some communities these were sent 
as an approved form of invitation to relatives and friends and 
dignitaries whose presence was desired." 

The Parkers followed the prevailing practice. 

♦Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 94, p. 105. 
tCuatoms of New England, p. 116. 




B/, TIST CHURCH, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 




^°- ?^ CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 545 

The bill for the gloves and other mourning articles, reads as 
follows :* 

"Mr BENJ PARKER to SAMSON STODDARD Dr 
1771 

May 23 — To 15 pr mens Gloves 

To 2 pr mens Black Ditto 

To 19 pr woms Ditto 

To 3 pr woms Black Ditto 

To 3 Black handkerchief 

To 3 Vails 

To 1 yd Black Ribbond 

To 1 Black Fan 

To 3 yrds hat band Crape 

dd Mr William Peirce for the 

Funl of Lieut Benja Parker Late 

of Chelmsford Deceased." 

Mr. Stoddard was the merchant at the centre of the town. 
The bill is written in an excellent hand — although by a graduate 
of Harvard College. 

The manner in which a house was prepared for a funeral 
is thus described by Mrs. Stowe in her charming story "Oldtown 
Folks." "It was a doctrine of those good old times, no less than 
of many in our present days, that a house invaded by death 
should be made as forlorn as hands could make it. It should be 
rendered as cold and stifT, as unnatural, as dead and corpse-like 
as possible, by closed shutters, looking-glasses pinned up in white 
sheets, and the locking up and hiding out of sight of any pleasant 
little familiar object which would be thought out of place in a 
sepulchre." 

The hour having arrived let us enter the dwelling thus pre- 
pared for the occasion and pay our tribute of respect to the memory 
of the departed. 

In the best room are seated the family and near relatives, 
the Parkers and Blodgetts. In the other rooms wearing the 
funeral gloves provided for the occasion are "Mr. Robert Peirce, 
Mr. Stephen Peirce, Mr. Jacob Howard and Wife, Mr Benja 
Butterfield and Wife, Mr Joseph Peirce and Wife, Mr. William 
Peirce and Wife, Silas Peirce and Wife, Joseph Warren, William 
Bowers, Daniel Keyes, Mis Elizabeth Clark, Wid Abagil Bates, 
Wid Martha Howard, Wid Susana Fletcher, Wid Sarah Fletcher, 
Mis Lydda Bates, Mary Bowers, Lusy Fletcher, Sarah Fletcher, 
Rachel Howard, Thankful Peirce. For the Bairs (bearers) Capt 
Ebenezer Parker, Capt Epa Spaulding Esq, Capt Zacriah Richard- 
son Left Jona Spaulding Left Joseph Moor, Mr. Robert Peirce. "f 
The minister, Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, alights from his chaise and 
with staid and dignified bearing, enters the house of mourning. 
He ofifers prayer and the services are concluded. The coffin is 
placed upon the bier and, followed by the procession, is borne 

*Benj. Parker papera. 

t"The persons that are to Receive the Gloves." The spelling is as it appears in the original paper. 



546 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

over the long winding road to the burial ground at the centre of 
the town, four miles away.* The bell slowly tolling from the 
church tower from the time the procession comes in view. 
The inscription upon the grave stone is: 

Here lies the 

Body of Lieut 

BENJAMIN PARKER 

who departed this 

Life May 23d 1771 

Aged 72 years 

8 months & 

11 days 

The funeral sermon was preached at the meeting house, the 
Sabbath following the burial. This was preceded by a request 
from the family of the deceased, for the prayers of the congregation 
that their loss may be sanctified to them for their spiritual good. 

A favorite discourse of Parson Bridge for such occasions was 
from the text in Gen. v. 24: "And Enoch walked wth God and he 
was not: for God took him." This was "Preached Sab. after 
ye D & funll of Henry Spaulding — octo. 6 — 1754" — and with 
some changes several times after, the last being Jan. 1, 1792, the 
Sabbath after the death and funeral of Deacon Ephraim Spauld- 
ing. ^t 83. _ 

Three physicians were paid for attendance upon Lieut. 
Parker.j 

"Dr Kittredge 39:^ 
Dr Oliver Prescot 5 — 14 — 
Nehemiah Abbot 46/8" 

The first named was a Tewksbury physician. (Dr. Benj. or 
Dr. Francis.) The last was of Chelmsford. He lived at the 
Centre, in the house which stands at the corner of Acton street. 
Dr. Prescott was a more noted physician from Groton, perhaps 
called in consultation. "The limits of his practice were extended 
to a great distance on every side."| He was a brother of Col. 
Wm. Prescott of Bunker Hill fame, and himself an active patriot 
in the revolution, receiving the appointment of the second Major 
General of Militia in 1781. His long rides on horseback, to answer 
his many calls led him, it is said, to acquire the habit of sleeping 
in that position. 

If some of the mourning customs of those days occasioned 
heavy expense the undertaker's bills were certainly not excessive. 
The cost of the cofhn was 5 shillings and 4 pence, (0 — 5 — 4) paid 
to Moses Davis, who kept a tavern at what is now known as 
Davis' corner. 

♦Where the bearers were old and the distance long, young men were selected to act as under- 

bearers. 
tProbate Records. 
{"Physicians of Groton." Dr. S. A. Green. 



PAPERS BY MR. II. S. PERHAM 547 

The list of the personal effects left by Lieut. Parker remind 
us of the great changes that have taken place in dress and domestic 
economy. Many of the articles are now found only in garrets 
or antiquarian collections. Among them were a "blew coat & 
Tucket, leather breeches, shoe buckles, knee buckles, warming 
pan, brass skillets, trammels, pillion. Riddle, sword & belt, Camblet 
coat & Green jacket, silver buttons" and two wheels. The last 
named articles, to be sure, seem somewhat familiar to moderns. 
With those "wheels" the women of the household took their daily 
"spin" undisturbed by any fears of also taking a "header." One 
was a wool and one a flax wheel. 

In the estate of the daughter Sarah, we find such articles as 
a "Ridingwood [sic] caps, ruffles, ribbons, necklace, gloves, fans, 
stays, side saddle & bridle and pillion." 

From which it seems that the young ladies of those days 
found modem means to gratify their feminine fancies as well as 
their modern sisters. 

Of the people whose names have been mentioned as the 
recipients of the funeral gloves, Mr. Robert Pierce was a young 
man of 17, bom April 13, 1754, son of Stephen and Betsey 
(Bowers) Peirce. Mr. Stephen Pierce lived at East Chelmsford. 
His house, since remodeled, is now the residence of our respected 
citizen, Mr. William Manning. He (born 1754) was a son of 
Oliver and grandson of Stephen and Esther. He married Hanna 
Marshall, July 30, 1778, was a soldier in the revolution, died 
April 16, 1826. Mr. Jacob Howard and wife were a middle- 
aged couple from Middlesex. He died March 26, 1796, aged 78. 
The name is in the rolls of soldiers in the revolution. The Butter- 
field home where Benjamin and his wife probably lived was upon 
Hale street, a few rods from Lincoln Square. William Pierce was 
a son of Robert and Mary, grandson of Stephen and Esther, born 
Oct. 29, 1735. His intention of marriage to Elizabeth Pierce was 
published Dec. 4, 1760. His father deeded to him in 1758, 
shortly before William's marriage, "^ of all my real estate in 
Chelmsford" for £100.* 

Silas Pierce is accompanied by his young bride Lucy Spaulding, 
(m. March 26, 1771.) He will be referred to again. Joseph 
Warren was from the centre of the town. He died March 18, 
1792, aged 67. William Bowers was from Middlesex. He was 
a descendant of Jerathmel, who first settled upon the ancestral 
homestead on Wood street, now occupied by Joseph Bowers, a 
brother of City Engineer Bowers. The line is from ^Jerathmel son of 
George (of Scituate, 1637) m. Elizabeth — died in Groton April 23, 
1724. ^Jonathan, b. April 13, 1674, m. Hannah Barrett May 17, 
1699, d. Feb. 12, 1744 or 5. ^Jonathan, b. July 5, 1701, m. Mary 
Grimes, June 7, 1726, d. Nov. 1756. ^William m. Hannah Kidder 
of Billerica, Jan. 1, 1761. ^Joseph, b. Dec. 31, 1780, m. Rhoda 

♦Benj. Parker papers. 



548 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Butterfield April 1, 1803, d. Jan. 15, 1859. «Sewall, b. July 10, 
1810, m. Sylvia Fisher, Nov. 24, 1847, d. Dec. 23, 1893. ^Joseph 
and George. 

The location of the Keyes house has been mentioned. Miss 
Elizabeth Clark, b. Feb. 28, 1725, was a maiden lady with some- 
what aristocratic connections. Her father Col. Jonas Clark kept 
the public house at the ferry, since known as the Middlesex 
tavern. She was connected with the Hancocks who often visited 
here. Her aunt Elizabeth (daughter of Rev. Thos.) married 
Rev. John Hancock of Lexington, and was the grandmother of 
the patriot Governor John Hancock. Abigal Bates was probably 
the widow of Robert, whom Parson Bridge mentions among his 
parishioners whom he visited at the Neck. Widow Martha 
Howard was Martha Poor of Andover, before marriage to Benjamin 
Howard, Jan. 12, 1748. She died April 27, 1793, age 79 H-* 

Sarah Fletcher was the widow of Henry who died June 1, 
1764, and the mother of Henry (b. Jan. 17, 1754,) who was killed 
at White Plains, New York, Feb. 3, 1780, while serving as a 
soldier in the revolution. He left two small children, Henry and 
Betsey. The latter, (b. April 19, 1777,) married Johnson Davis, 
the father of Mr. Sidney Davis, a member of this association. 

The six bearers were all military men of mature years, and 
doubtless all had seen service in the wars. Capt. Ebenezer Parker 
commanded the company of which the deceased was an officer. 
Capt. Ephraim Spaulding v/as a justice of the peace and deacon 
of the church. At the funeral of the wife of Lieut. Parker, (Eliza- 
beth, d. Dec. 19, 1765,) Deacon Spaulding officiated in place of 
the minister, t 

Captain Zachariah Richardson is a veteran of the wars, now 
past the age for military service. He died March 22, 1776, aged 
81. 

Lieut. Jona. Spaulding J was a tavern keeper at the south 
part of the town, within the present limits of the town of Carlisle. 
He was an active business man. His old account books which 
have been preserved afford a curious study of the times. His 
military commission bearing the autograph of Governor Pownal, 
1757, is in the Adams Library, Chelmsford. He lived to the great 
age of 95, (b. 1705.) Lieut. Joseph Moor lived upon what is now 
Moor street, where some of his descendants still reside. The 
present occupant being the sixth generation of the family upon the 
old homestead. Joseph Moor died July 5, 1775. Mr. Robert 
Pierce was a quarter-master in the military. He was a widower 
of 63, his wife Mary (Landlee) having deceased ten years before, 
(d. June 5, 1761.) He was a son of Stephen and Esther, (b. Jan. 
19, 1708, m. published June 17, 1731 ; died April 2, 1789). Joseph 
Pierce lived upon what is now the city farm. His house stood a 
few rods south of the Coburn houses on Chelmsford street. The 

♦Grave stone. 

tBridge'a Diary. 

jOr John. I think Jona. the name intended. 



PAPERS BY AIR. H. S. PERHAM 549 

old road passed between the Coburn and Pierce houses. He 
married Mary Pierce, March 20, 1744. She was a daughter of 
Stephen and Esther, born Dec. 14, 1722. Pierce was a tailor 
and his services in that capacity were sought by people of quality. 
Among his customers was Oliver Fletcher, Esq., who lived at the 
centre of the town. Squire Fletcher was a graduate of Harv^ard 
College and a man highly esteemed for "piety and integrity." 
He attended to the legal affairs of the town, and for individuals. 
When he attended court at Cambridge, or Concord, he went 
faultlessly attired. His account book mentions a number of 
garments made for him by Joseph Peirce. Here is a description 
of the materials for one of them: 

1756 "October 18 aforesd I paid for cloth for a coat &c. 
To paid Mr Cushin for 3 yds 1 

& i of Drab broad cloth for a [ 26 

Great Coat @ £ 8 p yd is J 

To pd Marshall for Cutting out the said Coat . . .10 

To paid for sowing silk for said Coat 7 6 

To paid for half an ounce of thread for thesd Coat . .020 
To paid for 2 Dozen of Buttons covered with hair for said 

Coat to Lawton 140 

To 2 Skains of silk Twist at 5/ each at same place for sd 

Coat 
To § yard Shalloon for sd Coat at Lawtons at 28/ p is . 14 
February 25, 1757 To making the sd Great Coat pd \ 

Peirce / 1 15 0"* 

Squire Fletcher must have presented a striking appearance 
arrayed in his beaver hat, brown wig, and drab great coat with its 
two dozen of buttons covered with hair. And he apparently 
enjoyed pleasant relations with those before whom he appeared 
at Cambridge, for we find under date 

"1753 
May 17 Expenses to Court 

2 dollars £4—10—3 out of which I paid £1—12—0 for Puch [punch] 
which I gave the Court after Dinner." 

The Pierces were a long-lived race. Of the children of Joseph, 
the eldest Silas outlived five wives, leaving the sixth a widow at 
the age of 84. Joanna was cut off by an accident at 90. Sarah 
died at 98, and Thankful lived to reach her 100th year. 

For the benefit of such as are interested in a study of the 
effects of the use of alcohol upon longevity, it should be stated 
that the head of this remarkable family was addicted to 
intemperate indulgence in drink — we are not informed as to the 
brand he used. Silas continued to live at the old homestead. Mr. 
Franklin Coburn describes it as a long rambling cottage, made so 
by extensions added from time to time to accommodate the 
increasing tenants. He has pleasant recollections of the kindly 
old couple, Silas and his wife, and of visits to the cottage where 
from the chimney corner he could look up to the stars. The farm 

♦Oliver Fletcher's Account Book. 



550 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

was ptirchased by the city for its present use of Joseph, a son of 
Silas. Sarah Pierce, (b. Dec. 30, 1759, daughter of Joseph and 
Mary) , has many descendants living in Chelmsford and Lowell by 
her marriage to Amos Byam. She married second Oliver Park- 
hurst. 

Joanna Pierce, (b. March 24, 1769,) married James Marshall, 
a Revolutionary soldier. She has a son, Rufus Marshall, now 
living in this city, at the age of 87, one of the very few living sons 
of revolutionary soldiers. 

Thankful, (b. Jan. 9, 1752, daughter of Joseph and Mary 
Pierce), was the last name in the list of those who received the 
funeral gloves. She then was a sunny blue-eyed miss of nineteen 
summers. She married, about 1773, Samson Walker. They 
removed to Temple, N. H., and later to Andover, Vt., where they 
passed the remainder of their days. He was a soldier in the 
Revolution.* [Brother of Captain Benjamin Walker.] 

The history of Andover, Vermont, states that Samson Walker 
was at the battle of Bunker Hill, one of five brothers, all holding 
commissions and all over six feet tall. They reared a family of 
nine children, the daughters being noted for their beauty, two of 
whom lived to a great age. The following is a copy of the inscrip- 
tion upon her grave stone, in the old cemetery in a neglected but 
picturesque spot high up among the hills beside the old stage road 
in Andover. 

THANKFUL 

wife of 
Samson Walker 

DIED 
March 28, 1851 
JE 99 y's 2 m's 
&8d's 
Great peace to those that loves 
God's laws and nothing shall 
offend them. 

I was introduced to a descendant of Thankful at a very early 
age. She was placed in the cradle with me when we were infants. 
I do not remember the impression she made upon me at that time 
but I have a distinct recollection that at a later date I thought 
her beautiful — and to me she is so now. We still keep the old 
family cradle, and its latest occupant was our grandson of the 
sixth generation from pretty Thankful Pierce of 1771. 

FROM A PAPER ON THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF CHELMSFORD, BY H. S. 

PERHAM, READ FEBRUARY 6, 1890, BEFORE THE OLD RESIDENTS* 

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, LOWELL. 

In 1642, the General Court passed an act requiring the 
selectmen to "have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors 
to see, first, that none of them shall suffer so much barbarism in 

♦Certificate from War Department, Washington, D. C. 



PAPERS BY AIR. H. S. PERHAM 661 

any of their families as not to endeavor to teach, by themselves 
or others, their children and apprentices so much learning as may 
enable them perfectly to read the English tongue." The same 
act also required parents to "give religious instruction to their 
children and apprentices." 

In 1647, a free school was made compulsory. If there were 
fifty householders, the town must appoint a teacher; and towns 
of one hundred householders must have a grammar school of such 
grade that youth "may be fitted for the University." 

As early as 1636, the General Court had appropriated £400 
toward the establishment of a college at Newtown. This is said 
to have been "the first body in which the people, by their repre- 
sentatives, ever gave their own money to found a place of educa- 
tion." 

As to the means employed by the Town to provide instruction 
to the children during the first forty years, the records do not 
enlighten us. The teaching was, probably, mainly provided by 
the good mothers at their homes. In cases where these lacked 
the necessary qualifications, the good minister, doubtless, aided. 
He had received a collegiate education in England, and he found 
means while in this Town to prepare one of his sons for Harvard 
College, from which he graduated in 1662. It was the duty of the 
selectmen, as we have seen, to have a vigilant oversight in the 
matter. 

We have sufficient evidence that by some means these duties 
were attended to. Boys then of school age were afterwards 
chosen to administer the affairs of the Town. The records pre- 
served to us, in their handwriting, show them to have possessed 
the proper qualifications for those duties. Deeds and other legal 
instruments are found with the names of the men affixed, usually 
in a plain, legible hand. Their wives, however, are often obliged 
to sign by the hand of another, showing that it was not, in those 
days, looked upon as an essential accomplishment in girls to be 
able to write. 

The provisions for the religious instruction of the children 
are given in the following record made by the minister. Rev. John 
Fisk: 

4 — 2d Some agitation there was about ye way of proceeding in 

58 catechising ' our younger persons; & for ye males concluded 

upon ye Lord's day in afternoon, 
for ye females, upon ye day after our Lecture constantly at 3 of ye clock 
in ye afternoon at ye pastors house. 

The first record of a teacher appointed by the Town is as 
follows : 

Samuel Fletcher is Apointed to be a scolle master for the 
year 1696 by order of the selectmen. 

THOMAS PARKER, Clarke. 



r,r)2 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Of the qualifications of this first schoolmaster, Samuel 
Fletcher, we must infer that they were at least fair, as he after- 
wards became [)rominent in the affairs of the Town, occuijyinj^ at 
different times the offices of town clerk, treasurer and selectman. 

The Town now contained one hundred families, and the 
statute, as we have seen, required a school of such j^rade as to 
prei)are youth for the University. 

A word here in regard to the condition of the Town records. 
The earlier records were transcribed by order of the Town in 1742. 
In this transcript I find nothing relating to the schools. If this 
portion of them was transcribed, it must have been in another 
volume which is not to be found. I have been obliged, therefore, 
to consult the original records. They are scjmewhat dilapidated, 
dim and time-worn. 

The record following the one I have given, is evidently 
incomplete. It reads as follows: 

May the 12: 10: 98 the towne being * * * mr edward 
emerson scoolmaster for the year 1G98. 

This teacher belonged to that family of Emersons which 
numbered among its descendants Ralph Waldo Emerson of 
Concord. The Town granted him land at different times, perhaps 
as compensation for his services, j-lc married a daughter of 
Cornelius Waldo. His house stood where Mr. Allen Cameron 
now lives, in Westford Centre. 

For the year following the record stands: 

Chelmsford Agust the 26th 1099 

the selectmen of said towne Apointed Samuel Fletcher Junr 

schoolmaster t(j Learne young jjersons to write: on the Day 

Above said Select men Apointed for vScooldames: Deacon Fosters 

wife Jno Wrights: Moses Barretts wife and Joshua Fletchers wife 

Here recorded by me 

Samll Fletcher Towne Clerk. 

There was, at this time, no schoolhousc in Town. The 
children gathered at the house of the nearest teacher or school- 
dame. The selection of these teachers must be governed somewhat 
by their location, so as to accommodate the; children in the different 
sections of the Town. Deacon Foster lived ujjon the north side 
of Robin's Hill. Joshua Fletcher lived at the Stony Brook 
district, now in Westford. Moses Barrett lived south of Robin's 
Hill. John Wright lived at the Neck, so called, now Lowell. 
This section was called the Neck or the Great Neck. Concord 
River Neck was what is now called East Chelmsford. 

For the next two years no grammar school was maintained. 
It was common for towns to be com])laincd of and fined 1)y the 
Court for their failure to provide suitable schools. We are 
obliged to record that Chelmsford was not an exce])tion. 

At a General Towne Meeting March 3()th 1702 A proposition 
was mad whether we should apply ourselves to ye General Court 



PAPERS BY MR. H. 5. PERHAM 553 

by GUT Debety in Reference to our being presented to the quarter 
session & finned at sd court for not haveing a Grammar Scool yt 
we may endeavor by a petision to sd general court to be eased in 
our greivanc on yt account. 

this v/as voted in ye Afirmitive 

the day above it was voted yt ye selectmen should draw up 
a petision to present to ye General Court & send it by our Debyty 

In August, the same year the Town chose a committee to 
"agree wt A scoolmaster for sd Towne." 

September 4: 1702 captain Bowers comet Hill & Eleazar 
Brown Sen Agreed M^t Sir Weld to be our scoolmaster half a year 
for £15 ye sd Sir Weld begun to keep scool on ye 1st of October 
1702 

This was Thomas Weld, a son of Rev. Thomas Weld, the 
first minister of the church of Dunstable. The title Sir was 
applied to college graduates. He had just completed his studies 
at Harvard. He died in 1704. This is the first record in which 
compensation to the teacher is mentioned. The stun, fifteen 
pounds for six months' services, shows the amount necessary at 
that time to obtain teachers qualified to prepare young men for the 
University. The only record for the next year reads: 

April the 28th 1703 

on the Day Abovesaid capt Bowers and mer: Emerson wer 
chosen to joyn with the Selectmen to Agree with a scoll master 
to save the Towne from A fine. 

If a school was maintained in 1704, the record of it is omitted. 
In 1705 appears the following: 

Chelmsford May the: 28 1705 the selectmen of sd towne 
Appointed Moses Barron and Eben wright Scole Masters to teach 
yoimg parsons To Right And one the Day a bove sd the wido' 
Biirdg the wife of John Snow the wife of Israll Prockter the wife 
of old torn Cory the wife of sargent Samuell Foster war Appointed 
scooLs Dames for the teaching of children to Reed 

Recorded By Moses Barron Town clar 

This record is interesting in that it defines the duties of the 
teachers. The schoolmasters were to teach wr'ting and the 
schooldames reading. Fortunately, we are able to judge of the 
qualifications of one of these writing teachers, Moses Barron, as 
the record stands in his hand-writing. He write a plain, heavy 
hand with no attempt at graceful curves or fine shading. No 
pimctuations are used except in the date. He is profuse with 
his capitals, and decidedly original in his manner of spelhng. It 
is fair to say, however, in justice to the memory of Moses Barron, 
that most of the records which appear in his hand-writing, as town 
clerk, are quite an improvement on the one I have given. He 
must have been a man of worth, as he was chosen by the Town, at 
different times, to the offices of selectman, representative to the 
General Cotirt, and town treasurer. 

The latter he held at the time of his death in 1719. 



554 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Ebenezer Wright, the other schoolmaster, lived at the Neck. 
This, as we have seen, was the Lowell section of the Town. There 
were three brothers of that name, John, Joseph and Ebenezer. 
In 1692 they all lived in this section. 

John Snow, whose wife was schooldame, dwelt in the Stony- 
Brook valley, near where Westford Depot now stands. That 
neighborhood was called the Stony Brook Houses. 

Schooldame Corey lived in the south part of the Town, near 
Great Brook, now in Carlisle. 

An interval of several years now occurs in which the records 
furnish us no light upon the subject of our inquiry. The grammar 
school was felt to be a heavy burden and had not been sustained. 
In 1710, the Town paid "To Moses Barron for a jurney to Boston 
and entring a petition to the genorall as to an easmnt of our 
gramer Scoole and to a Jurney to Cambridge as to our presentment 
for want of a gramer Scoole." 

At "A Generall Towne Meting March the 7th:1709-10 
Voted that the selectmen shall agree With a man to teach children 
and youth to Wright and sifer and kep scool in Chelmsford." 

In 1711, "The Selectmen are appointed By the uote of the 
towne to provide a Scoolmaster as the Law Derects." 

Five pounds were paid, in 1712, "To mr Cheney for being our 
Scoolmaster," and "at a genorall towne meeting December 12: 
1712 the towne uoted that It was thare minds to have a Scoole 
master." 

From this time forward, the Town was not without a school 
for some part of each year, although the grammar school had not 
yet become firmly established. The Town was called upon to 
answer to the Court for want of one in 1714, 1716, 1721, and 
again in 1726. 

At a "Town Meeting May the: 12th 1718, voted to Petition 
the genorall court that the fishing place at Pattuctt may be granted 
to Chelmsford for the benifit of seporting a scoole in chelmsford 
the fishing place one the south side meremack." What action 
was taken upon this petition does not appear. The privilege 
asked for was a most important one. Allen, writing in 1820, 
says: "The quantity of salmon, shad and alewives, caught in 
Chelmsford annually may be computed at about twenty-five 
hundred barrels, besides a large quantity of other fish of less 
value." The name "Merrimack signifies in the Indian language 
a sturgeon." 

As the settlements extended each year farther from the 
centre of the Town, the question of the location of the schools 
became an important one, and sometimes occasioned lively 
contests. An article annually appeared in the warrant for the 
March meeting similar to the following: 

To agree and Vote in what part or parts of the said Town 
the Grammar School or other Schools shall be Kept the year 
ensuing, and to act in that affair as shall be thought proper. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 555 

In 1716 the Town 

voated that the scule master shall keep scule in the fore 
quarters of the town one month at a time in one place 

Voated that the selectmen shall determine wheir the fore 
quarters of the town are 

This was a duty which must have taxed the wisdom of the 
fathers of the Town. 

Mr. Nathaniel Prentice, of Cambridge, was the schoolmaster 
for the years 1718, 1719 and 1720. He graduated from Harvard 
College in 1714. He was afterwards the second minister of the 
church of Dunstable, where he labored until his death in 1737. 
The following is the language of the contract between Mr. 
Prentice and the Town: 

Chelmsford September 22d 1719 
The select men have agreed with mr Nathaniel Prentice of 
Cambridge to keep scoole in Chelmsford from the firs of October 
next ensuing the Date untill the firs Day of Aprill 1720 the above 
sd Nathaniel Prentice does oblige himself to keep scoole six hours 
every Day in sd term except it be Saturday Dayes which he is 
alowed for him self For which sd prentice is to have eigteen pounds. 

The name of Mr. Prentice is signed to this contract in a bold 
and graceful hand. There is no suggestion of Christmas Holidays 
in this agreement. The school, as we have seen, rotated between 
the four quarters of the Town. Let us accompany Mr. Prentice 
in his rounds. 

The first month would be at the centre of the Town. At 
the end of that time, he dismissed his pupils and moves, perhaps, 
to the Stony Brook neighborhood, five miles away. There, in 
a room of some convenient dwelling, he organizes his classes, 
before the blazing log fire in the great open fireplace. His text- 
books are as primitive as the other accessories. In reading, 
Nasons says, "it was the New England Primer, with its rude cuts 
of Adam and Eve, Jonah and the whale, and rustic rhymes, such 

"The idle fool 
Is whipt at school." 

After his brief month here, he must go to meet the boys and 
girls at the South End. And, like the others, we may suppose 
them to have been hearty, ruddy and boisterous youths, from their 
active out-door life. 

And if Mr. Prentice's pupils did not acquire the proficiency 
in Algebra and Latin, which pupils of the same age in our schools 
possess, who shall say that they had not a compensating advantage 
in the possession of more robust health and lively animal spirits. 
Nervous disorders induced by lack of exercise, and the inhaling 
of the vitiated atmosphere of the crowded schoolroom, was, 
probably, not common at that day. The South End school was 



556 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



usually kept near where the South Chelmsford schoolhouse was 
afterwards built, on the road leading by the house of Mr. Quimby 
to Carlisle. 

The next month would be at the North End. This included, 
besides the present Nimiber Two District, all that part of the 
Town to the north and northeast, including what is now Lowell. 
The late John Parkhurst told me, that in his boyhood he had met 
at the old Number Two schoolhouse, John Farrar, and other boys 
from West Chelmsford, and the Adams boys, Benjamin and 
Thomas, from North Chelmsford. 

We have now come to an important event, the building of 
the first schoolhouse. In 1718, the Town granted three rods 
and a half of land for that purpose, at "the most easterly comer 
of the buring Place." [Where the brick school was later built. 
The land was laid out to William Fletcher by the Town and by 
him given to the builders.]* The cost, about one hundred dollars, 
was paid by subscription. The names of those citizens who 
contributed to this worthy object have been preserved in the 
record which reads as follows: 

The names of those that built and finished the Schoole house 
And What Each man gave thereto 

mr Stoddard 2: 0:0 Nathall Butterfield 1: 0: 

Moses Barron 1 : :0 

Josiah Fletcher 1 : :0 

Deacon Waring 1 : 0:0 

Eben Foster 1: 0:0 

Edward Spaulding 1:10:0 

William Fletcher 1:10:0 

John Bates 1: 0:0 

Stephen Peirce 1 : 0:0 

Moses Parker 1: 10: 

John Dauest 0: 10: 

The second schoolhouse must have been built very soon 
after, for a road was laid out, in 1720, from the "North School 
house" (leading over the home meadow and Carolina plain.) The 
building stood a few rods east of the "Owl's Nest Green House," 
at a turn of the road by the old Middlesex Turnpike. It is probable 
that this schoolhouse also was paid for by subscription. There is 
no evidence that the Town raised any money for such a purpose 
prior to 1794. 

Mr. Prentice was succeeded by Joseph Whipple, who taught 
from 1721 to 1724. A difference of opinion existed as to the 
merits of Mr. Whipple's teaching. It was settled by a Town 
meeting, in 1724, which 

"Voted that the Petition of Moses Parker and nine others 
freeholders who Petitioned that the Schoole master be Dismissed 
and a committee chose to Provide another in his Room be dismissed" 

*See plan No. 21. 
tProbably meant for Davia. 



Samll Barron 


1: 


0: 





Benone Perham 


1: 


0: 





Eben Parker 


1: 


0: 





John Burge 


0: 


10: 





Benj Parker 


0: 


10: 





Richard Stratton 


1: 


0: 





Joseph Foster 


0: 


15: 





Benjamin Adams 


1: 


00: 


00 


Edward Foster 


00: 


15: 


00 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 557 

Mr. Thomas Frink, of Sudbury, followed Whipple. He taught 
till 1727, when the Town paid John Spaulding "to wait upon Mr. 
Frink home." 

Josiah Richardson and Isaac Richardson taught one year 
each. Joseph Lovett, two years, Jonathan Mills, one, and 
Samson Stoddard, five, ending in 1734. The latter was a son of 
Rev. Samson Stoddard, and graduated from Harvard College, 
in 1730. He became one of the leading men of the Town, was a 
colonel in the militia, and held many offices of trust. The Town 
of Stoddard, N. H., w^as named in his honor. 

After Mr. Stoddard, no teacher remained longer than two 
years, until 1750, when Oliver Fletcher took charge of the schools 
and continued six years. He was a graduate of Harvard College 
of the class of 1735. He was a man of great worth of character. 
[Bridge refers to his death, which occurred in 1771, as a "great 
loss."] Allen says of him: "His piety and integrity gave him 
great ascendancy over his fellow-townsmen, and secured their 
esteem and confidence." 

In 1747, the Town 

Voted that the Grammar School be kept in the middle of 
this Town the year ensuing, and that the out scirts of sd Tovv^n 
shall have their proportionable part of money that is paid for 
schooling allowed to them for to provide Writing Schools for them- 
selves and that all the sd Schools shall be free schools for the sd 
Town 

Voted that the Middle of sd Town shall be allowed to extend 
Two miles each way from the Meeting house 

Voted That each end of sd Town shall be allowed to have 
three months schooling in the most suitablest season in this 
year ensuing for writing schools: as their proportionable part 
on sd Towns cost. 

One clause in this vote, "that all the said schools shall be 
free schools," and another at a later date, that there shall be 
"No schools at town cost but grammar school," indicate that 
supplementary schools were sometimes maintained at private 
expense. 

A record appears in 1755 which shows the character of the 
services which each teacher was expected to render: 

Oliver Fletcher, Grammar & writing six months. Ebenezer 
Gould, three months writing school. Daniel Procter three 
months reeding. Righting & Cyphering school. 

With the first of these, Oliver Fletcher, we have already 
become acquainted. He was an elegant penman. His copy 
most of us would be glad to be able to imitate today. So much, 
however, cannot be said for Daniel Procter. It would be a mark 
of ingenuity in his pupils if they could write as badly. Let us 
hope that his strength lay in the other branches, "reeding & 
Cyphering." Thomas Rice succeeded Oliver Fletcher in the 
grammar school. He continued several years. 



558 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1764, Peter Spaulding was employed, and he was followed 
by Samson Stoddard, Jr., a son of a former teacher of that name, 
and a graduate of Harvard, and after him Vryling Stoddard, also 
of the same honorable family. He graduated from Harvard in 
1765. Allen says of him: "He became an eminent instructor of 
youth in this place." 

Now let us go back a little and follow the action of the Town 
in fixing the location of its schools. This question was decided 
by vote in town meeting, but was often far from satisfactory to 
the people in the more remote sections of the Town. The method 
usually adopted for the grammar school was to divide the time 
between the different sections of the Town, or to "circulate ac- 
cording to town vote." Occasionally it would be continued 
throughout the year at the centre of the Town. 

This was the case in 1724. Two citizens, Joseph Underwood 
and Ebenezer Wright, recorded their "decent against the settle- 
ment of the School." One of these, Joseph Underwood, lived at 
what is now the centre of Westford. The other, Ebenezer Wright, 
had removed from the Neck, and was now living upon the present 
site of Edwin Heyward's house near Chamberlin's Corner in 
Westford. The next year the wish of the dissenters was respected, 
and the "west end" was given four months' school. 

The town was soon relieved of the necessity of providing for 
the "west end, "as it was incorporated as the town of Westford, in 
1729. 

In 1730—31 : 

At a meeting of the selectmen Pursuant to the Town vote for 
Removing the Scoole in three severall places in the Town it is 
ordered that the School master keep Schoole in the Schoolehous 
in the midle of the Town from the first of November Last past 
Thirteen weeks and then to Remove to the north end and keep 
schoole at the Dwelling house of Jonathan Bowers (or in some 
other convenient place where the neighborhood shall appoint) 
the space of six weeks and then to Remove to the South end of 
the Town and keep school at the Dwelling hous of Samll Procter 
(or in some other convenient place where the neighborhood shall 
appoint) the term of seven weeks which will fulfill the half year 
agreed upon. 

Jonathan Bowers here mentioned lived at the Neck. 

A record in 1753 contains the first mention of a schoolhouse 
at the South End. It stood near the Paignon place in South 
Chelmsford. It has since been converted into a dwelling, and 
is still standing. The North End school was kept that year at 
the house of James Parkhurst, which stood a few rods west of the 
Number Two schoolhouse. 

The reason for holding this school at a dwelling house appears 
in the diary of the parson. Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, who records, 
"Catechised the children at James Parkhurst's the school-house 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 559 

being unfit." In 1756, the school was kept "one-half in the 
north end and one-half in the south end." But the plan adopted 
in 1757 was finally settled upon as causing the least friction. 

This was to divide the time between the three sections of the 
Town, the north end, the centre, and the south end. This 
method continued with but one or two interruptions until for 
formation of the school districts in 1792. 

In the distribution of the schools in 1755, it was "voted that 
the writing school shall be kept three months in the north end 
of the Town att the school house & three months at the dwelling 
House of Robert Peirce." Robert Peirce lived near the present 
residence of Orlando Blodgett on Chelmsford Street. The house 
faced a road, now discontinued, which ran back of Mr. Blodgett's 
house. This was afterwards the home of Benjamin Pierce, the 
distinguished father of a distinguished son, President Franklin 
Pierce. 

In 1767 a reading and writing school was kept "2 mos at 
school house in the neck." 

This is the first mention of a schoolhouse in this section. 
It stood upon School Street, not far from the old cemetery. 



Other grave and important matters were now coming forward 
to engross the attention of the people and put school questions 
in the background. 

But, during the distressing times of the Revolution, the 
schools were by no means abandoned. In 1781, in addition to 
the grammar school, the Town voted 

Nine months Righting school 3 mos in Neck so called extending 
from Mr. Timothy Clarks to the mouth of Concord & to Mr. 
Simeon Moreses & to Mr. Joseph Pierieces So by Mr. Philip 
Parkers 

Voted one month schooling at Newfield one month at Mr. 
David Spauldings one month in Concord River Neck so called 
& five 3eks on the mill road so called & eight weeks at or near 
Mr. John Adams. 

This record is valuable, as it defines the limits of the Neck 
district, and furnishes a basis for estimating the population here 
one hundred years ago. Timothy Clark here referred to, lived 
at Middlesex near where Baldwin Street terminates at the river. 
Simeon Mores lived upon what is now Moore Street. The house 
of Joseph Pierce was near the present city farm buildings, and 
Philip Parker's was upon West Pine Street near the Highland 
school. This district embraced, then, all of what is now Lowell, 
excepting Belvidere, Centralville and Pawtucketville; and all 
of the children then living here, excepting the few who attended 
the grammar school four miles distant, were accommodated with 
a three months' school in the little red schoolhouse upon School 



560 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Street. It would require a pretty commodious building to 
accommodate the ten thousand school children in the same 
district today [1890]. 

After the adoption of the Federal Constitution in 1789, the 
times became more tranquil and prosperous, and school questions 
again came uppermost. The school district system now began 
to develop. In 1792, the management of the schools was, for the 
first time, placed fully in the hands of a school comimittee. 

The change was not made without a struggle, but, after 
repeated adjournments and reconsiderations, the Town voted: 

That a select committee be chosen to provide the grammar 
school masters and all other School masters & that said com- 
mittee proportion Inspect and Regulate Said Schools. 

Nine persons were chosen to constitute this committee, one 
from each district or "squadron." 

The next step wa^ to provide schoolhouses for those districts 
not already so provided for. In 1794, it was 

Voted to raise £250 for the purpose of building schoolhouses 
each squadron to draw their own money for building their school- 
house, location decided by vote of members of squadrons. 

In the year 1800 the Town supported twelve schools at an 
expense of six hundred dollars. They were located as follows: 

At the middle of the Town, now District 1. At the North 
Schoolhouse, now District 2. Near Ebenezer Parker's, South 
Chelmsford, now District 3. At Mill Row, now District 4. At 
Squadron by Capt. Benj. Fletcher's, now District 5. At Concord 
River Neck, now District 6. At Schoolhouse by Simon Stevens's, 
now District 7. At Newfield, now North Chelmsford, District 8. 
At Grate Neck, now Lowell. At Samuel Marshall's, also Lowell, 
comer Parker and Powell Streets. At schoolhouse by Joseph 
Adams' and at schoolhouse by Benj. Chamberlain's. 
[For location of School Districts, see Map No. 9.] 

One of the two last named was, undoubtedly, in Carlisle, 
where the schoolhouse now stands, north of Great Brook, and 
the other in Lowell. This portion of the Town had now begun to 
increase in population. A map of the Town made in 1794 shows 
on this section a clothier's mill, iron works, five saw mills, and two 
gristmills. 

The only roads shown in the same section were one from 
Middlesex Village to the Concord river, marked Road to Salem. 
This followed the present line of portions of Baldwin, West Pine, 
Parker, Chelmsford, Hale, Thorndike and Gorham to Moore 
street, and on that to the river. A Country Road ran from 
Pawtucket falls over the present line of School, Powell and Plain 
streets. Another, beginning near the mouth of Concord river 
and terminating at Middlesex, corresponds with Merrimack, 
Pawtucket, and the west end of Middlesex streets. Still another, 
marked Town Road, ran to the centre of Chelmsford. 



1 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 561 

The little red schoolhouse was now outgrown, and three new 
ones took its place: One at the comer of Parker and Powell 
streets, another where the Hospital now stands on Pawtucket 
street, and the third at Middlesex. 

By the adoption of the school district system, every family 
in TowTi was provided with a school within easy reach of their 
home. Men teachers were employed for these schools in winter, 
and women for the summer terms. Another result not, perhaps, 
at first contemplated, was the loss of the grammar school. The 
Town was too poor to support a high grade school in addition 
to their twelve district schools. 

The grammar school teachers had been men of character and 
scholarly attainments, and, coming from the college to the school- 
room, with the best mental training which the time afforded, must 
have exerted an important influence in moulding the character, 
and stimulating the ambition and mental activity of the young 
men and women under their charge. 

[The school in District No. 11 was "near Capt. Phineas 
Whiting's," at the upper end of Merrimack street. 

In 1821, the Town voted "to petition the Legislature to alter 
the school law in such a way as not to oblige the Town of Chelms- 
ford to keep any latten grammer school" 

In 1825, the Town appointed as a committee to examine the 
schools in Chelmsford: Rev. Wilkes Allen, Joel Adams, John C. 
Dalton, M. D., John O. Green, M. D., Rev. Theodore Edson and 
Rev. John Parkhurst. 

The money to be drawn by School District No. 11 was to 
be equally divided, the Merrimack Manufacturing Company to 
draw one half, and the district the other half; the whole to be 
expended in the district for the support of schools.] 

To THE Selectmen of the Town of Chelmsford 
Gentn 

The increase of Population in the Eleventh School District has been 
so great for a year or two past, that the Children cannot possibly be accommo- 
dated in the School House belonging to said district. The Merrimack Manu- 
factg Company have in consequence erected a School House for the conven- 
ience of all children residing on their premises. Therefore we the undersigned 
request that an article may be inserted in the warrent for the Town meeting 
to be holden on the first Monday of April next to ascertain if the Inhabitants 
will appropriate the money paid by the Merk Mang Company & persons in 
their employ for supporting the School established by them, and to have the 
district so divided as to effect the above purpose 
Chelmsford 23d March 1825.— 

Kirk Boott Agent 
Paul Moody 
w.\rren colburn 
N Goodwin 
Allan Pollock 
George B. Pollock 
Hiram Thompson 
Henry Smith 
D. J. Moody 
Charles Nicholas 



562 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The paper containing the following was endorsed upon the 
back "Report of the Selectmen respecting School District No. 11 — 
1825" 

The subscribers to whom was referred the article in the the warrant for 
the last town meeting, respecting a a division of school district No. 11 having 
attend to the servic. respectfully submit the following Report. 

That said district be divided as follows, viz. beginning at Merrimack 
River at the northeasterly corner of the Kittridge farm, so called, thence 
running southerly to the bride over George's brook so called on the road from 
Patucket Bridge to Concord River bridge, thence westerly on said road to 
the land of Luther Richardson, thence southerly on said Richardsons land 
and in the same course to the Patucket land four rods west of the house of 
Thomas Bagden and that the part of the town east of said line, and north of 
said canal be made a school district, and called district No. 13. 

Caleb Abbott 
Nath Wright 
Alpheus Spaulding 

The teaching of those days was confined to a very few lines 
of study. But in the fundamental branches the training was 
thorough, and the pupils left the school with clear minds and a 
solid fotmdation upon which to build in after life. 

[Additional from page 262, Kurd's Hist. Middlesex County, 1890.] 
In 1801 a new schoolhouse was built in the "Mill Row" 
District (No. 4), costing $310, and the following year a new brick 
schoolhouse took the place of the original structure at District 
No. 1, at a cost of $500. This building is now used by the Town 
for a hearse-house in Forefathers' Cemetery. 

The district schools had some famous teachers, among whom 
was Willard Parker, afterwards the eminent physician of New 
York. He taught in the old brick schoolhouse in the winters of 
1821, '22 and '23*. Dr. Parker was a descendant of one of the 
five brothers who came from Wobum and settled in Chelmsford 
in 1653. He graduated from Harvard College in 1826, studied 
medicine under the direction of Dr. John C. Warren, Professor 
of Surgery in Harvard University, and took his degree of M. D. 
in 1830. He was at once appointed Professor of Anatomy at the 
Medical School at Woodstock, Vt., and the same year, the same 
position at the Berkshire Medical Institution. Plis appointment 
to the chair of surgery at the same college soon followed. In 
1836 he filled the chair of surgery at the Cincinnati Medical 
College. He soon after visited Europe and spent considerable 
time in the hospitals of London and Paris. Upon his return he 
was appointed to the chair of surgery in the College of Physicians 
in New York City, a position which he held for thirty years. He 
was one of the founders of the Academy of Medicine and at one 
time its president. 

In 1870 the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by a 
college in New Jersey. Dr. Parker was a son of Jonathan Parker, 
who removed to New Hampshire when a young man. He returned 

♦Letter of Dr. Parker written in 1877 to H. S. Perham. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 563 

to Chelmsford when Willard was five years old and settled upon 
the hill where Riley Davis now lives on South Street. Jonathan 
was "Jock" in those days, and he was called "Hill Jock" to dis- 
tinguish him from another Jonathan Parker, his next neighbor, 
who was called "Trooper Jock." (There was also "Black Jock.") 
Dr. Parker always retained his interest in Chelmsford. He 
kept the old homestead until near the close of his life, when the 
care of it became too perplexing. The feelings with which he 
regarded it are shown in a letter written in 1879: "I love it as 
my old home, and where my parents lived, worked hard and died." 
His death occurred in New York City in April, 1884. 

Chelmsford Classical School. 

The desire of the people for better educational advantages, 
for those wishing to pursue the more advanced studies, led to the 
establishment of the Chelmsford Classical School in 1825. The 
building, which has since been converted into a parsonage for 
the Central Baptist Society, was erected for that purpose. The 
funds for the support of the school were furnished by individual 
enterprise. 

The management was entrusted to the following Board of 
Trustees : 

Abel Hunt, Rev. Wilkes Allen, Rev. Abiel Abbott, Samuel 
Bachelder, Esq., Oliver M. Whipple, Jonathan Perham, Esq., 
J. S. C. Knowlton, Esq., Capt. Josiah Fletcher, Sen., Dr. J. C. 
Dalton, Owen Emerson, Jr., Cranmore Wallace, Captain William 
Fletcher, Dr. J. 0. Green, Dr. Rufus Wyman, Otis Adams, Joel 
Adams, Esq., Joseph Warren, Captain John (?) Butterfield. 

The trustees with rare good fortune secured the services of 
Ralph Waldo Emerson, of Concord, as teacher. 

Although the Chelmsford Classical School had a brief existence 
the town has occasion to feel proud of its results. Probably at 
no other period have so many young men gone out from.the schools 
of Chelmsford to gain distinction abroad and confer honor upon 
their native town. 

The following distinguished men were among the pupils of 
Ralph Waldo Emerson, or the teachers who immediately followed 
him: Judge Josiah G. Abbott, of Boston; Hon. Fletcher Abbott, 
Esq., who died at Toledo, Ohio; Morrill Wyman, A. M., M. D., 
LL. D., who is still in the practice of his profession at Cambridge, 
Massachusetts; Professor Jeffries Wyman, M. D.; the late 
Benjamin P. Hunt, of Philadelphia, and the late Professor John 
Dalton, M. D., of New York, who gained a national reputation 
in his profession. 

J. G. Abbott entered Harvard College at the age of thirteen. 
After completing his studies there he chose the profession of the 
law, in which he rapidly rose to distinction. He has also occupied 
many high positions of political honor, among them that of member 
of the United States Congress. 



564 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Benjamin P.Hunt, born May 18, 1808, entered Harvard College 
in 1 828 . From there he went to Philadelphia and engaged in teaching 
a classical and scientific school. He sailed for Kingston, Jamaica, 
March 6, 1840, in the capacity of supercargo. He wrote an 
account of his voyage which was published in The Dial in 1843. 
Emerson said of it: "It seems to me the best of all sea voyages. 
Besides its rhetorical value, it has another quite additional, 
inasmuch as it realizes so fully for me the promise of the large, 
wise boy who made my school-days in Chelmsford so glad by his 
lively interest in books and his native delight in ethical thought, 
and life looks more solid and rich to me when I see these many 
years keep their faith." Hawthorne pays the following high 
tribute to the literary excellence of the article — "a solid example 
of facts which had not lost their vigor by passing through the 
mind of a thinker." 

In 1842 Mr. Hunt went to Hayti and became the head of a 
wealthy mercantile house. 

Although actively engaged in business his scholarly mind was 
at work in other directions. He made a study of the West Indian 
negro character, and he got together a unique collection of books 
relating to those islands. It is said that his collection of works 
relating to the Antilles is the most complete in the country, if 
not in the world. 

In 1858 he retired from business and settled in Philadelphia. 
Here he became actively engaged in charitable and philanthropical 
movements, especially those for the benefit of the freedmen. 

Through his efforts the orphans of the negro soldiers were 
collected and provided for in a home upon the banks of the Dela- 
ware. In June, 1869, Mr. Hunt was requested by President 
Grant, through Secretary Fish, to "join a party of gentlemen 
going to the West Indies for the purpose of obtaining information 
concerning several interesting localities in those islands, but more 
especially Saint Domingo." He was deeply interested in the 
project of annexation, but sickness prevented his taking part 
with the commission. 

Jeffries Wyman was Professor of Anatomy at Harvard College 
at the time of the famous murder of Dr. Parkman by Professor 
Webster, and the trial largely turned upon the scientific investiga- 
tions of Professor Wyman. His death occurred September 4, 1874. 

The need of better educational advantages than were offered 
by the public schools led to a movement in 1859 for the establish- 
ment of a school of a higher grade. The use of the building 
erected for the Chelmsford Classical School, thirty-four years 
before, was obtained, and on Aug. 29, 1859, the "Chelmsford 
Academy" was opened. Albert Stickney, A. B., a graduate of 
Harvard University, was the principal. The trustees were: 
Levi Howard, M. D., William Fletcher, Dea. David Perham, 
Charles H. Dalton, Edward F. Richardson, Solomon E. Byam 
and Edwin H. Warren. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 565 

Mr. Stickney was succeeded by Edward E. Spalding, now of 
Passadena, Cal. Mr. Spalding was a native of the town, and 
had had a long and successful experience as an instructor. 

But in the mean time the War of the Rebellion came on. 
Some of the pupils joined the ranks of the army. The trustees 
were unable to secure the support necessary for its maintenance, 
and in 1862 the school was closed. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
BY BENJ. E. MARTIN, SUPT. OF SCHOOLS, 1915. 

Changed conditions in the American home, the extreme 
subdivision of labor, and the discontinuance of the apprenticeship 
system in the trades, have necessitated radical changes in the 
public school system. 

In earlier times the home contributed a large part toward 
the education of the child, especially along manual lines. This 
is no longer true, except in a small minority of homes. With the 
great changes in the nature of the population, and in the industries, 
with the consequent failure of the home to perform the educational 
work it had formerly done, and the failure of the shop to contribute 
toward the industrial education of its employees, the burden upon 
the public school system has proportionately increased. Many 
changes in the system have resulted. 

The following are some of the more notable changes in the 
elementary school system — already completed, or in process: 
(1) the change from the highly graded system, with large groups 
as units, to the various systems that recognize the needs of the 
small group or of the individual child; (2) the introduction of 
prevocational courses into the work of the grades; (3) the 
shortening of the elementary school course to six years, with the 
work of the two or three upper grades incorporated as a part of a 
junior high school course. This work, with the work of the high 
school, constitutes a six year secondary school course. This is 
the so-called "six and six" plan, six years of elementary school 
work and six years of secondary school work. This change has 
come about through the recognized need of differentiations in the 
course of study to suit the varying needs of the pupils when they 
reach the age of about twelve years — the age when the individuality 
of the child begins to assert itself. 

In the education of pupils of secondary school age, the changes 
have been even greater. From the old style high school with 
one or two courses, there has been developed the modern high 
school with its multiplicity of courses. The development of very 
complete commercial courses, domestic science courses, agricul- 
tural courses, and other vocational courses in our regular high 
schools, in addition to the courses that formerly constituted the 
work of these schools, is notable. Besides these specialized forms 
of education in our high schools, there have been established the 
so-called industrial schools, vocational schools, trade schools, 



566 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

and agricultural high schools, in which our youth from fourteen 
years up receive industrial and vocational training. These 
schools are today well established parts of our public school 
system. The continuation school, in which the industrial worker 
is given opportunity, and in some cases required, to supplement 
his education while at work, are rapidly becoming a recognized 
part of the public school system. 

The highly diversified evening school system in cities and 
large towns, and vacation schools, are recent additions to our 
school system that are worthy of note. 

The kindergarten and supervised playgrounds are also well- 
established parts of the public school system. 

The extension of the compulsory school age, the great atten- 
tion to the physical welfare of the child, the great care with which 
dependent, defective, and delinquent children are dealt with, are 
all features of the present day school system. 

To the foregoing account by Mr. Perham, the following is 
added by the present writer, although it involves some repetition : 

A few years ago, upon request, Mr. Emerson's son, Edward 
Waldo Emerson, kindly supplied the writer with the following: 

"I think it was in the Autimin of 1825 that Mr. Emerson, 
then a divinity student, went to Chelmsford to teach in the 
Academy. His younger brother, Robert Bulkeley Emerson, a 
good youth, but mentally deficient, was at work there on a farm 
at that time. Among Mr. Emerson's pupils were young Josiah 
Gardner Abbott and Benjamin Peter Hunt, a youth especially 
interesting to him, and with whom, though they seldom met, 
(for Mr. Hunt lived in Philadelphia), he always kept friendly 
relations. Hunt wrote to my father in 1860: — 'It is now thirty- 
five years since you began your teachings to me, and, with the 
exception of those of the great, rough, impartial world, I think 
they have been the best I ever received from any man whom I have 
personally known. I hope I shall continue to receive similar 
teachings, thankfully as at present for many years to come.' " 

[The present writer had, some years since, in his possession 
several letters of a most friendly character written by Emerson 
to Hunt. In one of them was a pleasing reference to Carlyle's 
Sartor Resartus, then just published.] 

"In Mr. Emerson's Journal for 1860 he writes: — 'When I 
remember how easily and happily I think in certain company, — 
as, for instance, in former years with Alcott, Charles Newcomb, 
earlier with Peter Hunt, though I must look far and wide for the 
persons and conditions, which yet were real, — and how unfavorable 
my daily habits of solitude are for this success, and consider also 
how essential this Commerce is to fruitfulness in writing, — I see that 
I cannot exaggerate its importance among the resources of inspir- 
ation.' I think he was writing 'Inspiration' at this time, and among 
the sources he notesConversation." (See "Letters and Social Aims.") 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 567 

Frederick F. Ayer, Esq. (Old Residents' Contributions, Vol. 
5, p. 47), says: [Judge J. G. Abbott's] description of Emerson as 
a schoolmaster interested me most because I saw that Emerson 
had left his character on him in marks that would never wear 
away. He said Emerson never corrected, nor criticised, nor 
found fault with a boy, no matter what the boy had done; that 
only behind his wondrous smile, which almost concealed a faint 
expression of regret, could one read pages of what he would say, 
but never articulated. He said the worst boy in school was 
devoted to him. When some of the boys would be engaged in 
rough quarrels, he had seen Emerson appear at the door of the 
schoolhouse with his heart in his face, and the boys would forget 
their quarrel in an instant. 

The following account of Mr. Hunt was prepared by his 
nephew, Samuel Chamberlain Hunt. 

Benjamin Peter Hunt was bom in Chelmsford, Middlesex 
County, Massachusetts, on the 18th day of May, 1808. His 
ancestors were of the early Puritan stock, and in 1641 we find one 
of them, "William Hunt, admitted freeman of Concord," and in 
1655 another, Edmund Chamberlain, the same, of Chelmsford. 
From his mother (Olive Chamberlain) Hunt, he inherited a 
wonderfully retentive memory, a cakn and impartial judgment, 
and the absolute loathing of all deception, shams, and falsehood, 
which made him such a terror to evil-doers. His valuable library 
was left to his heirs — nieces and nephews. 

He attended the common school until he was seventeen, 
when a year spent under the instrucJ:ion of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 
at the Chelmsford Academy, gave him an impulse to a higher 
education. In 1828 he entered Harvard College, the classmate, 
among others, of the Rev. Doctors Bellows and Osgood, the 
Honorable Geo. T. Curtis, John S. Dwight, Esq., and the Rev. 
Charles T. Brooks. Not remaining to finish the course, he came 
to Philadelphia, literally to seek his fortune. He taught a classical 
and scientific school for a number of years, reading everything that 
came in his way, and always seeking for his associates the cultivated 
and refined of both sexes. At last, disgusted with the school- 
master's drudgery, he determined to adopt a new calling, and 
sailed for Kingston, Ja., on the 6th of March, 1840, as supercargo 
of the brig "Olive Chamberlain." An account of this voyage was 
published in two numbers of "The Dial," in 1843. Emerson 
speaks of it as follows: "It seems to me the best of all sea voyages. 
Besides its rhetorical value, it has another quite additional, 
inasmuch as it realizes so fully for me the promise of the large, 
wise boy who made my school-days in Chelmsford so glad by his 
lively interest in books and his native delight in ethical thought, 
and life looks more solid and rich to me when I see these many 
years keep their faith." Hawthorne cites this piece from "The 
Dial" as "a solitary example of facts which had not lost their 
vigor by passing through the mind of a thinker." 

/ 



568 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1842 Mr. Hunt went to Hayti to engage in mercantile 
business, landing at Cape Haytien in May, 1842, just after the 
earthquake had nearly buried the town. Here, at the scene of 
the defeat of Le Clerc's expedition, he visited the birthplace of 
Toussaint, and the old haunts of Dessalines and Christophe, and 
here began his study of the West Indian negro character and his 
almost unique collection of books relating to these islands. Success 
attended his efforts, and he became the he?d uf a wealthy com- 
mercial house in Port-au-Prince. The natural integrity of his 
character, his close attention to business, and his pleasure in 
literature, kept him from the dissipation and immorality into 
which foreigners in the West Indies so often fall. In 1851 he 
married a lady of Philadelphia, and in 1858, after making several 
visits to the United States, his health began to fail, and he retired 
from business, making Philadelphia his home, and he was only 
too happy to spend his life in his quiet library among his beloved 
books. 

A sincere abolitionist, Mr. Hunt early took part in the work 
for the freedmen, and earnestly labored as the Corresponding 
Secretary of the Port Royal Relief Committee, the Secretar}^ and 
Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Freedmen 's Relief Association — 
which latter position he relinquished when it became a salaried 
office, — and as one of the Supervisory Committee for Recruiting 
Colored Soldiers in Pennsylvania. When the war was ended, 
he set himself to right the wrongs of the colored people in his 
adopted city. 

In June, 1869, Mr. Hunt was requested by President Grant, 
through Secretary Fish, to "join a party of gentlemen, going to 
the West Indies for the purpose of obtaining information con- 
cerning several interesting localities in those islands, but more 
especially Saint Domingo." This project of annexation was 
very dear to him, but from motives entirely different from such 
as governed many of those interested in the subject. To some it 
was either the advantages of a coaling station, or so much more 
gold, sugar, coffee, and rum added, free of duty, to their commerce; 
but to him it was the door which opened the way for our laws, 
civilization, and Christianity, to permeate a half-barbarous 
community of blacks, who are keeping up to this day many of the 
superstitious practices which they brought from Africa. On the 
eve of the commission's departure from New York he was obliged 
reluctantly to give up his share in it, on account of sickness; but 
he kept, to the day of his death, the unshaken faith, that, sooner 
or later, the islands of the West Indies will form a part of the 
great Republic of America; and he left, unpublished, a most 
interesting and valuable account of the condition of society as 
he found it in Hayti, which his long intercourse with its people, 
his sympathy with them, and his insight into character, rendered 
him peculiarly fitted to describe. Mr. Hunt died at the Harrison 
Mansion, Frankford, Philadelphia, February 2, 1877. 



PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM 569 

His physician said, "When I look at Mr. Hunt in his sufferings, 
I can think of no other word than 'majestic,' to describe his 
appearance." When some one said to him a few days before 
his death, "I think you will be a judge in the spirit world, — for 
if ever any one could decide between right and wrong, justice and 
injustice, you are that one," he replied, "I cannot tell what I shall 
be there, nor even if I shall go to heaven; but wherever the Lord 
appoints me, and gives me a work to do, there is my place, and 
there I shall be satisfied." 

The Hon. Josiah Gardner Abbott, LL. D., was born in 
Chelmsford, November 1, 1814, the son of Caleb and Mercy 
Abbott. She was the daughter of Josiah Fletcher. Caleb was the 
son of Caleb, son of Nathan, son of Timothy, son of Timothy, son 
of George, born in 1615, who came from Yorkshire, England, and 
was one of the first settlers of Andover. 

In 1838, Josiah Gardner Abbott married Caroline Livermore, 
daughter of the Hon. Edward St. Loe Livermore. They had 
eleven children. Three of his sons served in the army during 
the Civil War, and two of them fell in battle. 

He was born in what is known as the Wynn house opposite 
the Common, where, later. Deacon Otis Adams lived. His father 
kept a store in the village — Chelmsford Centre. He graduated 
at Harvard in 1832, and taught in the Fitchburg Academy. He 
studied law with Joel Adams, who had his office in Chelmsford; 
and with Nathaniel Wright of Lowell. 

He was a member of the Legislature in 1837, and was State 
senator in 1842 and 1843. In 1840 he edited the Lowell Advertiser. 
In 1853, he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and 
two years later was made a Judge of the Superior Court for 
Suffolk County. In 1874, he was elected to the lower house of 
Congress. He was a man of great intellectual ability and of a 
kind heart. 

He died in 1891, aged seventy-six years and seven months. 



CHAPTER XI. 
SLAVES. WITCHES. 

WARNING OUT. SMALLPOX. FIRST SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. THE SOCIAL 

LIBRARY. THE ADAMS LIBRARY. THE NORTH CHELMSFORD 

LIBRARY. THE MONUMENT ASSOCIATION. PRINTING. 

THE VILLAGE CLOCK. WATERING TROUGHS. 

MATCHES. WATER DISTRICTS. TOWN 

FARM. TRAINING SCHOOL. 

NEGRO SLAVES. 

SLAVERY, which had existed from the early days in Massa- 
chusetts, was legal after 1641, but practically ceased .before the 
Revolution. The State never explicitly abolished it, though the 
slave trade was prohibited in 1788, and, on account of the declara- 
tion of human rights in the Constitution of 1780, a number of 
slaves were declared free. 

In 1754, there were reported 8 negro slaves over 16 years old 
in Chelmsford. The number in Middlesex County was 361. In 
Boston, 989. In 1764-5, the number in Chelmsford was 11 — 
7 male negroes and mulattoes, and 4 females. 

Between 1745 and 1767, the baptisms of 11 negroes are 
recorded in the church records. In 1772, 1 negro marriage, and 
1 in 1782, are recorded in the Town records. 36 deaths of negroes 
are recorded between 1747 and 1830 in the church records. 

Rev. Evenezer Bridge owned a negro woman named Venus. 

Dr. Nehemiah Abbott owned a negro man named Cato, and 
a negro woman named Zube. 

Phillis and Dinah belonged to Joseph Moors. 

Colonel Stoddard, Benjamin Walker, Timothy Clark, William 
Campbell, Widow Elizabeth Fletcher, Benjamin Byam, Joseph 
Pierce, Samuel Adams, Gershom Procter, Deacon Ephraim 
Spaulding, Widow Rebecca Parker, Capt. John Butterfield, 
Eleazer Richardson, Capt. Jonathan Richardson, Josiah Fletcher, 
Ephraim Blood and Henry Spaulding owned slaves. At the end 
of lists of births, marriages and deaths in the printed Vital Records 
of Chelmsford will be found the names of negroes in this Town. 



SLAVES, WITCHES 57j 

WITCHES. 

The witch of Endor is everywhere known to Bible reader. 
the eye is the quickest, and exha es fiHu^o ' " -ST.'" ^°.'^' 

rti-reid=<£?-S^^^^^^^ 

body, and so^enS more ^netratinj a^d'Tr '"'1'"''! "^ 

fibres dehcate and susceptible ^^^''J'f'^^l^^^^^^^^t and their 
when the person is diSed provoM'^^^^^^^^ ^^^^"^^^ 

some extraordinary stress or emotion of minTf.^' . "^^^^"^S 

:?:JSi4"t^e-"~^^^^^^ 
™te»ss-^Ji^l-;s^^^ 

13th Century many executions took place in Engg^d *^ * ""= 

adiuU: rtit "wit"Ll^Lfir^feC i s-Bi^ 
::rVa?ei -SL^^dthrwS^^^^^^ 

last four years arPr^^^iS T ^^ ''''^ sorcerers, within these 
realm YoS Grace's sXinT/^- ^"'''^''^ ^^'^"^ >^°^^ Grace's 
their colour fadetrthe:vteo?rf.^ '^'^ ""^° ^^^ death 

In France and Scotland tW ^^^' ^^^^' 'P^'^^ ^^ benumbed." 

nee and Scotland there were great outbursts of witchcraft 

witch^a^ ^nrtTa\^^.t^t^ "f^^^^ l^ '''' ^--bed a 

Cotton MathVcftes tSrom^cL' fo^ P^^^^^ ^P^"^'' 

A witch is a ner^nn i-u^-i- u . , ^.^^^estignsDaemonum: 

^^idSISrr'^ "- -" or?--- 

believed there was such fhfio:, ^ °P'*? '" "'° ^'^"^ Century 

chusetts there were oSlv three or%"™' '"^ wtoheraft. In Massa- 
after the settkment ^ '™'' '^'^^ '" "^'^ "'■''^t ^^^ty years 



572 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

There was no body of law in Massachusetts until 1641. 
The magistrates, in dispensing justice, used their understanding 
of right and wrong. In the year just named, "The Body of 
Liberties" was adopted, and was the beginning of Massachusetts 
statutory law. Equal justice to all; inviolability of person and 
property, except by law; humane treatment of brutes; no second 
trial for the same offence; cruel punishments forbidden; public 
records open for inspection; Church regulations enforced by 
civil courts; Scriptures to overrule custom or prescription; no 
slavery, except in case of lawful captives, or those who willingly 
sell themselves; were some of its provisions. Yet slavery con- 
tinued until 1780. A man or woman who was a witch was to be 
pvit to death, and there was the same penalty for invasion or 
rebellion. There were twelve capital crimes. 

At Chariest© wn, a woman was hanged as a witch in 1648. 
Others suffered in 1656 and 1688. In 1692, when the great out- 
break occurred in Salem, a general despondency had fallen upon 
the people, resulting from four consecutive small-pox epidemics, 
the loss of the old charter, a temporary increase in crime, financial 
depression, and a general dread of another Indian war. It was 
an apt moment for the spread of superstitious fear. 

There were sporadic cases in this vicinity. 

Mary Toothaker of Billerica was charged with wickedly, 
feloniously, and maliciously making a covenant with the devil, 
confirming it by making a mark on a piece of birch rind, that the 
devil brought to her; which shows the strange credulity of the 
time. Others were suspected in neighboring towns. 

Thomas Baly testified to hearing "a hideous noyse of strange 
creatures" when "ridinge between Groton Mil and Chensford," 
and was much affrighted, fearing they might be some evil spirits. 
John Willard, supposed to have been a witch, said they were 
locusts. 

Several women in Chelmsford were suspected of being witches. 
In 1760, Ebenezer Bridge, in his diary, says: Oliver Adams's 
wife charged Widow Byham with being a witch. Jarvis Mansfield 
told the writer that one of his ancestors married a witch. She 
was suspected, and the family kept her in doors most of the time 
for fear she would be accused and taken. 

The delusion caused the death of twenty-five or thirty persons 
in Massachusetts, one being crushed to death, that is, pressed to 
death by heavy weights placed upon him. In some cases their 
own families paid the expenses of the accused while in prison. 

In 1710, numerous petitions were presented by sons, husbands 
and others, for money expended at the time of imprisonment and 
execution of their relations, and for the removal of the attainder. 

In some cases, from £10 to £20 was paid that the record of 
condemnation might be expunged. 

Cotton Mather, colonial divine and author, eldest son of 
Increase Mather, was born in Boston, February 12, 1663. He 



SLAVES, WITCHES 573 

graduated at Harvard when fifteen years old, and studied medicine. 
He married Maria, daughter of John Cotton. Overcoming a 
propensity to stammering, he became assistant minister to his 
father at the age of seventeen. He was a great scholar and a 
conservative leader among the Puritans. He took great interest 
in witchcraft, and published books on the subject. He was 
overworked and perhaps unbalanced by the attacks upon his 
activity in the witchcraft crisis. His father was president of 
Harvard, and he was greatly disappointed when he was not 
appointed to that position. He died February 13, 1728. He had 
extraordinary learning. His Magnalia Christi Americana was 
first printed in 1702. He never gave up his belief in witchcraft. 
He believed America was originally peopled with "a crew of 
witches transported hither by the Devil," who would allow the 
present victims to read Quaker books, the Common Prayer, and 
popish books, but not the Bible. When the children of John 
Goodwin became curiously affected in 1688, he, with three other 
Boston ministers, held a day of fasting and prayer. He took the 
eldest daughter to his house in order to inspect the spiritual and 
physiological phenomena of witchcraft, and his experiments are 
wonderful instances of curiosity and credulity. He discovered 
that the devils were familiar with Latin, Greek and Hebrew, but 
seemed less skilled in the Indian languages. He was sufficiently 
egotistic to regard the assaults of the infernal enemy as directed 
particularly against his own efforts to bring the souls of men unto 
heaven. After the excitement had subsided, he admitted "there 
had been a going too far in that affair." 

He was made a member of the Royal Society of London. 

The Legislature of Massachusetts appointed a day of fasting 
and supplication "that God would pardon all the errors of his 
servants and people in a late tragedy raised among them by 
Satan and his instruments." Judge Sewall, who had presided 
at many trials in Salem, stood up in the meeting house and 
implored the prayers of the people that the judgments of an 
avenging God might not be visited on the country, his family and 
himself. 

There was in Chelmsford one notable instance of accusation 
of witchcraft. Probably it may be safe to assume that the person 
referred to by Cotton Mather (see page 69), was Martha Sparks. 
How much Cotton Mather really knew of the case, it is impossible 
to say. 

Martha was born at Braintree, Sept. 16, 1656, the daughter of 
Thomas Barrett, son of Thomas. Her father moved to Chelms- 
ford, sometime prior to March, 1660. The two Thomases bought 
a house and fifty-two acres of land on the south side of Robin's 
Hill, April 10, 1663. These deaths are recorded: Thomas Barrett, 
Sr., Oct. 6, 1668. Margreatt, wife of Thomas Barrett, July 8, 
1681. Thomas Barrett, Dec. 8, 1702. Fransis, wife of Thomas 
Barit, May 27, 1694. These were her grand-parents and parents. 



574 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

On July 10, 1676, Martha was married to Henry Sparks of Exeter, 
N. H. In February of that year he is credited to Chelmsford in 
the return of a Middlesex Regiment of Militia. He was granted 
land in Chelmsford. The births of two of their children, Abiell, 
a daughter, in 1686, and Deliverance, a son, March 8, 1690, are 
recorded in Chelmsford, as is the death of another son, not named 
in the record, July 6, 1683. 

Henry Sparks died July 16, 1694, and Martha died Feb. 28, 
1697. She was confined in Boston Gaol, October 28, 1691, on 
suspicion of witchcraft. November 1, 1692, her father petitioned 
the Governor and Council for her release, and on December 6 
gave a recognisance for her appearance in Court, and two days 
afterwards she was set free, no doubt owing to the influential 
interposition of the Rev. Mr. Clarke, then minister of Chelmsford ; 
that is, assuming this to be the case mentioned by Mather. The 
case was probably never called in Coxu-t. At that time, after the 
dissolution of the first charter, the Court of Assistants was super- 
seded by the Superior Court of Judicature, and there is no record 
of such a case being tried by either of these Courts. The Records 
of the Middlesex County Court for the period when this case 
might have been called in that Court were burned some time since 
in a fire in Concord, where they were then kept, but no papers 
relating to the case are to be found in the Court files of 1692 and 
1693. 

In the early part of 1693, Governor Phips, being about to 
leave the country, pardoned all the condemned, and the jails 
were delivered. 

In Europe, executions for witchcraft were occasional until 
nearly the end of the eighteenth century. 

These are the documents relating to the case of Martha 
Sparks : 

PETITION OF THOMAS BARRETT. 

To his Excy. Sr. WiUiam Phips, Knt. Capn Genii, and Governor, 
in Cheife of their Majties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in 
New England and to the Honed. Council thereof. 
The Humble Petition of Thomas Barrett of Chelmsford in New 
England, in behalf of his Daughter Martha Sparkes, wife of 
Henry Sparkes who is now a Souldier in their Majties Service att 
the Easterne Parts, and soe hath beene for a Considerable Time, 
Humbly Showeth 

That yor Petitionrs Daughter hath Layne in Prison in Boston 
for the Space of Twelve months and Five days, being Committed 
by Thomas Danforth, Esq the Late Depty Governor, upon 
suspicion of Witchcraft, Since which noe Evidence hath appeared 
against her in any Such matter, neither hath any Given bond to 
prosecute her nor doth any one att this day accuse her of any 
such thing as yor Petitionr knows of. That Yor Petitionr hath 



SLAVES, WITCHES 575 

ever since kept two of her children — the one of 5 years ye other 
of 2 years old, wch hath been a considerable Trouble and charge 
to him in his poore & meane Condition; besides yor Petitionr 
hath a Lame antient & sick wife, who for these 5 y cares & upwards 
past hath beene soe afflicted: as that shee is altogether rendred 
uncapable of affording her self any help, wch much augments his 
Trouble. 

Yor Poore Petitionr Earnestly and humbly Intreates Yor E'cy 
& honrs. to take his distressed condition into yor consideracon, 
And that you will please to order ye releasemt. of his Daughtr. 
from her confinemt. Whereby shee may retume home to her 
poore children to look after them, haveing nothing to pay the 
charge of her Confinemt. 

And yor Petitionr as in duty bound shall ever pray, 
Nov. 1, 1692. &c. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 135, p. 62, doc. 64.] 

THOMAS Barrett's recognizance for martha sparks' appearance 

AT MIDDLESEX COURT. 

Recognizance of Martha Sparks : 

"Memorandum 

That on the Sixth day of Decembr. 1692 in the ffowerth 
year of the Reign of our Souerain Lord & Lady William & 
Mary by the grace of God of England &c; King & Queen 
Defenders of ye ffaith ; Personally Appeared before us James 
Russell & Samuell Heyman Esqs of their Maiesties Council! 
& Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England, & 
Justices of peace within ye Same; Thomas Barrat of Chelms- 
ford in ye County of Middlesex; Mason & Acknowledged 
himself to be indebted unto our Sd: Lord &. Lady the King & 
Queen and the survivors of them, their Heires & Successors, 
in the Some of Two hundred pounds to be leavied on his 
Goods or Chattells Lands or Tennements for ye use of our 
said Lord &. Lady ye King &. Queen or Surviver of them 
if default be made in the performance of the Condition under- 
written, viz 

The Condition of the above Recognisance is Such yt wheare as 
Martha Sparks of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex was 
committed to Boston Goall being accused & suspected of per- 
petrating or committing divers Acts of Wichcraft; If therefore 
ye aforesd. Martha Sparks Shall make her personal! Appearance 
before the Justices of our sd. Lord & Lady the King & Queen; 
at the next Court of Assizes Oyer & Terminer & Generall Goall 
deliuery to be holden for, or within ye County of Middlesex 
Abouesd. to Answer what Shall be Obiected against her in their 
Maities. behalfe refering to Witchcraft and to do &. Receiue yt. 



576 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

which by said Court Shall be then and there Inioined her, and not 

depart without Licence then the abouesaid Recognizance to be 

void or Elce to abide in ffull fforce &. virtue. 

Capt. & Recognit die & diet. Coram. 

Ja: Russell 
Samuell Hayman" 

[Suffolk Clerk of Courts— Early Files— No. 2696.] 

ITEMS FROM THE ACCOUNT OF JOHN ARNOLD, THE GAOL KEEPER 

AT BOSTON. 

1692 The Country is Dr. 

March 9 To Chaines for Sarah Good & Sarah Osbourn £ — :14 

May 23 To Shackles for 10 prisoners £ 2: 

29 To 1 pr. of Irons for Mary Cox £- 

To Sarah Good of Salem Villedge from the 
7th of March to ditto 1st June 12 weeks at 

2/6 £ 1:10:— 

To Rebecca Nurse of same place from 12th 

April 7 weeks and one day at 2s. 6d £ — :17: — 

To the Keeping of Sarah Osbourn from the 
7th of March to the 10th of May, when she 

died, being 9 weeks & 2 days £1:3: — 

To Keeping 

Martha Sparks from the 28th of October 
1691 to the 8th of Decembr. 1692— 

58 weeks at 2 /6 pr w £ 7 : 5 : 1 

To 20 cord of Wood expended on Sundry 
prsons committed for witchcraft in the 

Winter of 1692 £ 8:— :— 

To Bedding, Blankets & Clothes for sundry 
poore Prisonrs. committed for Witchcraft by 

order of the Governmt £16: — : — 

To Turning the Key £ — : 5 : — 

John Arnold 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 135. Document 24, and Vol. 40, 
pp. 612-626.] 

(Arnold's salary was £20 a year.) 

INHABITANCY AND WARNING OUT. 

The Town government in Massachusetts was based upon 
English law and custom. The early settlers believed that a 
corporation, established by free consent, and embodying their 
place of residence, belonged to them, and that no man had a right 
to come in and be one of them without their consent. New 
inhabitants in a Town could become such only by vote of the 
freemen of that place, or the selectmen. "All strangers of what 
quality soever, above the age of sixteen years, arriving 



SLAVES, WITCHES 577 

in this Jurisdiction, shall immediately be brought before the 

Governor to give an account of their business in this 

country." (Law of 1651.) No stranger was allowed to be 
entertained, except friends from other parts of this country, for 
more than three weeks. In 1722, Chelmsford imposed a fine for 
keeping strangers in Town more than 30 days. Inhabitancy, or 
the right to live in a Town, did not always give the right to vote, 
nor did the owning of property. In 1631, the Colony restricted 
the right to vote to inhabitants in full communion with the 
church, which meant a minority of the male population. Any 
person not excepted against within three months was reputed an 
inhabitant. Towns were responsible for the proper conduct of 
their inhabitants, and for the support of such as became incapable 
of their own support, and they felt they had the right to exclude 
those for whom they did not wish to become responsible. Thus 
arose the liability for property destroyed by riots, and the expres- 
sion, "the freedom of the city," or the right to dwell therein, and 
the right to take the estate of any inhabitant in execution on a 
judgment against the Town. The right to exclude from inhabit- 
ancy was sometimes used to keep out persons whose religious or 
political opinions were objectionable. This right of exclusion was 
generally used with discrimination, but in some Towns practically 
all newcomers, regardless of their character or standing, were 
warned to depart, thus avoiding any possibility of liability on 
the Town's part, though, in many cases, it was not expected that 
they would depart. The right of inhabitancy generally included 
the right of owning land in the Town, and of commonage, and 
also carried riparian rights. "Every Inhabitant who is an House 
holder, shall have free Fishing and Fowling in any great Ponds, 
Coves and Rivers, so far as the Sea Ebbes and Flows within the 
precincts of the Town where they dwell, unless the Freemen of 
the same Town or the General Court have otherwise appropriated 
them;" &c. [1641, 7.] 

The basis of land titles in New England was a grant from the 
English Crown, i. e., the King. Purchases of land from Indians 
without license from the Colony were void. Whatever land the 
Indians had possessed and improved, they held by right. Lands 
or houses could not be sold or let to strangers without the consent 
of the Town. This was also necessary for the exchange of land 
between inhabitants. 

The General Court, in its early sessions, gave much time to 
making grants of land, establishing bounds of Towns and estates, 
and making highways and bridges. The first Town meetings did 
the same. 

Most of the early bounds are now impossible to locate. For 
example: in Chelmsford, in 1670, "a parsill of land" was granted 
to henry Bowtell — bounded on the north by a hole in the ground, 
east by a white oak tree, south by the brook, west by the highway 



578 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

leading to the merrimack. Other bounds were as uncertain, 
such as a stump in a swamp, or a marked pine, or a heap of stones, 
which, of course, were not many years in disappearing. 

In 1656, an order was passed by the Town that no person 
should own land until he had been approved and admitted as an 
inhabitant by a majority vote at a public Town meeting. 

Only such persons as could contribute to the prosperity of 
the Town or the well-being of the inhabitants were desired. 
Trades were among the recommendations of the newcomers. 

About 1655, Henry Farwell came from Concord. He died 
in 1670, and in his will he styles himself a tailor. 

In 1656, William How, a weaver, was admitted an inhabitant 
and granted 30 acres of land on condition that he follow his trade, 
and perform the Town's work. In the same year, Samuel Adams 
was admitted and given a grant of land provided he set up a saw- 
mill and supply the Town with boards at three shillings a hundred, 
or saw one log for the providing and bringing of another. He 
was also given other land in consideration of his putting up a 
corn-mill, and the Town passed an order "that no other corn-mill 
shall be erected for this town, provided the said Adams keep a 
sufficient mill and miller." 

In 1663, the Town granted to John Stevens a ten acre lot 
of upland, he to pay fifty shillings "by the next Meckletide." 
(Michaelmas.) Another expression used in the records is ','on 
Monday come se'n night." 

"1 March 1670 Petter Dell is granted a house lott answerable 
to what other young men have had vp on condition that hee Buld 
a dweling house vp on the same and there to live and to pay all 
publike Dewes to Chelmsford." 

In a deed of 1671, Steven perce is styled a tailor. 

"The 5 Dy of 12 mo 1677 was given to Jacob Warren tew 
Acers of land lying Ajoyning to richard hildreth land on the south 
sid of the bridge for him to buld a house on for his subsistance." 

"The 5 Day of 12. 1677 was granted and given to Petter Dell 
three Acers of land neare to the land of Thomas Cory for a house 
lott and hee is to buld and inhabitt on the same or [ ] forfitt 

the same to the towne." 

"The Day Above att a genorall metting was given to Thomas 
Adams tow Acers of land near Thomas Parkers land on Robins 
hill for the said Adams to buld a Dweling house on the same or 
else this gifte to be of no force." 

"26, 12, 1677 was granted to Thomas Parker sixe Acers 

of land on Condition that hee com and folow his trade of Shoo- 
making in this towne." 

"The Day Above was given to Will good Foure Acers of land 
Aioyning to David freshold now John barks lott for to buld a 
house on it co folow his trade." 



SLAVES, WITCHES 579 

"The Day Above was given to henry sparks an Acer and 
halfe of land Aioyning to his former lott for him to buld a house 
on near the springe." 

"1681. 7 the 12 mo. Josiah Sawyer at his request was admitted 
an Inhabitant in this Towne." 

"1682, 5 day of Febuwary. John Louell a tanner, was 

admitted an inhabitant in this towne the towne granted 

him Hberty on the Common for barke as is Convenient for his 
trade." 

Feb. 2, 1685. "Mr. Jerathmell Bowers by a unanimous voat 
was admitted an inhabitant of this town." 

1693. Jeams Dvtton was granted 3 acres to build a house 
and shop in order to following his trade. 

1698 — "Voted that Zacrah Richardson of wobom shold have 
3 or 4 acers of land on condition he come and dwell in our town 
and follow the trade of ablack Smith." 

In 1659, an order was passed by the General Court providing 
that, in cases in which the Town was not willing that certain 
persons should remain, notice should be given them, and if they 
still remained, the selectmen should petition the next County 
Court and prosecute the same to effect. 

The Articles of Confederation of the Massachusetts, 
Plymouth, and Connecticut Colonies in 1672 recognized the right 
of Towns to warn strangers to depart to the place of former abode. 
Three years later the danger from the Indians obliged many 
to forsake their homes for other places. They did not thus 
become "reputed inhabitants thereof," but, if necessary, were 
to be so employed or disposed of that public charge might be 
avoided. 

As population increased and people moved about more, the 
Article of 1672 was to some extent disregarded, and in 1692, an 
act was passed for warning persons out of Town, and the custom 
was practiced until the Act of Settlement of 1793, or for more than 
one hundred and thirty years. 
["Warning Out in N. E.," Benton.] 

The following items are a few from the Chelmsford Town 
Records, which will illustrate the subject: 

June 3 1696 paid out of the Town Rate for mending 
the pound and entring 2 Caviats at Conkerd Court 
Against persons warned out of the Towne £01.01.00 

When there was danger of newcomers becoming burdensome 
to the Town, they were warned out and a Caution was entered 
with the Court of Sessions. 

1700 To Joseph Parkhurst for warning Ann Dickerman 
out of ye Town 0:1:0:0 

In 1707, the following items appear, for warnings the previous 
year. 

To Constable Swalo for warning the wido Coper out of 
Town 0:1:0:0 



580 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

To Constable Swalo for warning Sam Davis out of Town £0 :1 :0 :0 
To " Hildreth" " ben barit " " " 0:1:0:0 

To " " " " Nathaniell Davis out 
of Town 0:1:0:0 

"By a warrant from the Town Clerk by order of ye selectmen 
bearing Date the: 11: Day of July 1720 Mary Man was warned 
out of the Town of Chelmsford to Depart to the Town of Scituate 
where of Righ[t] she did belong as appears by the Retron on sd 
warrant viz. Chelmsford the: 12: Day: 1720 Notified the Person 
within mentioned forthwith out of Town." 

Dec. 16 John Partison was warned to depart out of the Town 
of Chelmsford with his family to the Town of Billericae. 

"There was a warrant for the warning Mary Blan chard out 
of Town entered at the general sessions of the peice [ ] at 
Concord the last Tuesday of August 1722." 

To Richard Stevens for conveying Mary Blanchard to 
Dunstable 00.07.00 

March 12 172>^ The selectmen apointed Mr Joseph 
Underwood to give in Reasons to the Genii Court Why Mary 
Lambert should not be setled as an inhabitant upon Chelmsford. 

June the: 4: 1722 The select-men Ordered that Lt. Benja- 
min Adams in there behalf Should agree with the Select-men of 
Concord Concerning Mary Lambert on these following terms. 
viz: That if Concord will remit there Cost which was sett upon 
Chelmsford at the last Inferiour Court at Concord holden by 
adjournment on the second Tuesday of April last that then they 
will receive her as an Inhabitant. 

To Mr Joseph underwood for his going to Concord 
Court as agent for the select-men to Defend the Town 
from Mary Lambert being settled as an Inhabitant 
with his time, expenses, and seeing a Lawyer 01.18.04 

Feb. 5, 172^ the widow Ana Golusha and her children 
and John Duncan were warned out of town. Wm. Langley was 
paid 2 shillings for entering a Warrant at Court. 

1726 Jerimy Miller was warned out of town. 
1735 To Edward Spaulding Constable for warning 
several persons out of town 00.03.00 

1755 To Olever Peirce Constable for Warning persons 

out of Town in the year 1753 five shilling 00.05.00 

1756 To Zebadiah Keyes Constable for warning out 
Jeremiah Ferington and family and Samuel Fasset and 
family two shillings 00.02.00 

1758 To Mr. Jonas Adams for warning Persons out of 
town and for money paid for Entring Cautions in the 

year 1756 six shillings 00.06.00 

1759 To Elcazer Richardson for warning Robert 
Hildretch and family out of town and for money paid 

for entring Causion 00.03.04 



SLAVES, WITCHES 581 

1759 To Sergt Samuel Perham for Removing Timothy 

farley and family out of town four shillings £00.04.00 

In 1795, 211 persons were warned to depart out of Town 
within fifteen days. These included: 

Phinehas Whiting, Elisha Ford, John Farmer and wife, Henry 
Cobum and wife, Dr. Timothy Harrington and wife, Samuel 
Pitts, Joanna, his wife, and their children, Thomas, John, Sarah 
and Mary, and a person by the name of Mary Philips from 
Boston; Jeremiah Abbott, wife and daughter, Jonathan and 
Timothy Manning and their wives, Israel and David Putnam. 

Books F, G, I, P and V of the Town Records name hundreds 
of people warned out during the Eighteenth Century. 

SMALLPOX. 

From very early times (the sixth century) the Chinese inocu- 
lated persons with smallpox, with a reduced mortality. In 1721, 
Lady Mary Wortley Montague had her son inoculated in London. 
But inoculated persons became a focus for the spread of the 
disease. Shortly before the year 1800, one-tenth of the population 
of England died of the smallpox. In 1775, Jenner discovered 
vaccination to be a preventive of this disease. This was inocula- 
tion with cow-pox as a protection against smallpox, and began to 
be practiced in 1796. The ravages of smallpox in the army and 
navy as well as among people generally were very great. In 
1721, nearly 8 per cent, of the population of Boston died with 
this disease. Smallpox was brought to Europe by the returning 
crusaders and reached England by the thirteenth century. It was 
introduced into America by the Spaniards shortly after the year 
1500, and spread with great severity. 

"April the 23, 1722 it is Ordered by the Select-men That in 
as-much as the small-pox is in John Bates his family and it is to 
be feared the infection will spread if some due Care be not rather 
speedily [taken] to prevent the same: That the Country Road 
be stopt with fencing across by sd Bates Cider-mill and by Ebenezer 
Spauldings Orchard and that notifications be sett on the sd fence 
at each stopage to inform passengers of the occasion that thereby 
they may be prevented from taking any infection " 

To a perticular Warrant to notifie Bates familie to 

prevent the spreading of the small pox £00.02.00 

for Returning the precept 00.05.00 

for one Day to hire a nurce to nurce at Bates 00.02.00 

for fencing the high-way to prevent the spreading of the 

small pox 00.03.00 

Novem. 2, 1722. To John Davise Constable for 
one Day to notify those families that had the small-pox 
that they keep themselves entirely at home to prevent 

the spreading thereof 00.03.06 

to Sd Davice for another Day in the service above sd. . 00.03.06 



582 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Feb. 24, 1776. To Benjamin Spaulding for time 
spent about fencing up the road to prevent people's going 
to Dr. Marshall's when the small pox was there £0:1 :6:0 

In 1792 Voted "not to have a Horspetel (or pest house) 
erected in this Town" "not at the expense of the Town but of such 
persons as may chuse to be inoculated in some part or parts of the 
Town where non of the Inhabitants shall in measure be exposed 
to the infection." 

In 1823 the Town voted to provide a suitable hospital for 
the reception of all infected with the smallpox, and to petition 
the Legislature to make it the duty of the selectmen of each Town 
to provide annually for the vaccination of the inhabitants. The 
names of the Committee were Francis Brinley, William Adams 
and Kirk Boott. 

In 1835, $100 was appropriated for vaccinating all persons 
in the Town. 

In 1838, the turnpike was closed to travel on account of 
smallpox, from which the families of James V. Hadley and Willard 
Cummings suffered, and received respectively from the Town 
S136 and $71 to help pay their charges. 

PART TWO. 

FIRST SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. 

1866, June 1, a school for the deaf was established in Chelms- 
ford, of which Miss Harriet B. Rogers was made the principal 
and Miss Mary Byam, assistant. Only three pupils were enrolled 
on the first day, others were engaged to follow in a short time, 
one came in September and two in the following spring. This 
Chelmsford school was the first regularly organized school for 
the deaf in this country in which only the pure oral method was 
taught. The number of pupils was limited to seven. While 
Miss Rogers had eight pupils in the spring of 1867, only two were 
paying the full price, and Mr. Gardiner Greene Hubbard raised 
about a thousand dollars to help carry on the v/ork, Mrs. Henry 
Lippitt, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Francis W. Bird, Mr. S. D. Warren and 
others subscribing. The Hon. Mr. Hubbard was of great assistance 
in many ways. The school owed its existence to him. Mrs. 
Mary Swift Lamson, a teacher of Laura Bridgman, lent her aid. 
The Chelmsford School became the nucleus of the Clark School 
at Northampton. 
[See Dumb No Longer, De Land.] 

Several notices of the Chelmsford School appeared in the 
Boston papers. These notices led officials of institutions for the 
deaf, in other States, to visit the school to perceive how the 
seemingly impossible was brought about. Some thought the 
system was wasteful of time and money, but others highly appre- 
ciated the value of the new system of instruction, and gradually 
introduced it into their institutions; that is, the system of teaching 
only by articulation and lip-reading. This school had great 



SLAVES, WITCHES 583 

success and deaf-mutes were taught to speak and articulate 
correctly and to read from the lips. The school was held at first 
in the left-hand upper front-room of Deacon Otis Adams' house 
fronting on the Common, and later was moved to the lower floor 
of the Academy, which adjoined it and which became the Baptist 
parsonage. Mr. John Clark of Northampton intimated that he 
would give S50,000 to found a school for the deaf in that town, 
and in 1867, the organization of the corporation was completed. 
Miss Rogers was unanimously elected principal, and a cordial 
invitation was extended to the Chelmsford pupils to enter the 
new school. At first, says Mr. De Land, Miss Rogers hesitated 
to close the little pioneer school. She finally accepted, and left 
Chelmsford in August, and on October 1, 1867, formally opened 
the Clark School, with Miss Mary S. Byam as her assistant. 

One of the pupils at Chelmsford was Theresa, daughter of 
the Hon. Lewis J. Dudley of Northampton. She was a deaf- 
mute, but learned to talk. Another pupil was Mabel, daughter 
of Mr. Hubbard. A third was Jeanie, daughter of Gov. Lippitt 
of Rhode Island. Roscoe Green was also a pupil of Miss Rogers. 
Mabel Hubbard became the wife of Alexander Graham Bell. 
It was from his experiments in visualizing the vibrations of 
speech in order to enable deaf children to read speech from the 
graphic presentations of the inflections and modulations of the 
speaker's words, that the invention of the telephone came about. 
["Dumb No Longer."] 

THE SOCIAL LIBRARY. 

The period following the Revolution was marked by intellec- 
tual as well as other activities. In an address made at the 
centennial of the founding of this library, Mr. H. S. Perham 
dwells upon that fact, and speaks of the m.en like the Hon. John 
Pitts and the Hon. Dudley A. Tyng, officers of the Mass. Society 
for promoting Agriculture in 1792, and of other members, the 
Hon. Ebenezer Bridge, perhaps the most influential citizen of 
Chelmsford at that time, Parker Varnimi, Esq., and Samuel 
Pitts, Esq., as being interested in furthering such organizations 
for the good of the community. Such industrial and agricultural 
enterprises with the various religious and educational institutions, 
schools and academies, which were founded in that period, as 
well as the canals, bridges, mills, and good dwellings, show a 
community of a high order of intelligence. "The state of society 
was such as to attract brilliant and gifted minds to settle here 
for the practice of the professions. Samuel Dexter, LL. D., 
the statesman, opened an office here in 1786, and Asahel Stearns, 
A. M., later professor of law in Harvard College, in 1800." 

The Social Library was organized in 1794, and incorporated 
in 1812. Some account of it will be found in connection with the 
life of its founder, the Rev. Hezekiah Packard. The articles of 



584 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

agreement were signed by seventy-eight persons, making a 
valuable collection of Chelmsford autographs. In 1801, the 
Institution and Regulations were printed with the list of books 
(170). The Institution varies slightly in phraseology from the 
original Constitution and reads thus : Every attempt to improve 
the minds and morals of men is laudable and praiseworthy. 
Every exertion to entertain and instruct persons of different ages 
and ranks, and to induce a relish for useful learning and moral 
science deserves the patronage of the wise and good. Being 
persuaded that a Social Library, under good regulations, ma}^ 
answer these purposes. We, the Subscribers, do constitute and 
form ourselves into a Society, this sixth day of January, 1794, 
for establishing such a Library in the Town of Chelmsford. And 
we mutually promise and engage to conform and submit to the 
following Laws and Rules, which shall be subject, however, to 
such alterations as shall hereafter be thought proper. 

The membership fee was two dollars; the annual dues 
twenty-five cents. 

Of the first ninety-three books purchased, but twelve could 
be classed as fiction. Moral, religious and philosophical works 
predominated, relieved by a few volumes of poetry or of voyages 
and travel. The books were kept at the houses of the librarians, 
of whom the first was Oliver Barron, at whose tavern the books 
were first lodged. Next they spent a year at Simeon Spaulding's, 
then several years at the parsonage, and a long time at the house 
of Captain Caleb Abbott. They were moved about frequently 
after that, (E. H. Warren thus transported them six times) imtil 
no suitable place could be found, and they were stored. Then 
Mr. William Fletcher cared for them, and finally a room was 
fitted up in the Town Hall to receive them. Joseph Warren 
gave $500 for a fund and Adams Emerson S75. In 1893, it 
was made a free public library, taking advantage of the State 
provision, the Town appropriating $200, and the State giving 
$100 worth of books. $50 worth was also given by the library 
commissioners. The Social Library gave their 1,846 volumes. 
There was also the Chelmsford Agricultural Library of 101 
voliunes. 

FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 

The Free Public Library of Chelmsford, in the report of 1894, 
states that the proprietors of the Chelmsford Social Library voted, 
May 8, 1893, to donate the books belonging to them to the Free 
Public Library. These were turned over to the trustees, July 1. 
The South Chelmsford Library also gave their entire collection of 
books. 

The library was first opened to the public, October 7, 1893. 
The trustees were Mrs. Harriet M. Bartlett, secretary, Luther _H. 
Sargent, Henry S. Perham, chairman, S. Ingersoll Briant, Louisa 
A. Allen, A. Heady Park. 



SLAVES, WITCHES 585 

In 189G, by vote of the Town, the name was changed to 
"The Adams Library." 



THE ADAMS LIBRARY. 



The inadequacy of the accommodations at the Town Hall 
for the increasing number of volumes led to the making of plans 
for remodelling of the old brick schoolhouse at the cemetery, when 
Mr. Amos F. Adams became interested in the project, and other 
locations were considered. Finally, the present site of the Adams 
Library was given to the Town by Mr. J. Adams Bartlett, and 
Captain C. E. A. Bartlett bore the expense of grading it. Mr. 
Adams then caused to be erected the present elegant building, at 
a cost of about $30,000. 

Amos Francis Adams was born in South Chelmsford, May 26, 
1842, and married Alice J. Wellington of Ashby, Mass., December 
25, 1865. He was the son of Charles and Nancy Robbins Adams. 
His line of descent on his father's side is: Amos F., Charles, Isaac, 
Thomas, Samuel, Tim.othy, Lieut. Thomas, Henry. 

He died, Wednesday, January 4, 1911, at his home in Newton. 
He received his early education here, and then at the Appleton 
Academy, New Ipswich. In 1862, he went to Boston and obtained 
employment in the Quincy Market. In 1866, he became a 
commission merchant, and later the senior member of the firm 
of Adams and Chapman, in North Market street. He liked 
hunting as a diversion, and went sometimes to the West with 
gun and dogs on a hunting trip. He was generous and affable, 
and in personal appearance was well-built and handsome. He 
contributed liberally to the Unitarian organ in Chelmsford and 
to the erection of All Saints' cloister. He was a member of the 
Dalhousie Lodge of Masons in Newton and of the Royal Arch 
Chapter and Gethsemane Commandery. His life-size portrait 
in oil hangs in the Library. 



CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 



The centennial celebration of the founding of the Social 
Library took place in the Town Hall, Saturday evening, January 6, 
1894. Mr. H. S. Perham gave the historical address. Mr. George 
A. Parkhurst read a poem written for the occasion by Mrs. M. L. 
Emerson. Addresses were made by Governor Greenhalge, 
Thomas Parker Proctor, Esq., Judge Samuel P. Hadley and 
Professor C. F. Emerson of Dartmouth College, and letters were 
read from Mr. C. H. Dalton of Boston and Professor A. S. Packard 
of Brown University. 



586 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

DEDICATION. 

The dedication of the Adams Library took place May 8, 
1895. Dinner was served in a large tent on the Library grounds 
at one o'clock. The Rev. E. A. Horton of Boston delivered the 
address. Many people were assembled, and some of the speakers 
were those who had spoken at the above mentioned centennial. 

The Adams Library contains over 11,000 volumes, and has 
a circulation of about 18,000. Although situated in the Centre 
Village, it also supplies the South and East Villages with books. 

The report of 1895 gives the organization of the Board of 
Trustees, as H. S. Perham, chairman, Mrs. H. M. Bartlett, 
secretary; the other trustees were A. Heady Park, Louisa A. 
Allen, Luther H. Sargent and Rev. S. Ingersoll Briant. 

The report of 1896 gives J. Adams Bartlett and Mrs. Georgiana 
H. Pierce instead of Mr. Perham and Miss Allen. 

The other trustees elected by the Town have been, O. S. 
Batchelder, Emma L. Gay, Albert H. Davis, Rev. Wilson Waters, 
Frances Clark, Otis P. Wheeler. 

The present Board consists of Messrs. Davis (since 1898). 
Waters (since 1899), Park (since 1894), E. R. Clark (since 1910), 
Wheeler (since 1910), and Miss Clark (since 1903). 

The librarians of the Free Public Library and the Adams 
Library have been Mrs. E. T. Adams, Miss Nettie M. Stevens, 
Rev. H. A. Cornell, Lieut. Com. Charles H. Greenleaf, E. R. 
Clark, Mrs. E. R. Clark. 

[For action of the Town in accepting the building, see 
chapter entitled "Annals."] 

In 1895, the committee appointed by the Town to arrange 
for the dedication of the new building of the AdamiS Library were : 
J. Adams Bartlett, E. K. Parkhurst, H. S. Perham, Frank C. 
Byam, Newell E. Parker, S Ingersoll Briant, E H Shaw, George 
F Snow, Wilson R Dix. The dedication took place May 8, 
1895. "The citizens, with the invited guests, assembled at noon 
and marched in procession under the lead of the marshal, Hon. 
E. H. Shaw, to the tent (on the Library grounds) in which dinner 
was served. Music was furnished by the Dunstable band, and 
during the exercises by the Corinthian Quartet of Boston. The 
divine blessing was invoked by Rev. S. I. Briant. The president 
of the day, Mr. C. E. A. Bartlett, made the opening address. The 
donor, Mr. Amos F. Adams, in felicitous words, presented the 
keys of the Adams Library to the chairman of the selectmen, Mr. 
J. E. Warren, who accepted the trust in behalf of the Town. 
The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Granville Pierce. 
The oration by Rev. E. A. Horton of Boston set forth 'The signifi- 
cance of the Free Public Library in modern New England.' 
Addresses followed from Hon. John D. Long of Hingham, Thomas 
P. Proctor, Esq., of Boston, Rev. W. S. Packard of Brown Univcr- 



SLAVES, WITCHES 587 

sity, Judge S. P. Hadley of Lowell, Hon. Henry S. Nourse of 
Lancaster, Hon. George A. Marden of Lowell, and Prof. C. F. 
Emerson of Dartmouth College. There was a large audience. 
Gifts were reported aggregating $1,150; also 359 volumes and 
517 magazines. 

Some of the larger donations which the Library has received 
are these: From Thomas Minot Adams, $500; from Thomas P. 
Proctor, $500; by the will of Miss Mary B. Proctor, $10,000, 
subject to certain contingencies, with a life-size portrait of her 
father, Thomas P. Proctor; a tall clock from B. M. Fiske; a 
reference case from Miss Maria L. Reed, in memory of the Reed 
family; from the V. I. A., a cabinet for the preservation of historic 
relics; and $200 from the estate of Serlina G. Richardson. 

The Library is supported by an annual appropriation of 
$1,200 by the Town. 



NORTH CHELMSFORD LIBRARY. 



A meeting for the organization of the North Chelmsford 
Library Association met at the Town Hall in that village, January 
19, 1872. Dr. N. B. Edwards was chairman, and L. H. Sargent, 
secretary. The officers elected were President, N. B. Edwards; 
Vice President, Charles W. Flint; Secretary, F. T Gay; Treasurer, 
Samuel T. Wright; Directors: Ziba Gay, 3 years; L. H. Sargent, 
2 years; Benj. Fletcher, 1 year. 

The next winter a course of lectures was given under the 
auspices of the Association. Other courses followed. 

October 16, 1878, it was voted to purchase a building and 
land of N. B. Edwards. 

In 1879, the number of books in the Library was 376. 

The interest shown in the prosperity of the Library was 
frequently evidenced by gifts of various kinds and work done on 
the building. The Ladies' Union Club contributed to its success. 

In 1888, some correspondence is noted with the Social Library 
at the Centre Village, in regard to exchange of books. 

Dr. Edwards and Mr. C. W. Flint each gave $500 for a fund. 
Various other gifts have been received. 

In 1893, there was a discussion of the proposition to make the 
Social Library at the Centre (of about 2,000 volmnes) a free town 
library, and the library at the North Village (with about 2,700 
volumes) becoming a branch of this. 

In 1894, the Association voted, in consideration of an appro- 
priation of $200 made by the Town, to make the books of the 
Library free to all inhabitants of the Town. 

The Association was incorporated August 8, 1907, under the 
name of the North Chelmsford Library Corporation. 



588 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ORIGINAL SUBSCRIBERS TO THE LIBRARY FUND. 

Adams, Thomas J.; Adams, Willie; Baldwin Co.; Bailey, 
George 0.; Blodgett, Floyer F.; Blodgett, Frederick W.; Blod- 
gett, Hattie M.; Bond, Phineas S.; Bosworth, Henry E.; Burn- 
ham, R. S. ; Butterfield, John H. ; Choate, Alfred R. ; Dodge, J. S. ; 
Draper, William L. ; Duncan, Fred T. ; Dunn, Sarah; Durant, 
Thos. and Son; Edwards, Nathan B.; Farr, Mary; Fisk, Henry 
A.; Flagg, Timothy; Fletcher, Benjamin; Fletcher, Frank A.; 
Fletcher, Jona. T.; Flint, Charles W.; Gay, Frederick T.; Gay, 
Ziba; Grow, Don Alonzo; Hall, Harrison; Hall, John S.; Hogan, 
Patrick; Hollis, Mary; Holt, George B.; Howard, Mary; Hyde, 
George; Josselyn, Edwin; Leavitt, Stephen B.; Marshall, Thomas 
W.; Phillips, Daniel, Rev.; Rendall, Job; Richardson, Edward 
F. ; Ripley, Fred. K.; Ripley, Royal S.; Sampson, James A.; 
Sampson, Seth P. ; Sargent, J. Hoyt; Sargent, Luther H. ; Sargent, 
Nelly H.; Sharp, Clara J.; Sharp, John; Shaw, Elisha; Shaw, 
Elisha H.; Sheldon, George T. ; Sheldon, Julia L.; Sleeper, 
James F.; Small, Everett F.; Smith, George H.; Stetson, Martha; 
Swain, Edwin; Swett, Mrs. William; Tuck, William; Warley, 
John; Warren, Frances; Wheeler, Otis P.; Whidden, George W.; 
Willsteed, Charles; Woodward, Horace W.; Worden, Mrs. 
Charles; Wright, Samuel T.; Wright, Otis D. 

The directors for 1914 were Henry T. Ripley, H. Ellen 
Sargent and Sarah E. Sheldon. 

The North Chelmsford Library contains about 7,000 volumes, 
and has a circulation of about 14,000. It supplies the West 
Village with books. 

The Town appropriates $800 annually for its support. 

THE CHELMSFORD MONUMENT ASSOCIATION. 

Mr. Charles H. Dalton of Boston, having suggested the idea 
of erecting a monument to the memory of the Revolutionary 
patriots of Chelmsford, the following gentlemen met at the house 
of Deacon Otis Adams, on the evening of Friday, March 25, 1859, 
to discuss the subject: Capt. Josiah Fletcher, Otis Adams, 
Dr. J. C. Bartlett, Gardner Fletcher, William Fletcher, E. K. 
Parkhurst, J. Richardson Fletcher, C. H. Dalton, E. H. Warren. 

Deacon Adams was chairman, and E. H. Warren, secretary. 
The result of this meeting was that a public meeting of the citizens 
was held at the Town hall, with the same officers, on the 15th of 
April, and the Chelmsford Moniiment Association was formed. 
Mr. Dalton presented a patriotic preamble and resolutions, and a 
constitution was adopted. Willard Parker, M. D., of New York, 
was chosen president, and J. C. Bartlett, M. D., H. W. B. Wight- 
man, Esq., Capt. Asa Hodgman, and R. W. Emerson, Esq., of 
Concord, vice presidents. The recording secretaries were E. H. 



SLAVES, WITCHES 589 

Warren and G. A. Parkhurst, and the corresponding secretaries, 
J. Richardson Fletcher, C. H. Dalton, Esq., and J. F. K. Adams. 
Deacon Otis Adams was treasurer. 

The executive committee were: Capt. Josiah Fletcher, John 
C. Dalton, M. D., Gen. Benjamin Adams, Hon. J. G. Abbott of 
Lowell, Major Joseph Manning, Matthias Spalding, M. D., of 
Amherst, N. H., Gardner Fletcher, Esq., Christopher Roby, Esq., 
Alpheus Spalding and William Fletcher. 

A Prospectus for the Chelmsford Monument v/as issued 
and signed by John C. Dalton, Willard Parker, J. G. Abbott, 
Benj. Adams, R. Waldo Emerson, Matthias Spaulding, William 
Fletcher, Joseph Warren, Otis Adams, Josiah Fletcher, Joel 
Adams, Samuel F. Wood, Alpheus Spalding, Owen Emerson, 
Amos Carlton, Gardner Fletcher, and Joseph Manning. 

By the 10th of August, 954 persons had contributed $1,675, 
and the contract for the monmnent had been awarded to Loammi 
Chamberlain, a Chelmsford contractor, who was the lowest 
bidder. The monument was to be completed by September 15, 
and to be of Chelmsford granite. 

The contract price for the monument was $1,373 . 00 

For cutting the inscriptions 80 . 50 

For plans, drawings, printing, &c 173.88 

Sl,627.38 
Balance unappropriated 58 . 00 

Some incidental expenses were expected to require more than 
this balance. The whole amount received was $1,788.25. 

The Association continued to meet annually until 1877, 
after which occasional meetings were held, the latest being in 
1909 to prepare for the observance of the fiftieth anniversary of 
the dedication of the Monument. 

In 1875, the Association provided a banner to be carried by 
the Cheknsford minutemen at the centennial of the Battle of 
Bunker Hill in Charlestown. 

In 1893, the Association took charge of the flag and flag-staff 
on the Common, and in 1894, it was voted that all lineal descend- 
ants of the original members from this time henceforth forever 
shall be regarded as bona fide members. Any citizen of Chelmsford 
may become a member. Mr. J. R. Fletcher was treasurer for 32 
years. The present officers are: Joseph E. Warren, president; 
George O. Spaulding, vice president; G. T. Parkhurst, treasurer; 
Paul Dutton, secretary; Arthur M. Warren, Ralph Waldo Emer- 
son, Harry L. Parkhurst, executive committee. 

In the Adams Library hangs a large poster (framed), which, 
at the time, informed the public of the approaching "Inauguration 
of the Chelmsford Montmient," and must have attracted con- 
siderable attention, as it gave the Order of Exercises with the 
names of the expected speakers, and announced a dinner, to be 



590 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

served in one of Yale's tents on the Common, by a Boston caterer. 
Tickets to the dinner were sold at one dollar. Otis Adams was 
chief marshal. A pigeon pot-pie was cooked in a big pot hung 
over a fire built on the ground back of the Unitarian church, and 
everybody had a pigeon and a dumpling. 

The four sides of the monument face the cardinal points of 
the compass. 

INSCRIPTIONS ON THE MONUMENT. 

North Side. 

Erected 

1859 

Let the children Guard 

What the sires have won. 

South side. 

In Honor 

of the 

Townsmen of Chelmsford 

who served their Country 

in the 

War of the Revolution 

This monument is erected 

by a 

Grateful Posterity 

East side. 

Lt. Col. Moses Parker 

and 

Capt. Benj. Walker 

wounded at Bunker Hill 

June 17, 75 
Died Prisoners in Boston 
July 4 & Augt. 75 
Lt. Robt. Spalding 
Died at Milford Ct. 76 

West side 

John Bates 
Died in army in Cambridge 

David Spalding Jr. 

Died in army at Ticonderoga 

Pelatiah Adams 

Killed at Cherry Valley 

Noah Foster 

Shot at Capture of Burgoyne 

Henry Fletcher 

Killed at White Plains 



SLAVES, WITCHES 591 

The Town appropriated S400 for the celebration at the 
dedication of the Monument. 

At the dedication, Dr. Willard Parker of New York made the 
address. Letters from Ralph Waldo Emerson of Concord, and 
Benjamin P. Hunt of Philadelphia were read, stating that ill 
health prevented them from attending. In place of Mr. Emerson, 
the Hon. J. S. Keyes responded for his fellow townsman, expressing 
great regret that his friend could not be present. 

DEDICATION OF MONUMENT. 

A contemporary report says: 

Thursday, Sept. 22, 1859, was a great day in this Town, it 
being celebrated as the 205th anniversary of its settlement, and 
the day appointed for the dedication of the Monument to the 
Revolutionary Soldiers. Mr. Beals of Boston had, the evening 
previous, decorated the neighborhood with a profusion of flags. 
The morning was stormy, which prevented hundreds from attend- 
ing. However, it rained but little during the exercises in the 
meeting house and tent. The procession formed at eleven 
o'clock at the residence of C. H. Dalton, Esq., which was formerly 
the home of Col. Simeon Spaulding, who was Colonial Repre- 
sentative, 1771-1775; Representative to the Provincial Congress, 
1775-1778; Chairman, Committee of Safety, 1776; Commissioner 
to adjust War Act, 1778; Delegate to form New Constitution, 
1779. Died, 1785, aged 72. These facts were displa3^ed on a 
tablet above the door of the house, which was gaily decorated with 
bunting. The procession moved to the meeting house, where an 
orchestra of string instruments and a large choir led the people 
in the singing of "America" as the opening hymn. Hon. H. W. B. 
Wightman, president of the day, then welcomed the assembled 
company, making some reference to the history of the Town, and 
giving Mr. C. H. Dalton the entire credit of the inception and 
completion of the Monument. 

A Prayer was made by the Rev. John Parldiurst, chaplain 
of the day. 

Ode, written by John C. Dalton, Jr. 

Mr. Wightman then introduced Dr. Willard Parker of New 
York. 

The band played a short piece, and then Hon. Charles R. 
Train spoke. 

Letters from Ralph Waldo Emerson, H. P. Hunt and others 
were read. 

The Brigade Band filled the intervals with sweet music. 

Ode, Air: Auld Lang Syne by Mrs. Martha L. Emerson. 

At the appointed time, the procession formed at the church 
and marched round the square. When passing the Monument, 
three hearty cheers were given. At the large tent in the rear of 
the church, a sumptuous dinner was served, and toasts were given. 
The tent was decorated with numerous patriotic mottoes. 



592 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Gov. Banks and Ex-President Pierce were not present, nor 
was Judge Abbott. 

Deacon Otis Adams responded to the toast, "The Ladies," 
but, contrary to his usual gallantry, he forgot the ladies and gave 
some traditions relating to the men of the Revolution. 

S. N. Merrill, Mayor Cook, Thos. P. Parker of Boston, G. S. 
Curtis, architect, Hon. F. J. Parker of Boston and Hon. Linus 
Child spoke. 

The exercises closed about 5.30 P. M. 

Some time ago. Dr. Edward Waldo Emerson kindly supplied 
the writer with the following notes (since published with Emerson's 
Journals) which his father, Ralph Waldo Em.erson, had written, 
evidently for his intended address at the dedication of the Monu- 
ment in Chelmsford in 1859. 

"I know well the town in which they lived; the landscape 
which they saw. I spent an autimin and winter among these 
hills and plains. I knew where the chestnut first spread its brown 
harvest on a frosty morning for the boys; where the apples 
covered the ground with white fruit. I saw the last fires that 
burned in the old limekiln. I knew the ripples of the Baptist 
Pond, and the woods that grew where the com is now ripening. 

"Plain homely land, sandy fields which the Merrimack washes, 
but the sun and stars do not disdain to fill it with magnificence 
in June, and with sublime lights in autumn. And I can easily 
believe that the soldiers you celebrate deserved your praise. 
For I had an acquaintance with the young men and young women 
who grew up here in a poverty I suppose as severe, with manners 
as hardy and plain; and I know that their feeling was as tender 
and their intellect as vigorous as that which opens under softer 
skies, and in city palaces. I read and conversed with friends 
here, children of the soil, who shov/ed that force of thought, and 
that sense of right, which are the warp and woof of which greatness 
is woven; that curiosity for knovi^ledge and that delight in intellec- 
tual conversation which is the purest joy of Youth, and the 
beginning of all national greatness. I suppose it is fair to judge 
the tree by its fruits, the fathers by the children. 

"These people were original authors of liberty, and not 
plagiarists, not sentimental nations like the Italians, French, and 
Hungarians and Germans. These all learned it of our people. 
Our farmers were all orthodox, Calvinists, mighty in the Scriptures, 
had learned that life was a preparation, and "probation," to use 
their word. They read no romances, but with the pulpit, on one 
hand, and poverty and labour on another, they had a third training 
in the town meeting. They held the fee of their farms ; no patron, 
no ground rents, and great proprietaries, but every man owned 
his acres. 

"We go to Plutarch and Montaigne for our examples of 
character, but we might as well go to Pliny and Varro for oaks 
and firs, which grow as well in our own dooryards and cow-pas- 




ROBIN S HILL, SHOWING LONE PINE TREE 




TOWN HALL, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 




-Vo. ,?.5 SCHOOL HOUSES AND TOWN HALL 'AT RIGHT), NORTH CHELMSFORD 



SLAVES, WITCHES 593 

tures. Life is always rich, and spontaneous graces and forces 
elevate life in every domestic circle, which are overlooked, whilst 
we are reading something less excellent in old authors. I think 
as I go through the streets, each one of these innumerable houses 
has its own calendar of saints, its unpublished anecdotes of courage, 
of patience, of wit, cheerfulness, for the best I know were in the 
most private comers. 

"Everything draws to its kind and frivolous people will not 
hear of its noble traits; but let any good example of this secret 
virtue come accidentally to air, like Florence Nightingale, and 
you will have parallels in every direction. 

"From the obscurity and casualty of those examples which 
I know, I infer the obscurity and casualty of the like balm and 
consolation and immortality in a thousand homes which I do not 
know, and all round the world. Let it lie safe in the shade there, 
from the compliments and praise of foolish society. It is safer so. 
All it seems to demand is that we know it when we see it. This 
is no mean reward. If an intelligent and generous witness, 
passing by, sees our plight and so much as exchanges a searching 
glance of sympathy, "Well done, brave heart!" it is better than 
the thunder of theatres, and the world full of newspapers, which 
only echo each other." 

The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Dedication of the Monument 
took place in the Town hall on September 22, 1909, at 2 o'clock. 
The programme included a band concert ; Selection by the Adams 
orchestra, and vocal solos by Edward Everett Adams (descendants 
of Deacon Otis Adams, at whose house the preliminary meeting 
was held in 1859); Singing by the school children under the 
direction of Miss Mary B. Raynes; Introductory remarks by 
the President, Joseph E. Warren; Prayer by Rev. L. L. Greene; 
Remarks by Josiah Richardson Fletcher, only living member of 
the original officers; Address by Solon W. Stevens, Esq.; Remarks 
by invited guests; Singing by audience of Ode written by Mrs. 
Martha L. Emerson for the Dedicatory Exercises in 1859; and 
Benediction by Rev. C. H. Ellis. 

PRINTING IN CHELMSFORD. 

In 1775, Nathaniel Coverly, during the troubled condition 
of affairs in Boston, removed from that place to Chelmsford, 
"and set up his printing press in the south part of the Town. 
Sundry pamphlets and small works were executed at his press 
dated 'Chelmsford, New England.' " 

The Chelmsford Courier, published, from a small one-story 
building opposite the meeting house in Middlesex Village, by 
William Baldwin, editor, was, as far as is known, the earliest 
newspaper, which appeared June 25, 1824. The office having 
been burned, the name was, next year, changed to the Chelmsford 
Phoenix, with Rev. Bernard Whitman, the Unitarian minister at 



594 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Middlesex, editor, and William Baldwin, proprietor. In Septem- 
ber, 1825, E. M. Reinhart became the publisher, and the next 
year, J. S. C. Knowlton purchased it and changed the name to 
the Merrimack Journal. It was supposed that the new Town would 
be called Merrimack, but when it was named Lowell, the paper 
became the Lowell Journal. 

The Ladies' Literary Friend appeared in East Chelmsford, 
March 23, 1825. 

There was a paper called the Globe, published at the General 
Printing Office, East Chelmsford, by J. H. White, which appeared 
June 24, 1825, but was printed in Boston, or, possibly, in East 
Chelmsford. In September of the above year, the Phoenix 
office was removed to East Chelmsford and occupied the place 
of the Globe Printing Office. 

The Monthly Quarto appeared at North Chelmsford in 1876, 
published by Merrill and Sargent. One number only was issued. 
Rev. L. J. Merrill was pastor of the Second Congregational Society. 
Mr. Sargent was bookkeeper for Silver and Gay, machinists, for 
forty years. 

The Chelmsjord Eagle has been published occasionally by 
the Village Improvement Association: January 1, 1876, December 
12, 1877, and December 15, 1883. These three nimibers were 
edited, Vol. I, by H. S. Perham, E. Fitz Gerald, and B. F. Cooley; 
Vol. II, by H. S. Perham and E. H. Warren; Vol. Ill, by H. 
S. Perham. 

VILLAGE CLOCK. 

A Company or Association was formed January 27, 1877, with 
Moses C. Wilson, president, E. K. Parkhurst, vice president, 
Henry S. Perham, secretary, and Joseph Reed, treasurer. 

Report of the Treasurer of the Village Clock Company. 

Bills Paid 

Howard & Co. for the Clock $275.00 

Green and Hagerman 145 . 02 

Mrs. Robinson, for Board 4 . 00 

Cole and Nichols, for weight 20 . 74 

Fiske and Spalding's bill 3.13 

E. K. Parkhurst, for freight 3.30 

N. P. Dadmun's bill 11.97 



i.l6 

Amount of money received from all sources $463 . 61 

Balance in the hands of the Treasurer .55 

Chelmsford, Dec. 24, 1877. Joseph Reed, Treasurer. 
Received since the above was made .50 

The clock was purchased with money subscribed for that 
purpose, the amounts ranging from $1 to $25. 



SLAVES, WITCHES 595 

Until 1892, the care of the clock was paid for by subscription. 
Since then the Town has made an appropriation for that purpose. 
The last officers elected were J. Adams Bartlett, president, Joseph 
E. Warren, vice president, Harry L. Parkhurst, secretary and 
treasurer. 

WATERING TROUGHS. 

In Central Square at Chelmsford are two good-sized granite 
troughs. That on the upper side of the square bears this inscrip- 
tion: 

Presented by 

N. M. Fletcher 

1880 

That at the lower side of the square is inscribed thus: 

A Gift from 

L. A. Young 

Aug. 19, 1891. 

The granite troughs at South Chelmsford and West Chelms- 
ford were placed by the Town in 1900. 

At the North Village, the granite trough was placed by the 
Town in 1903. 

In the "square" at the North Village is an old cannon which 
was, according to tradition, purchased by subscription, before the 
Civil War, 1861-5, and was used on the Fourth of July and other 
patriotic days. 

THE FIRST LUCIFER MATCHES MADE IN AMERICA. 

Many of the old contrivances for warmth, comfort and 
convenience have not been mentioned here — the tin or sheet iron 
foot-stove, filled with hot coals, and the warming pan, a long- 
handled, covered pan, in which live coals were put, and run in 
between the sheets, to warm the beds in freezing cold rooms. 
We rarely see the pot hooks and trammels which held the kettles 
hanging from the crane in the fireplace; the wooden door latch 
with leathern latch-string; the knocker; the iron fire front and 
Franklin stove, which were like a metal fireplace standing out in 
the room, superseding the old fireplace and saving much heat 
(see a fine example in the Bowers house) ; these things, and many 
more, were familiar a century ago. 

The chimney-sweep flourished until 1830 or later. 

When hard coal was brought into use, the soot did not 
accumulate in the chimneys as it did when wood was burned, and 
chimneys were made much smaller, so that a sweep could not find 
his way up and down the chimney, as formerly. 

"If you from fire secure would be, then have your chimney 
swept by me," is the old advertisement. 



596 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Indians obtained fire by rubbing two sticks together 
until the friction caused them to ignite. The early white inhabit- 
ants used tinder boxes of metal in which punk or charred linen was 
ignited by a spark from steel striking on flint. Sometimes they 
would be obliged to borrow live coals from a neighbor's hearth. 

Between the tinder-box and the friction match, several 
inventions came into use. An article in the "Chelmsford Eagle," 
1883, probably by H. S. P., says: 

One of these was the "instantaneous-light box," which 
consisted of a small tin box containing a bottle, in which was 
placed some sulphuric acid, with sufficient fibrous asbestos to 
soak it up and prevent its spilling out of the bottle, and a supply 
of properly prepared matches. These consisted of small splints 
of wood, about two inches long, one end of which was coated with 
a chemical mixture prepared by mixing chlorate of potash, six 
parts; powdered loaf sugar, two parts; powdered gimi arable, 
one part; the whole colored with a little vermilion and made into 
a thin paste with water. The splints were first dipped into 
melted sulphur and afterwards into the prepared paste. They 
were readily inflamed by dipping the prepared ends into sulphuric 
acid. 

There were several disadvantages in this invention, especially 
those arising from the use of so destructive a material as sulphuric 
acid, which also had another drawback — its great power of absorb- 
ing moisture soon rendered it inert by the absorption of moisture 
from the atmosphere. 

The Lucifer match, which succeeded the above, was an 
English invention. This match was of small strips of wood, and 
the inflammable mixture was a compound of chlorate of potash 
and sulphurate of antimony, with enough of powdered gum to 
render it adhesive when mixed with water and applied over the 
end of the match, dipped in melted brimstone. These matches 
were ignited by drawing them through a piece of bent sandpaper. 
The first Lucifer matches that were made in this country were 
manufactured at South Chelmsford, in 1835, by Ezekiel Byam, 
the founder of the house of Byam, Carlton & Co., of Boston, of 
which his son, E. G. Byam, was afterwards at the head. 

These matches were put up in packages containing one 
hundred, which sold for twenty-five cents a package. 

Althotigh this was a great improvement over anything that 
had preceded it, the expense was too great to bring it rapidly 
into favor. Very soon, however, this difficulty was overcome by 
the invention of the present friction match. This was patented 
by A. D. Phillips, of Springfield, Mass., October 24, 1836. Mr. 
Byam at once saw the importance of this invention, and, with 
characteristic enterprise, he purchased, first, the right to manu- 
facture, and soon after the whole patent, and in 1837, introduced 
the friction match to the public. The old "match shop," as it was 
called, stood on the old road leading from South Chelmsford to 



SLAVES, WITCHES 697 

the Centre, a few rods from the house of Mr. Eli P. Parker, on 
the opposite side. It was a .small building, set into the bank, 
with one story above the basement. 

The matches were put up at the Willard Byam house, which 
stood just beyond the shop on the site of the residence of Mr. 
E. P. Bean. 

After manufacturing here about a year, Mr. Byam removed 
to Boston, at the comer of Union and Blackstone streets. He 
returned, however, to Chelmsford about the year 1845, and con- 
tinued till the spring of 1848, when the business, having outgrown 
his accommodations, was transferred permanently to Boston. 

Most of the old match shop was demolished years ago, but 
a portion of it was removed to the premises of Mr. N. B. Lapham, 
and used as a carriage house. 

The place in South Chelmsford where the matches were made 
was called Brimstone Comer. These verses went with the 
matches all over the country: 

"For quickness and sureness the public will find, 
These matches will leave all others behind; 
Without further remarks we invite you to try 'em, 
Remember all good that are signed by 

E. BYAM." 

Ezekiel Byam was bom in Chelmsford, October 24, 1796, 
the son of William and Rebecca. February 15, 1818, he married 
Charlotte Bateman. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. 
O. B. Dudley, in Bunker Hill street, Charlestown, August 9, 
1863, and was buried in Forefathers' Cemetery, Chelmsford. 

NORTH CHELMSFORD FIRE DISTRICT. 

The first annual report of the North Chelmsford Fire 
District, in 1907, states that when Shaw's store with the church 
under which it was located was destroyed by fire in the year 1893, 
Dr. N. B. Edwards rode his horse bareback to Lowell, and secured 
the services of the Lowell Fire Department. About three years 
later, through the influence of George C. Moore and others, some 
water pipe was laid in the village, and water and power were 
supplied through the kindness of George C. Moore, and later, 
of the Moore Spinning Company. A few residences had water 
piped from the Mill, but it was not fit for drinking. An attempt 
was made to have water supplied from Lowell, but came to 
nothing. In 1906, the Legislature passed an Act allowing North 
Chelmsford to take water from Lowell or build its own system. 
A fire district was established, and George C. Moore, F. E. Vamey, 
M. D., James P. Dunigan, John E. Hogan and Royal S. Ripley 
were chosen a committee to select a site for water supply. 

Ten 2|-inch wells, from 25 to 30 feet deep, were driven near 
the shore of Newficld Pond, and a standpipe and pumping station 



598 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

were erected. The standpipe is 22 feet in diameter and 125 feet 
high, with a total capacity of about 354,000 gallons, giving a 
water pressure of about 75 pounds. 

Bonds for $50,000 were issued, and sold for $1,013.25 premium. 
The whole amount issued is $80,000, $10,000 of which have been 
paid. 

From June, 1914 to May, 1915, inclusive, the total amount 
of water pumped was 17,877,940 gallons: daily average, 48,980 
gallons. The area of the district is about 339 acres. The valuation 
of the district in 1906 was $1,379,475.00. 

The present commissioners are, C. Frank Butterfield, James 
F. Leahey and David Billson. 

THE CHELMSFORD WATER DISTRICT. 

In Chelmsford Centre, the agitation for a water system began 
some time prior to the establishment of such a system in 1913. 
In 1911, the Town appointed Arthur M. Warren, George M. 
Wright and Edwin R. Clark to investigate the matter. A fire 
district was favored by some, and Charles E. Bartlett, C. George 
Armstrong, Herbert E. Ellis, Josiah E. Marshall, and William B. 
Northrop were appointed to make further investigation. The 
same committee, with the substitution of Harry L. Parkhurst 
and Edwin R. Clark in the place of the last two, was to take 
immediate steps towards establishing a water district. This was 
done by an Act of the Legislature in 1913, which was accepted 
by the voters of the district. 

Bonds for $60,000 were issued, and sold for $1 ,972.88 premium. 
There was a later issue of $10,000. The completed plant cost 
under $70,000. Sixteen wells were driven, and a pumping station 
was built at the foot of Warren avenue, on River Meadow brook, 
and a covered circular reservoir of reinforced concrete, twenty 
feet in height, was constructed on the side of Robin's hill, 217 
feet above the pimiping station. Its capacity is about 225,000 
gallons. The floor is practically solid rock. The pumps will 
fill the reservoir in five or six hours. The water pressure in 
Central square is over 90 pounds. The average daily consumption 
varies at different seasons, being from 21,000 to 40,000 gallons. 

The present commissioners are: C. G. Armstrong, Winthrop 
A. Parkhurst, and Edwin R. Clark. 

The total cost of the land, about twenty acres, purchased 
by the district, including surveying, grading, fencing, setting 
bounds, and so forth, was only $1,572.46, the owners, Darius C. 
Edwards, George P. Mansfield, E. C. Wright and the estate of 
Edwin H. Warren, selling at a price much below the assessed 
value. Justin L. Moore gave the right to lay the main under his land. 

The successful completion of this water system is due largely 
to the skill and efficiency of George F. Bowers, the engineer. 

The area of the district is about 1,452 acres. 

The valuation of the district is $995,605.00. 



SLAVES, WITCHES 599 

THE TOWN FARM. 

The care of the poor has received mention on page 61. 
Paupers were formerly put out to the lowest bidder to be cared for. 

1796. The Town voted to allow Deacon Aaron Chamberlain 

the sum of four dollars for his bidding off the widow 

at the Vendue and his trouble in going after her. 

March 6, 1732/3, the Town voted "to build a dwelling house 
for the poor," but, apparently, the project was allowed to drop. 

In 1733, Nathaniel Harwood was overseer of the poor, and 
received £4 for their support. The Town repeatedly thereafter 
refused to choose overseers of the poor. 

According to the Town records, a farm of 120 acres with 
house and bam was bought of Salathiel Adams in 1823, and 
constituted as a workhouse, where the poor of the Town should 
be employed. The price paid was S2,950. The sum of $530.72 
was required for repairs. The Town, as was common in those 
days, borrowed of its citizens, $3,500. The names and amounts 
were these: Abraham Prescott, $1,500; Abbott and Fletcher, 
$600; John Butterfield, $426; Henry Adams, $300; Samuel Davis, 
$274; Zebulon Spaulding, $200; Oliver Parkhurst, $100; Moses 
Parker, $100. 

This house stood on the north side of the Mill road near where 
the Turnpike crosses it. It was burned in 1871, and for some 
months the inmates were kept in a house on the opposite side of 
the road and owned by Benj. F. Hodges. In 1872, the present 
property was bought by the Town, and became known as the 
Town Farm or Almshouse. 

The price paid was $4,750. The deed, signed by Emeline 
Rockwood, calls for 30 acres with the house, and 14 acres on the 
south side of the East Chelmsford road. The latter parcel was 
used for Pine Ridge cemetery. All originally belonged to the 
Manning estate. 

The house was the Manning tavern mentioned on page 397. 
The usual nimiber of inmates is from ten to twelve. There are 
today 21 acres in the present farm. The Town also owns 34 acres 
of wood land reserved from the old farm. Waldo Hannaford is 
the Superintendent, 1915. 

MIDDLESEX COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL. 

This institution, belonging to the County and not to the 
Town, was established in 1894 as the Middlesex County Truant 
School, where truants and boys guilty of minor offenses are sent 
for reformation. M. A. Warren was Superintendent until 1910. 
In 1908, the name was changed, substituting the word Training 
for Truant. It is situated near the North Village, and has six 
substantial and well-equipped buildings. See Map 11. 

The inmates number from 100 to 120. Rufus E. Corlew is 
the present Superintendent. The property is valued at $250,000. 



CHAPTER XII. 

TOWN MEETING. TAXES. POPULATION. 
VALUATION. FINANCIAL MATTERS. 

AN account of the first Town Meeting will be found on page 12, 
and of the second, on the following page. At the latter, the 
first Monday in March was made the day for the Annual Meeting. 
In 1699 the first Tuesday in March was made the day for choosing 
Town officers. The day was changed in 1877 to the third Monday 
in March. In 1915, the first Monday in February became the 
day for Town Meeting. 

The chief Town officers are chosen by ballot, the "under 
officers," as far back as 1736, were chosen "by nomination and 
hand vote"; now viva voce. 

In the early days three men were chosen to end all small 
causes under 40 shillings. In 1685 and some years later a com- 
mittee was chosen "to give the selectmen instructions according 
to law." The instructions were to be given in writing to "fit men' 
chosen to order the planting and prudential affairs of the Town." 
The number of these selectmen was not to exceed nine "In every 
Town within this Jurisdiction, there shall henceforth be a Gierke 
of the Writts, nominated by each Town, and allowed by each 
Shire Court; to grant Summons and Attachments in all Civil 
Actions," &c. [Laws and Liberties, 1641.] 

When State officers or other such officials had been voted for, 
the meeting was called to order to transact Town business, or, 
as the expression was: Then was the meeting regulated. 

In 1742 the Town voted that "the selectmen and such other 
Town officers as has been usual to have a super on the Town's 
cost on the evenings of Annual Town Meetings heretofore, be 
allowed no more supers for the future on the Town's cost." 

In 1791, there were nine Town Meetings. 

From March, 1794 to March, 1795, there were ten Town 
Meetings. 

In 1871, the sale of intoxicating liquors was authorized, also 
in 1876-8-9 and 1884. In 1880, it was voted to request the 
selectmen not to issue liquor licenses. 

In 1915, the vote on license was: Yes, 91; No, 358. 

It was formerly the custom to have prayers at the opening 
of Town Meeting. 

In 1827, "Prayers were performed" in Town Meeting by 
Rev. John Parkhurst. 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 601 

In 1828, "Prayers were offered" by Rev. Wilkes Allen. 

As a rule, the proceedings are quietly and decorously con- 
ducted. On rare occasions, a heated controversy breaks the 
monotony. 

In 1829, at the close of the meeting, it was voted to dispense 
with the reading of the riot act, and the meeting was then dis- 
missed. 

Town Meeting was commonly held in the meeting house. 
In 1842, the basement of the meeting house was built by the 
Town, and meetings were held there. Sometimes, for lack of 
room, the voters were obliged to go out on the Common to be 
polled. See "Traditions," p. 455. 

In 1820, it was voted that there shall not be any Town business 
done hereafter in the meeting house in the middle of the Town by 
candle light. 

In 1852, it was voted to build a Town House in North 
Chelmsford, "not to exceed the cost of the present town house." 
The next year the thanks of the Town were tendered to Hon. 
Benj. Adams and Thos. J. Adams, Esq., for "their liberal, free 
and generous gift" of land for the building. Williams, Bird & Co. 
gave $100 towards the cost of the house, which was $1,847.66. 

In 1853, the November Town Meeting and election were 
held at the North Village, as was also the annual March meeting 
the next year. The annual meetings were held alternately at 
the Centre and North villages for a number of years. 

In 1871, it was agreed that all intermediate or special 
meetings be held alternately at the Centre and North. 

In 1873, the Town voted not to build a Town House at 
West Chelmsford, and hold a portion of the Town Meetings 
there. Also not to build a Town House in the Centre Village 
to cost not more than $10,000. Similar propositions were 
voted down in subsequent years. 

In 1879, it was voted to build a Town Hall in the Centre 
Village at a cost not to exceed $7,000. The next year the sum 
of $1,000 was appropriated to furnish it. 

In 1881, the Moderator, Edwin H. Warren, received a vote 
of thanks for the very satisfactory manner in which he performed 
the duties of the office. 

In 1885, the Town voted that all future Town Meetings 
for Town business should be held in the Town Hall at the Centre 
of the Town. 

In 1887, the Town was divided into three voting precincts. 
There are now four. 

1894. In Town Meeting the voters expressed their cordial 
recognition of the strict integrity, conscientious fidelity and 
unfailing courtesy which have characterized the long term of 
office of Town Treasurer, E. H. Warren, with earnest wishes 
for his restoration to health. 

In 1903, the Australian ballot was adopted. 



602 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1904. The Town adopted the following Resolution in 
regard to the death of George A. Parkhurst, Town Clerk for 
33 years. 

Resolved, That in his death the Town recognizes the loss of 
a valued public servant whose duties during this long period have 
been executed with marked ability and fidelity. And we, the 
voters of Chelmsford, desire further to place on record our tribute 
to the personal worth of the deceased as a highminded, modest, 
patriotic and public-spirited citizen. 

A committee was appointed to report on the public observance 
of the 250th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town. 

Mr. H. S. Perham was asked to prepare a history of the Town. 

1914. In accordance with an Act of the General Court, the 
Town's financial year closed on December 31. Hereafter, Town 
Meeting, instead of being held on the fourth Monday in March, 
is to be held on the first Monday in February, of each year. 

1915. Town Meeting held on the first Monday in February, 
as provided by State law, instead of the foiu'th Monday in March, 
as had been the custom. 

By a unanimous rising vote, the Annual Town Meeting 
expressed its thanks and appreciation to J. Adams Bartlett, who 
for thirty years had, as Moderator, shown his unfailing ability, 
discrimination and justice with a ready wit which often brought 
harmony out of discord. 

OFFICERS OF THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD, 1915. 

Town Clerk 
EDWARD J. ROBBINS 

Selectmen and Overseers oj the Poor 

D. FRANK SMALL (term expires 1918) 

KARL M. PERHAM (term expires 1917) 

A. HEADY PARK (term expires 1916) 

Assessors 

JAMES P. DUNIGAN (term expires 1918) 

FRED L. FLETCHER (term expires 1917) 

HERBERT C. SWEETSER (term expires 1916) 

Town Treasurer and Collector oj Taxes 
ERVING W. SWEETSER 

Auditors 

WINTHROP A. PARKHURST PRESTON L. PIGGOTT 

HARLAN E. KNOWLTON 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 603 

Constable 
HERBERT H. RICHARDSON 

School Committee 
WILLIAM H. HALL (term expires 1918) 

CELIA B. PARK (term expires 1917) 

CHARLES H. CROWELL (term expires 1916) 

Trustees of Adams Library 
Albert H. Davis A. Heady Park 

(Term expires 1918) 
Frances Clark Wilson Waters 

(Term expires 1917) 
Edwin R. Clark Otis P. Wheeler 

(Term expires 1916) 

Tree Warden and Superintendent of Moth Work 
Minot A. Bean 

Sinking Fvmd Commissioners 
William H. Shedd (term expires 1918) 

William J. Quigley (term expires 1917) 

Walter Perham (tenn expires 1916) 

Cemetery Commissioners 
Charles F. Scribner (term expires 1918) 

Charles A. Holt (term expires 1917) 

James S. Byam (term expires 1916) 

Park Commissioners 
Fred L. Fletcher (term expires 1918) 

Patrick S. Ward (term expires 1917) 

Arthur M. Warren (term expires 1916) 

Fence Viewers 
James P. Daley George P. Mansfield 

Leonard Spaulding 

Appraisers of Personal Property at Town Farm 
Emile E. Paignon, Jr. Walter Perham 

Pliny C. Bliss 

Weighers of Hay 
S. Waldo Parkhurst Myron A. Queen 

Paul Dutton Frank E. Bickford 

Henry H. Emerson John B. Emerson 



604 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Measurers of Wood 

S. Waldo Parkhurst Paul Button Alvin H. Fletcher 

Daniel A. Reardon Frank E. Bickford Myron A. Queen 

John Marinel, Jr. Melvin Walker Francis O. Button 

Jay B. Pliunmer 

Surveyors oj Lumber 

R. Wilson Bix Stewart Mackay 

George E. Spaulding E. Hamlin Russell 

Myron A. Queen Melvin Walker 

Herbert C. Sweetser Alvin H. Fletcher 

Jay B. Plummer Francis O. Button 

Field Drivers 

R. Wilson Bix Thomas Murphy 

E. Hamlin Russell 

Committee on Appropriations 

Karl M. Perham John J. Monahan 

B. Frank Small A. Heady Park 

William H. Shedd 



APPOINTED BY THE SELECTMEN. 

Weighers oj Coal 

S. Waldo Parkhurst John B. Emerson 

Paul Button James P. Bunigan 

Frank E. Bickford Clarence Leavitt 

Superintendents oj Burials 

Walter Perham George F. Cutler 

Fred W. Edwards 

Superintendent oj Burial oj Indigent Soldiers and Sailors 
Walter Perham 

Agents oj the Board oj Health 

Arthur G. Scoboria (Precincts 1 and 4) 

Fred E. Vamey (Precincts 2 and 3) 

Registrars oj Voters 

Patrick H. Haley (term expires 1918) 

George H. Ripley (term expires 1917) 

John F. McManomin (term expires 1916) 
Edward J. Robbins, clerk, ex-officio 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 

Sealer of Weights and Measures 
Curtis A. Aiken 



605 



Superintendent of Town Farm 
Waldo Hannaford 

Superintendent of Moth Work 
Minot A. Bean 

Forest Warden 
Arnold C. Perham 

Deputy Fire Warden 
Walter S. Holder 

Highway Surveyor 
David Higgins 



James S. Byam 



Janitors of Public Buildings 
Albert E. Jenny 



Patrick S. Ward 



Inspector of Meats and Provisions 
Arnold C. Perham 



George C. Moore 
Thomas Brown 
James J. Hackett 
Frank C. Byam 
Patrick S. Ward 
John Marin el, Jr. 
W^m. E. Belleville 



James F. Leahey 
James Long 



James Peck 



Special Police Officers 

Albert E. Jenny 
Thomas Jones 
James Buchanan 
James S. Byam 
Henry Staveley 
George Small 
Charles Grantz 



Owen Scollan 
Waldo Hannaford 
Frank G. Foote 
Curtis A. Aiken 
James R. Gookin 
John J. Quessy 
Fred I. Vinal 



Weighers of Merchandise 

James J. Hackett 
Clarence Leavitt 



Emma L. Parkhurst 
William Brown 



Game Wardens 



Charles F. House 




606 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

SOME OLD WARRANTS AND LICENSES. 

Before the Revolution, warrants for Town Meetings were 
issued in the King's name to the constables of the Town. Thus, 
in 1776 there were, as for many years, two constables, one in the 
south end and the other in the north end, in this year, Amos 
Kidder and Thomas Marshall, each of whom received a copy of 
this warrant : 

Middlesex. SS. 

To Amos Kidder one of the Constables of the Town of Chelms- 
ford in the County of Middlesex. 

In his Majesties name you are hereby required forthwith 
to warn all the freeholders and other Inhabitants of sd. 
Town in your ward qualified by law to vote in Town 
affairs, to assemble at the meeting house in Chelmsford aforesd, 
on Monday the fourth day of March next at eight of the clock 
in the forenoon, then and there to make choice of all Town officers 
as the Law directs to serve the said Town the year ensuing. 

21y. To Grant such sum or sirms of money as shall be thought 
needful for the support of the Gospel ministry, and to defray all 
other needful Town charges in said Town the year ensuing. 

Sly. To agree and vote in what part or parts of the said 
Town the grammar school or other schools shall be kept the year 
ensuing 

The fourth Article relates to repairing highways. 

The fifth to providing firewood for the Rev. Mr. Bridge. 

The sixth to see whether the Town will vote that swine shall 
go at large. 

The seventh relates to the County tax. 

The eighth. At the desire of Deacon Ebenezer Goold and 
Capt. Zachariah Richardson and others to see if the Town will 

make choice of "Queresters and come in to some 

regulation respecting singing in the Congregation." 

The ninth. At the desire of Mr. Josiah Parkhurst, to see if 
the Town will exempt those persons which call themselves ana- 
baptists from paying the Minister rate 

Hereof fail not and make return, 

Dated at Chelmsford aforesaid the nineteenth day of February 
in the seventeenth year of his Majesties Reign, anno Domini, 1776. 

By order of the selectmen of said Chelmsford. 

David Spaulding, Town Clerk. 

TOWN OFFICERS CHOSEN MARCH 6, 1775, AT THE ANNUAL MEETING. 

Moderator, Selectmen, Clerk, Assessors (the Selectmen), 
Overseers of the Poor (the Selectmen), Treasurer, Constables, 
Wardens or Wardeners, Tythingmen, Surveyors of Highways, 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 607 

Fence Viewers, Field Drivers, Surveyors of Board and Timber, 
Deer Reeves, Hog Reeves, Sealer of Leather, two men to prevent 
the destruction of Fish, Sealer of Weights and Measures. 

In 1737, a surveyor of hemp and flax was chosen. 

In 1793, inspectors of bread were chosen. 
[See p. 409.] 

At the Annual Town Meeting March 4, 1776 The Town 
voted for a grand juryman and a County Treasurer and Registrar. 
Then the meeting was regulated. Chose a Moderator, a Com- 
mittee of Correspondence, five Selectmen, Town Clerk, Assessors 
(the Selectmen), Overseers of the Poor (the Selectmen), Town 
Treasurer, two Constables. 

The remaining part of the business (the choosing of under- 
ofhcers) was by nomination and hand vote: Wardeners, Tything- 
men. Surveyors of Highways, Fence Viewers, Field Drivers, 
Surveyors of Boards and Timber, Deer Reeves, Hog Reeves, 
Sealer of Leather, two men for preventing the destruction of Fish 
in the Merrimack and Concord Rivers, Sealer of Weights and 
Measures. 

July 3 chose Representative to the General Court. 

1776, May 13, the names of two men were drawn out of the 
box for Petty jurymen at the Superior Court. A Representative 
and a County Registrar were voted for. 

Warrant issued to William Fletcher: 

5th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, 
of Gt. Breton, King 



Province of the | Royal Arms 

Massachusetts — j 

Bay S.S. 



Jeremiah Allen Esq. 
Treasurer and Receiver General of his Majesties said Province. 
To Mr. Wm Fletcher Constable or Collector of Taxes of Chelms- 
ford Greeting: &c 

By Virtue of an Act of the Great & General Court or Assembly 
of the said Province, Begun & Held at Boston, upon Wednesday 
the Twenty-Sixth Day of May 1731. In the Fourth & Fifth 
Year of His Majesties Reign, Intitled, An Act for Apportioning 
and Assessing a Tax of Six Thousand Eight Hundred & Eighteen 
Pounds, and for Assessing a Tax of Twenty Pounds laid on the 
Town of Weston, for not sending a Representative; And also 
for Apportioning and Assessing one other Tax of Four Thousand 
One Hundred & Nine Pounds Six Shillings paid the Representatives 
for the Year 1730, 31. And a further Tax of One Thousand 
Pounds Emitted «& Appropriated for the Payment of His Majesty's 
Council, in this present Year 1730, 31. 



608 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

These are in His Majesties Name to Will & Require you to 
Collect all and every the Sums of Money mentioned in the List 
or Lists of the said Tax or Assessment of your Town, made by 
the Assessors or Select men of the Said Town, and Committed 
to you to Collect; Amounting in the whole to the Sum of fourty- 
five pounds eight shillings & two pence. 

In manner following: That is to say, Of each Persn the 
whole of his Proportion set down in the Said List or Lists, before 
the Last Day of March next, so that you duely pay in the Siim 
Total of the said Lists unto & make up and issue your accompt 
of the whole thereof with Myself, His Majesty's Treasurer, &c 

And in Case Any Person or Persons shall refuse or neglect 
to pay the several Simi or Sums of Money, whereat he or they 
are set in the Said Assessment and are to pay towards the same, 
upon demand made: It shall & may be lawful for you and you 
are hereby Authorized & Required for Non-payment to distrein 
the Person or Persons for refusing or neglecting by his or their 
goods or Chattels & the Distress or Distresses so taken, to keep 
by the space of four days, at the cost and charges of the owner 
thereof, & if the said owner do not pay the Simi or Simis of Money 
so assessed upon him within the said four days, then the said 
Distress or Distresses to be forthwith openly Sold At an Out-cry 
by you, for payment of the said money 

For want of such distress to commit the Party to the Common 
Gaol. 

The collection or gathering up of Town taxes or rates was made 
by the Constables who received an order like this: 

Chelmsford, March 25, 1772. 

To Mr John Robbins, one of the Constables of the Town of 
Chelmsford, you are hereby ordered to pay in to Mr. David 
Parker, Treasurer for the said Town of Chelmsford the Town 
Rate which you shall levy and collect, by virtue of this List and 
Warrant as followeth, viz. The sum of fifty five pounds, on or 
before the twentieth day of May next. And the further siim of 
fifty nine pounds, six shillings and eleven pence and one farthing, 
on or before the thirtieth day of December next. 

By order of the Assessors of said Chelmsford. 

David Spaulding, Town Clerk. 

Chelmsford, April 17, 1772 

At a meeting of the selectmen it was ordered that Mr David 
Parker, Town Treasurer should receive the Town Tax or Rate 
made this present year which is committed to the Constables of 
Sd Town to collect 




"the captain bill FLETCHER HOUSE," CHELMSFORD CENTRE 




.\'o. S'' 



THE SPAULDING-HAZEN HOUSE, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 609 

The Constable for the north end of the Town in 1772 was 
Samuel Howard. He and John Robbins received copies of the 
following : 

Middlesex, SS. To Samuel Howard, one of the Constables 

of the Town of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex 

Greeting — 

— ' — - \ In his Majesties name you are hereby required to levy 
SEAL j-and collect of the several persons named in the list 
..^v^^ J herewith committed unto you each one his respective 
proportion therein set down of the sum total of such list, being 
part of a tax or assessment agreed upon and granted by the 
Inhabitants of said Town of Chelmsford regularly assembled the 
second day of March, Anno Domini, 1772, for defraying the 
necessary charges arising within the said Town the present year, 
and deliver and pay in the sum and simis you shall so levy and 
collect unto Mr David Parker, Treasurer of the said Town, and 
to compleat and make up an account of your collections of the 
whole sum at or before the thirtieth day of December next. And 
if any person or persons shall neglect or refuse to make payment 
of the sum or sums whereat he or they are respectively assessed 
in said list, you are to distrain the goods or chattels of such person 
or persons to the value thereof and the distress or distresses so 
taken to keep by the space of four days at the cost and charge 
of the owner; and if the owner do not pay the sum or sums of 
money so assessed upon him or them within the said four days, 
the said distress or distresses so taken you are to expose and openly 
sell at an outcry for payment of the said money and the charges, 
notice of such sale being posted up in some public place within 
the same town twenty four hours before hand. And the overplus 
coming by said sale (if any be) besides the sum or sums of the 
assessment and the charges of taking and keeping of the distress 
or distresses to be immediately restored to the owner. And 
for want of goods or Chattels whereon to make distress you are 
to seize the body or bodies of the person or persons so refusing, 
and him or them to commit unto the common gaol of the same 
county, there to remain until he or they pay and satisfie the 
several sum or sums whereat they are respectively assessed as 
afore sd. unless upon application made to the Court of General 
Sessions of the Peace the same or any part thereof shall be abated. 
Dated at Chelmsford the twenty fifth day of March in the twelfth 
year of his Majesties Reign, Anno Domini 1772. 



David Spaulding 
Oliver Barron 
Joseph Warren 
Zebulon Spaulding 
John Minot 



Assessors 
for 
Chelmsford 



610 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Warrant issued to John Minot: 

The Honorable 

Harrison Gray, Esq; 

Treasurer and Receiver-General for His Majesty's said Province. 

To John Minot Constable and Collector of Chelmsford 

Greeting, Etc. 

Where As the Great and General Assembly of this Province 
did in their Session in October, One Thousand Seven Hundred 
and Seventy, grant unto His Most Excellent Majesty a Tax of 
Twenty-seven Thousand three Hundred Pounds, to be levied 
on Polls and Estates both real and personal within this Province: 
And Where As the Great and General Court or Assembly at their 
Session in May, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-one, 
did not agree to levy and apportion a Tax of Twenty-seven 
Thousand three Hundred Pounds, which by the Act aforesaid 
they were impowered to do; And Where As in Obedience to the 
Act aforesaid made and passed in October, One Thousand Seven 
Hundred and Seventy, I issued out my Warrants directed to the 
Selectmen or Assessors of the several Towns and Districts within 
this Province, to assess the Sums laid upon them respectively 
as their Proportion of the said Stmi of Twenty-seven Thousand 
three Hundred Pounds. 

These are in His Majesty's Name to will and require you 
to collect all and every the Sums of Money mentioned in the List 
or Lists of the Tax of Assessment of your Town, District, Parish 
or other Place, made by the Assessors or Selectmen of the said 
Town, District, Parish or other Place, and committed to you to 
collect: Amounting in the Whole to the Simi of 

Fifty two pounds five shillings three pence. 

In Manner following: That is to say, To collect the whole 
of each respective Sum assessed on each particular Person, set 
down in the said List or Lists, so that you duly pay in the Sum- 
Total of the said List or Lists unto, and make up and issue your 
Accompt of the Whole thereof with Myself, His Majesty's 
Treasurer and Receiver-General of His Revenue within this 
Province, my Deputy or Deputies, or Successors in the said 
Office, at or before the Thirtieth Day of April next, which will 
be in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and 
seventy two. And in Case any Person or Persons shall refuse or 
neglect to pay the several Sum or Siims, whereat he or they are 
set at in the said Assessment, and are to pay the same upon 
demand made, it shall and may be lawful for you, and you are 
hereby authorised and required for Non-payment, to destrein 
the Person or Persons for refusing or neglecting, by his or their 
Goods or Chatties: and the Distress or Distresses so taken, to 
keep for the Space of Four Days, at the Cost and Charges of the 
Owner thereof; and if the Owner does not pay the Stun or Sums 
of Money so assessed upon him, within the said Four Days, then 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 611 

the said Distress or Distresses to be forthwith sold at an Outcry, 
by you for the Payment of the said Money, Notice of such vSale 
being posted up in some pubhc Place in the same Town, District, 
Parish or other Place, Twenty-four Hours before-hand; and the 
Overplus coming by the said Sale (if any there be) over and above 
the Charges of taking and keeping the Distress or Distresses to 
be immediately restored to the Owner. 

And if any Person or Persons assessed as aforesaid, shall 
refuse or neglect to pay the Srmi or Sums so assessed, by the 
Space of Twelve Days after Demand thereof, where no sufficient 
Distress can or may be found, whereby the same may be levied; 
in every such Case, you are to apply yourself unto Two or more 
of the Assessors within your Town, District, Parish or other 
Place, for Warrant to commit such Person or Persons to the 
common gaol, as the Law directs. And where any Person or 
Persons shall remove from your Town, not having first paid the 
respective Siims or Proportion set upon him or them in said 
Tax or Assessment, you are hereby authorised and impowered 
to demand the Sum or Stmis assessed upon such Person or Persons, 
in what Town or Place soever he or they may be found within this 
Province; and upon Refusal or Neglect to pay the same, to 
destrein the said Person or Persons, by his or their Goods and 
Chatties, as aforesaid; and for want of such Distress to commit 
the Party to the common Gaol, there to remain until Payment be 
made of the Sum or Sums so set upon him, with all Charges 
arising by reason of such commitment. 

And hereof you are not to fail, upon the Pains and Penalties 
as may in such Cases by lav/ be inflicted on you. 

Given under my Hand and Seal at Boston, the Thirty-first 
Day of December, 1771, in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of our 
Sovereign Lord George the Third, of Great Britain, Etc. King. 

H. Gray. 

i^-As there will be a necessity for the above Money to be 
in the Treasury by the 30th. of April, to enable me to dis- 
charge the Government's Securities, that will about that 
Time become due: You are therefore ordered strictly to 
obey this Warrant. 
[In the possession of Mrs. J. E. Warren.] 

CORNELIUS Waldo's license. 

December 16, 1685, Mr. Weld was ordained minister at 
Dunstable, and a church was formed of seven male members, of 
whom Cornelius Waldo was one, and John Blanchard and 
Cornelius Waldo were chosen the first deacons, showing that at 
that time he was residing at Dunstable; yet December 14, 1686, 
"Cornelius Waldo, Senr of Chelmsford," was associated with 49 
others in the purchase of land at Wamesit of Jonathan Tyng, and 
in 1690 he was keeping a tavern at Chelmsford, and received a 



612 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

license for the same and to sell liquors therein. The original 
bond for this license is on file in the Probate Office of Middlesex 
County, and reads as follows: 

"Memorandum That on ye ninth Day of May in ye year of 
our Lord sixteen hundred and ninety And in ye second year of ye 
Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Lady William & Mary by the 
grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King & 
Queen Defenders of ye ffaith &c Before the County Court at 
Charlestowne by Adjournment from Cambridge 16 April last 
past Cornelius Waldo senr of Chelmsford in ye County aforesaid 
became bound in ye sum of twenty pounds Current money of 
New England which he doth acknowledge himself to ow and 
stand justly indebited to our Sovereign Lord and Lady King 
William & Queen Mary, theire heirs and successors to be Levied 
on his goods and Chattels Lands and Tenements 

"The Condition of this Recognizance is such, that whereas 
ye said Cornelius Waldo above bound is admitted and allowed by 
ye said County Court to keep a Common Publick house of Enter- 
tainment and to use Common Selling of wine Ale Beer Syder 
Brandy Rum and other Liquors for the year ensuing in ye Now 
Dwelling house of said Cornelius Waldo 

"If therefore ye Cornelius Waldo during ye time aforesaid 
shall not permit suffer or have any playing at Cards Dice Tables 
Bowls Ninepins Billiards or any other unlawful game or games 
in his said house, yard or Garden or backside nor shall suffer to 
be or remain in his house any prson or prsons not being of his 
own familie upon Satturday nights after it is Dark, or on ye 
Sabbath dais, or in ye time thereon, of Gods Publick worship, nor 
shall entertain as Lodgers in his house any strangers Men or 
Women above the space of forty and eight hours, but such whose 
names and Sir names he shall deliver to some one of the Selectmen 
or Constables of the Town unless they be such as he very well 
knoweth and will answer for his or their forth Coming, Nor shall 
sell any wine or Liquors, in any manner or way whsoever to any 
Indians or Negroes, Nor suffer any Children or Servants or any 
other prson to remain in his house Tipling or Drinking after 
nine of ye clock in ye night time nor shall buy or take to pawn 
any stolen goods, nor willingly or unknowingly harbour in his 
house barn stable or other where, any Rogues, vagabonds Thcives 
sturdy beggars masterless men or women or other notorious 
offenders whatsoever, nor shall suffer any prson or prsons what- 
soever to sell or utter any wine Beer Ale Syder Rum Brandy or 
other Liquors, by Deputation or by Colour of his License, nor 
shall entertain any prson or prsons of whom he shall be pro- 
hibited by Law, or any one of ye magistrates of ye County afore- 
said, or prsons of an low Conversation, and given to Tipling, and 
shall also keep the lead Assize and measure in his Potts, Broad 
and otherwise in uttering of any wine Beer Ale Syder Brandy 
Rum or other Liquors, and ye Same Sell by Sealed measure, and 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 613 

in said house shall use and maintain good order and Rule, and 
is and shall be provided wth sufficient housing and Two Beds 
at ye least for entertainment of strangers and Travailers, and 
shall attend ye Laws and order at Court referring to yt employ- 
ment, then this prsent Recognizance to be void, or else to stand 
in full force, power and virtue. In witness whereof we have 
hereunto sett our hands & seals this Day & year above written. 
"Signed sealed & delivered to ye 
Clerk or Court in 
prsens of 

CORNELIUS WALDO Seal. 

ISAAC JOHNSON 
JOHN BARNARD" 
[Waldo Genealogy] 

TAXES. 

On November 3d, 1620, King James signed a patent by 
which the adventurers to the northern colony of Virginia between 
forty and forty eight degrees north latitude, were incorporated 
as the Council Established at Plymouth in the County of Devon, 
for the Planting, Ruling, Ordering and Governing of New England 
in America. This was the great civil basis of the future patents 

and plantations of the country On March 19th, 1627, 

the Council at Plymouth sold to some Knights and gentlemen 
about Dorchester that part of this patent which lay between the 
Charles and Merrimack rivers. It was to these persons, or to 
their successors, that King Charles, in 1628, granted a Charter 
incorporating them into a body politic under the style of the 
Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New 
England. This Company lacked the power to levy assessments, 
and could not grant power of taxation to the Colony. 

The act of the Court of Assistants* of Massachusetts in 1630 
was an act of usurpation, which became legitimate only by the 
acquiescence of every freeman so rated. The power to tax 
became an accomplished fact, which the Charter of Charles II 
ignored and that of William & Mary confirmed. Forms of 
taxation usual in England were introduced — the general property 
tax, imposts, excises, the capitation tax, income tax, and taxes 
on certain specified classes of property. The general property 
tax was the backbone of the system. The machinery of assessing 
and collecting was simple and this Colonial system extended 
through the Provincial period and well into the 19th Century. 
The General Court granted the simi to be raised and this was 
apportioned among the various towns. The restrictions of 
taxation to freemen of the Colony resulted, as long as all the adult 
male inhabitants of the Colony were freemen, in manhood taxation. 
When the number of men who were debarred from becoming 
freemen because they were not church members, and who thus 
escaped taxation altogether, had become so large that the manhood 

*See Chapter XX. 



614 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

basis began to be seriously impaired, the Colonial Government 
required all males above 16 to contribute to the common charges. 
Magistrates were exempted, and so in some cases were towns 
newly settled or lately ravaged by the Indians. Chelmsford's 
taxes were abated in 1676. To the Constables was committed 
the collection of taxes, which was often difficult work. In 1647 
the Colonial treasurer was instructed to send out notice every 
fifth month without further instruction, to the constable and 
selectmen of every town, requiring the constable to call together 
the inhabitants, who should select one of their freeman to be 
commissioner, who, together with the selectmen, should make out 
a tax list, submit it to the examination of the freemen and 
after correction transmit it to the treasurer. 

A penny in the pound had become the usual tax rate before 
1646, and this was established in that year by an Act of the 
General Court as the legal rate upon lands and goods; fixed upon 
as the proportion which, in the light of experience ought to yield 
a sum nearly or quite sufficient to meet the public expenses, 
when reckoned upon the property of the Colony and taken together 
with the proceeds of the Poll tax. Certainly the inhabitants of 
the Colony were good enough mathematicians to know that in a 
computation in which the base and the rate per cent, are both 
fixed quantities, the product is also a fixed quantity; but if they 
hoped, by fixing upon an unvarying rate to be applied annually 
to the property in the Colony, to limit the expenditure of the 
government to the siun thus obtained, it was not long before the 
futility of their attempt was manifest. The ingenuity of the 
Colonial legislators was however sufficient for the emergency 
that arose when it became evident, that the whole amount of 
property in the Colony, as returned by the Commissioners was 

not increasing at as rapid a rate as the public expenses were 

From the passage of the Act of Nov. 13, 1655 which ordered 
one and one-quarter rates to be laid, the one penny per every 

twenty shillings ceased to be the rate and became "a rate." 

The early practice of making more than one levy per year was 
revived when occasion demanded. 

In 1670 only "half a rate" was levied, and in 1672 it was 
ordered that no rate at all be levied, as the income from wines, 
peltry, &c, was sufficient to meet the public expenses. From this 
time on till the loss of the Charter, the rates were added to or 
multiplied year by year, the number rising in some years as high 
as sixteen, noticeably in 1676, to meet the expenses of King 
Philip's War. The average for the whole time was not far from 
four. 

The poll tax was 20d; £20, the value of a poll. In 1648 
troopers were exempt, and magistrates to the extent of £500. 
Some were exempted on account of poverty, old age or other 
disability. The professors at Harvard were exempt to the extent 
of £100. 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 615 

In 1646 the poll tax was 20d. Next year it was raised to 
2/6. In 1653 the old rate was restored. In 1690 it was reduced 
to 12d. for each "rate." 

There was also an income tax. All laborers taking over 
18d. per day to pay 3s. 4d. over and above the 20d. poll tax. 
[See "Financial Hist, of Mass.," by Douglas; and Maclear's "New 
England Town."] 

After the Revolution, it was the custom in Chelmsford to 
let out the collection of taxes to the lowest bidder. In 1799, the 
collection of taxes was bid off to the lowest bidder "at three 
distinct Strocks" for £0:0:4:3 per pound. 

For some years prior to 1700 there were town commissioners 
chosen to serv^e with the selectmen in making assessments. There 
were really two systems. In some towns, the selectmen or trustees 
acted as assessors; in others separate boards of assessors were 
chosen. 

In 1802, tax bills were sent on printed blanks like this: 

Cheknsford. Novem. 1st, 1802. 

To Mr Judathan Parker. 
Your taxes for 1802. 

Dlls. Cents. 

Minister 2 = 24 

Town 9 = 78 

State 3 = 34 

Total to pay 15 = 36 

Reed, pay in full 

A. Chamberlin, Jr., Collector. 

At the present time, a citizen of this Town pays all his tax 
in one lump sum. The Town Assessors add the amount of the 
State and County tax to the amount of money appropriated 
by the Town for expenses during the year, and from this result 
subtract the amount of poll tax, corporation tax, and estimated 
receipts, and then figure the rate for $1,000 to be paid by the 
property owners. Any tax payer may, upon request, have the 
amount of his State tax computed for him. 

In the old days, there was "a rate" levied for each — minister, 
schools, running expenses. State, County, support of poor, &c. 

A man who paid poll tax was said to be "rated for his head." 

A RATE FOR THE MINISTER. 

An acountt of the estate of the severall persons in Chelmsford 
in perticuler Rateable to the minester in the yer 1672 
lefft Joseph whelers estatt £ s. d. 

2 heads 15 Acers land 2 oxon 2 horses 4 cowes 1 bull of 

3 yer old 5 swine howsinge 7 . 9 



616 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Josiah Richerson 

2 heads 4 oxon 4 cowes 2 of 2 yer old 2 yerlings 8 £ s. d. 

sheep 1 horse 6 swine 14 Acers land howsing one mill 

2 stears 3 yer old 10 . 5 

Mr Waldow 3 heds howsing 24 Acers land 4 acers 

pastur 2 oxon 6 cowes 1 of 3 yer old 2 of 2 yer old 3 

yerlings 3 horses 5 swine 13 . 5 

Samuell varnimi 2 heds 2 oxon 5 Cowes 2 mares 1 of 3 

yer old 1 of 2 yer old 1 swine 20 Acers erolld howsing ... 7.8 

James Richerson 1 head 2 oxon 4 Cowes 2 of 3 yer old 

1 horse 1 of 2 yer old 1 yerling 3 swine 3 sheepe 12 acers 

land howsing 5. 4 

Andrew spalding 1 head 1 mare 2 of 2 yer old 2 swine 

16 Acers land 3 . 

John wright 1 head 14 Acers land 1 horse 2 oxon 4 cowes 

3 of 2 yer old 8 sheep 1 swine howsing 5 . 9 

Mr Thom hinchman 2 heads 8 Cowes 4 oxon 2 horses 

3 of 3 yer old 1 of 2 yer old 3 yerlings 20 sheepe 3 
swine saw mill and howsing 18 Acers of land 20 Acers 

of pasture 13 . 6| 

John Spaulding 1 head 1 horse 3 Cowes 2 oxon 2 swine 

1 of 3 yer old 2 yerlings 8 Acers land howsing 4.9 

Mr John ffisk Jun. 1 head 2 horses 2 oxon 4 Cowes 2 of 

tv yer old 1 yerling 2 swine 8 Acers land howsing 5.7 

Mr Will fflecher 3 heds 6 oxon 5 cowes 5 of 3 yer old 

4 yerlings 14 sheepe 2 swine 20 Acers land 3 horses 

howsing mill 14 . 11| 

John Battes 1 head 1 horse 3 Cowes 2 of 2 yer old 2 

yerlings 4 swine 8 Acres land howsing 4.4 

Joseph perkis 1 head 8 acres land 3 Cowes 2 oxon 

1 of 2 yer old 2 yerlings 5 swine 1 horse 4.6 

George Biam 2 heads 2 mares 4 Cowes 2 of 2 yer old 

8 sheepe 1 swine 8 Acres land howsing 7.4 

Sarrah parker 2 heads 2 oxon 5 Cowes 1 horse 1 of 3 yer 
old 1 of 2 yer old 2 yerlings 7 sheepe 6 swine 12 Acers of 

land and howsing 7.11 

Samuell fflecher 1 head 2 oxon 3 Cowes 1 of 2 yer old 

2 swine 1 horse 13 Acers land howsing 4.8 

Joseph ffarwell 1 head 4 oxon 4 Cowes 1 of 2 yer old 

2 horses 7 swine 16 Acers land howsing 6. 10 

will woodhead 1 head 1 Cow 1 swine 1 mare howsing . 2.6 

Abraham parker 2 heads 2 oxon 7 Cowes 2 of 2 yer old 
1 of 3 yer old 1 horse 28 Acers medoe 8 of paster land 7 

swine 12 sheep 10 . 7 

John Stevens 1 head 2 Cowes 4 swine 6 Acers land 

howsing 3 . 

John Blanchard 2 heads 2 oxon 2 sters 3 yer old 3 Cowes 
1 yerling 1 mare 1 Coltt 2 yer old 9 sheepe 4 swine 12 
Acres land howsinge 7.11 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 617 

Will vnderwood 2 heads 4 oxon 4 Cowes 1 horse 2 of £ s. d. 

2 yer old 1 yerling 6 swine 24 Acers land howsing 8.8 

Samuell foster sen 3 heads 6 oxen 5 Cowes 2 of 3 yer 

old 2 of 2 yer old 1 yerling 3 horses 3 swine 10 sheepe 

30 Acers land his pastur and howsinge 13 8 

Nathaniell Buterfeld 1 head 2 oxon 2 Cowes 2 sters 

3 yer old 2 of 2 yer old 2 yerlings 2 sheep 1 mare 3 hoges 

five Acers of land his housing 4 10 

Jonathan Buterfeld 1 hed 2 oxon 5 Cowes 4 of 2 yer 
old 4 of 3 yer old 1 yerling 2 mares 1 Calf 5 swine 16 

acers land 7 sheepe howsing g ^ 

Edward vSpalding 1 head 2 Cowes 3 of 2 yer old 1 

horse 3 sheep 1 swine 9 Acers land and howsing 4 q 

Jerathmell Bowers 1 head 2 10 

Richard hildreth 8 7 

James hildreth n' ni 

Thomas Adams ' ' ^1 41 

Pelatiah Adams 3' -1^ 

Jacob warren 2 8 

Thomas Chamberlin Sen \] 7 ' y 

John Barke 3 4 

John Barrett g ' q 

Ambros swalow 3 ' 

George Robines 3 ' j 

Thorn Corry o ' 

Thom Chamberlin Jun 4 ' g 

francis Goole 2 fi 

Joseph Barrett 5 ' o 

Thom BaiTett 4 '{} 

Henry Gidly 1 H 

Robertt Procttor j^ ' a 

Joseph Spalding 4 ' r 

Beniamin Spaulding 4 8 

Moses Barron 4 ' k 

Joshuah fflecher ' ' ' 3 * 4 

Beniamin Buterfild 12 6 

John Sheply Jun \[ 4 ' g 

John Sheply Sen l 8 

John Perham / ' 4 ' 2 

John parker . ^ 3 5 

Eliazer Browne 18 

Thom Copper ^' g 

will Good 1 8 

Steven perce 211 

Edward Cobom Sen 9 ' 2 

John Cobom 3 ' g 

Robert Cobom 4 

Edward Cobom Jun 3 n 

Thom Cobom 3 ' k 



618 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



£ s. d. 



Sam Adams 

John Wadell 

John Burge 

Solomon Reids 

Chelmsford is deptor in the year 1674. 

It. to a Rate For the County s vse and tresurs ordr . 6 

It. to a rate For the towne house goole Hues in ... . 12 

It. to a rate for the payment of the Minester 83 

It. to a rate for the Country as by tresurers ordr. . . 16 
It. to a rate for the Townes vse by the selectt mens 

order 20 

It. to a rate for powder sould out of towns stock .... 5 

It. to a rate for glas For the metting house 2 

It. to an other Rate for the County s vse by tresures 

warent 5 

It. to an other Rate For the Minestry and toune the 

28. 7. 1675 19 

It. to a Contry Rate as by tresures warent in '75 . . 15 
[Town Records.] 

COUNTY AND TOWN TAXES. 



6. 


4 


3. 


9 


9. 


2 


5. 


8 


4 


7 


10 


6 


10 


9 


2 


6 


7 


10 


6 


9 


3 


11 


16 


6 


14 


10 


7 


2 



Tax Bills : single rates. Chelmsford. 
1657. £ 9.15.7 1669-70. £ 18. 1.8 

1658-9. 9.19.2 1674. 16. 2.6 

1662-3. 14. 2.5 1675-6. 14.18.0 

1663-4. 13. 5.6 

War Taxes assessed on Chelmsford. 



1692. 
4694-5. 
1696. 
1698. 
1699. 
1702. 
1703-4. 
1705. 
1709. 



£100. 
91. 
72. 
35. 
21. 



7.6 
3.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 



43.19.0 

83.10.0 

167. 0.0 

167. 0.0 



1714. 
1715. 
1721. 
1726. 
1730. 
1737. 
1741. 
1746. 



£118.19.4 
83. 6.0 
48. 3.3 

160. 1.0 
65.16.2 

248.13.3 
41.10.3 

139. 6.6 



Chelmsford's Tax. 



1751. 
1755. 
1769. 
1775. 



Provincial Tax. 

£ 121. 8. 

144. 0. 

126.15. 

General Tax. 



Representative's Pay 
£ 52. 0.0 
53. 0.0 
36. 0.0 
194.14.2i 



* Also to pay individual loans at interest £46. 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 619 

State Tax. Representative's Pay. 

1781. £1,047.10. £ 23.10.9 

1786. 1,003.15. 73. 3.0 

1791. 85.10.11 25. 4.0 

1796. $392.22 $100. 

1810. 313.33 32. 

1820. 273.33 34. 
1830. 90.90 

In a table of the Proportions of the several Towns to a tax of 
£1000. passed by the Genl. Court in 1742, are these: 

Chelmsford, £4.1.8. Boston, £180. Concord, £8.4.11. 
Billerica, £4.4.3. Groton, £6.10.1. 
Chelmsford's proportion to a Province tax of £1000. in 1761, 

was £4.4.6. 
Chelmsford's proportion to a tax of the same amount in 1772, 

was £3. 15.5. 
Chelmsford's proportion to a tax of the same amount in 1782, 

was £3.9.10. 
Chelmsford's proportion to a tax of the same amount in 1793, 

was £2.18.10. 

Chelmsford's proportion on ever}^ $1000. of the entire taxes 
1801, $2.35. 1831, $1.89. 

1811, $1.83. 1840, $1.68.9. 

1821, $2.02. 1844, $117. on a tax of $75,000. 

Carriages — 1753 to 57. 

Coaches. Chariots. Chaises. Chairs. 

Chelmsford 1 2 

Westford 1 

Billerica 6 

Concord 8 

In 1755, there were 3 chairs in Chelmsford, i. e., light one- 
horse carriages. 

POLLS AND REAL ESTATE, 1761. 

A List of the Polls and of the Estates Real and Personal of 
the Several Proprietors And Inhabitants of the town of Chelms- 
ford taken pursuant to an Act of the General Court of the 

Province of the Massachusetts Bay in the First year of 

His Present Majesty's Reign [1761?] 

Polls Rateable 223 

" not Rateable 28 

Dwelling Houses & Still-Houses 149 

Ware houses 2 

Superficial feet of Wharf 

Grist mills, Fulling-Mills and Saw Mills 5^ 

Iron Works and furnaces 

Servants for Life between 14 and 45 years of age 5 



620 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Tuns of Vessels of every kind 

Amount of Each person's whole Trading Stock 321 :19:7 

Factorage &c 

Money at Interest more than any person pays interest 

for 2470:11:0 

Horses and Mares three years old and upwards 160 

Oxen four Years old and upwards 272 

Cows and Heifers of three years old and upwards 556 

Goats one year old and upwards 

Sheep one year old and upwards 1040 

Swine one year old and upwards 85 

Acres of Pasturage and what Number 80 Ij^ 

of Cows it will Keep Yearly 344 

Acres of Tillage Land 1250 

r 5204 

Bushels of Grain and Com of each Sort I ^^^„ 

\ 9236 

Acres of Orchard 189| 

Barrels of Cyder the Produce of Orcharding 3281 

Acres of Mowing Land 1518>^ 

Tuns of English and Upland Hay it yields in one year . 286>^ 

Tuns of fresh Meadow Hay it yields in one year 1125| 

Acres of Salt-Marsh &c 

Sum Total of Rents 1136:19:8 

Rents Received 

[Original in Boston Public Library.] [Condensed.] 

The names on the Tax lists for 1775 are as follows: 

GIVEN TO THE CONSTABLE AT THE SOUTH END. 

Abbott, Nehemiah, Dr.; Adams, Jonas; Adams, John, 3d; 
Adams, Joseph; Adams, Samuel; Adams, Jonathan; Adams, 
Mary; Adams, John, Sergt.; Adams, Oliver, Cler. ; Adams, 
Abel; Adams, Benjamin; Adams, John; Adams, Samuel, Jr.; 
Austin, Jonathan Williams, Mr.; Barrett, Lydia, widow; Barrett, 
Joel; Barrett, Christopher; Barrett, Simeon; Byam, Henry 
Sergt.; Byam, John; Betties, Andrew; Betties, William; Blazdel, 
William; Carver, Jonathan; Chamberlin, Aaron, Dea.; Chamber- 
lin, Jacob; Chamberlin, Benjamin; Chamberlin, Benjamin, Jr.; 
Chamberlin, Phineas; Crosby, Nathan, Jr.; Crosby, Benjamin; 
Cory, Ezra; Emery, Zachariah, Mr.; Emery, Ebenezer; Ester- 
brooks, Josiah; Foster, William, Cler.; Foster, Robert; Foster, 
Edward; Fletcher, Grace, widow; Fletcher, Benjamin; Hutchings, 
Thomas; Haywood, James; Harwood, Jonathan, Lieut.; Hodg- 
man, Josiah; Hodgman, Stephen; Hutcherson, Nathaniel; 
Kidder, Amos; Lock, Daniel; Minot, John; Marshall, Jonas, Dr.; 
Mansfield, John; Proctor, Susanna, widow; Proctor, Samuel 
(David Parker Guardian for); Proctor, Azariah; Proctor, Henry; 
Proctor, Benjamin; Proctor, Peter; Proctor, Elijah; Proctor, 
Daniel; Proctor, Ebenezer (Dea. Ebenezer Goold Executor on will 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 621 

of) ; Parker, David; Parker, Sarah, widow; Parker, Willard; Parker, 
Jonathan; Parker, Isaac; Parkhurst, Josiah; Putnam, Jonathan; 
Robbins, John; Robbins, Jonas, Ensign; Robbins, Jonathan; 
Robbins, John, Jr.; Rae, Jeremiah; Swallow, Jonathan, Scrgt.; 
Spaulding, Jonathan, Lieut.; Spaulding, Henry, Comet; Spauld- 
ing, Thomas, Cler.; Spaulding, Jesse; Spaulding, Job; Spaulding, 
Josiah; Spaulding, John, Jr.; Spaulding, Samuel; Spaulding, 
Zebulon; Spaulding, Zebulon, Jr.; Shedd, Zachariah; Shedd, 
Ebenezer; Snow, Joshua; Symonds, Josiah; Prescott, Benj. of 
Acton, Dr.; Warren, Joseph; Warren, Isaac; Emerson, Parker; 
Wilson, Samuel; Wright, Zacheus of Westford; Keycs, Abel; 
Durant, Joshua; Foster, Isaac; Parker, William, Jr.; Adams, 
Robert; Adams, Peletiah; Teed, John; Barret, Isaac; Peirce, 
Ephraim; Adams, Saml., 3d; Adams, Thomas; Martin, Asa; 
Stratton, Jonathan; Kidder, David (Josiah Hodgman Guardian 
for); Parker, David, Jr.; Emery, Samuel; Wilson, Leonard; 
Heywood, Benjamin; Harwood, John; Proctor, William: 
Richardson, Zechariah (Dea. Aaron Chamberlin guardian for); 
Richardson, Robert (Dea. Aaron Chamberlin guardian for); 
Parker, Nathaniel of Billerica; Andrews, Edward of Concord; 
Keyes, Uriah. 

NAMES GIVEN TO THE CONSTABLE AT THE NORTH END. 

Blodget, William, Lieut.; Bowers, Oliver; Bowers, Mary, 
Widow; Bowers, William; Barron, Oliver, Capt.; Butterfield, 
Anna, Widow; Butterfield, Benjamin; Butterfield, Ephraim; 
Butterfield, Samuel; Butterfield, Keziah, Widow; Blodget, 
Sirneon; Bates, Abigail, Widow; Bates, Robert, Sergt.; Blood, 
Josiah; Bridge, John; Burge, David; Barret, Benjamin; Clark, 
Timothy; Clark, Elizabeth Mrs.; Chambers, David; Dutton, 
Rebecca, Widow; Dutton, James; Dutton, Joseph; Dutton, 
John; Dutton, James Jr.; Mastis, Amos; Davis, Moses; Davis, 
Joshua; Sillaway, Daniel; Dutton, John; Emerson, Joseph; 
Fletcher, Josiah ; Fletcher, Elizabeth, Widow; Bigford, Jonathan; 
Fletcher, Henry (William Peirce guardian for) ; Fletcher, Mary, 
Widow; Fletcher, Robert; Farrar, Nathaniel; Fletcher, Susanna, 
Widow; Sawtell, Obediah, of Shirley, Ens.; Fletcher, William; 
Fletcher, Samuel; Fletcher, Andrew; Fletcher, William, Jr.; 
Frost, Ebenezer; Foster, Isaiah; Foster, Isaiah, Jr.; Ford, John; 
Farrar, Joseph; Farmer, Jonas; Farmer, Simeon; Fanner, 
Solomon; Freeland, John; Fletcher, Zacheus; Graves, Sarah, 
Widow; Goold, Ebenezer, Dea. ; Goold, Reuben; Howard, Jacob; 
Howard, Samuel; Howard, Martha, Widow; Kent, Isaac; Keyes, 
Solomon; Langton, Thomas, Dea.; Lewis, Samuel; Moars, 
Joseph, Lieut.; Moars, Simeon; Marshall, Thomas; Marshall, 
Samuel; Marshall, Joseph; Meeds, John; Mears, John; Nicklcss, 
Robert, of Tewksbury; Peirce, Robert, Quart.; Peirce, Joseph; 
Peirce, Oliver; Peirce, Stephen; Peirce, William; Peirce, Oliver, 



622 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Jr.; Peirce, Silas; Peirce, Jonas; Peirce, Jonathan; Peirce, Levy 
Parker, Moses, Capt.; Perham, Samuel, Sergt.; Parkhurst 
James, Sergt.; Parker, Benjamin; Parkhurst, Benjamin, Dea. 
Parker, Philip; Parker, Oliver; Parker, William; Parkhurst 
Philip; Parkhurst, Ephraim; Peirce, Willard; Parker, Reuben 
Richardson, Zechariah, Capt.; Richardson, Esther, Widow 
Richardson, Sarah, Widow; Richardson, Eleazer; Richardson 
Josiah; Richardson, Robert; Robie, John; Stoddard, Sampson 
Col.; Stoddard, Sampson, Jr., Esq.; Spaulding, John, Lieut. 
Spaulding, Simeon, Comet; Spaulding, Isaiah; Stevens, Samuel 
Ensign; Stevens, Jacob; Stevens, Ephraim, Esq.; Stevens 
David; Stevens, Robert; Stevens, Stephen; Stevens, Peter 
Stevens, Jonathan, 3d; Stevens, John, 3d; Stevens, Silas; Stevens, 
Samuel, Jr.; Stevens, Simeon; Stevens, Daniel; Stevens, Jona- 
than; Spaulding, Abel; Spaulding, Benjamin; Spaulding, Joel 
Spaulding, Willard; Stevens, Deborah, Widow; Tyng, James, of 
Dunstable, Mr.; Twiss, John; Tylor, Joseph; Talor, Thomas, of 
Tewksbury; Warren, Benjamin; Walker, Benjamin; Cambel, 
William; Abbott, William; Abbott, Jeremiah; Spaulding, 
William, of Westford; Richardson, Henry, of Westford; Howard, 
Willard; Herrick, Abner; Esterbrooks, Moses; Glode, John; 
Pollard, Jonathan, of Billerica; Rogers, Zebediah, of Billerica; 
Laws, James, of Billerica; Keyes, John; Cambel, Hannah, Widow; 
Crosby, Simeon; Bowers, Francis; Chambers, John; Parker, 
Rebecca, Widow; Fletcher, deceased, the two daughters of (Dr. 
Nehemiah Abbott guardian for); Lew, Barzilla; Fletcher, Oliver; 
Lufkin, Samuel; Manning, Jonathan; Perry, Joseph; Blanchard, 
Eleazer; Spaulding, Henry Jr.; Marshall, Samuel, Jr.; King, 
Charles; Bridge, William; Bates, John; Hastings, Walter, Dr.; 
McClure, Richard; Estabrooks, Joel; Bridge, Ebenezer of 
Billerica, Mr.; Danforth, David; Spaulding, Micah. 

MONEY. BILLS OF CREDIT. LAND BANK. 

The money brought to Massachusetts by the first settlers 
was insufficient to meet the wants of the community. Resort 
was made to other media of exchange, such as beaver; dried 
codfish; wampum, the shell money of the Indians; bullets; 
different kinds of grain and cattle; boards, etc. 

In 1652, the General Court established a mint for silver coin. 
In order to retain such money at home it was made with about 
one-fourth more alloy than similar pieces in England. 

The emission of the Colony bills of credit was inaugurated 
under the provisional government which held the reins after the 
downfall of Andros. The occasion for this step was the collapse 
of the expedition which set forth in the fall of 1690 under Sir 
William Phips with the expectation of capturing Quebec. Hutchin- 
son says: "The government was utterly unprepared for the 
return of the forces. They seem to have presumed, not only 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 623 

upon success, but upon the enemy's treasure to bear the charge 
of the expedition. The soldiers were upon the point of mutiny 
for want of their wages. [See Davis: Currency and Banking 
in the Prov. of Mass. Bay Part I, p. 9.] 

The currency emitted in 1690, before the arrival of the 
second charter, was generally spoken of as Colony or Old Charter 
Bills, and, according to the order of its emission, was denominated 
old, middle, and new tenor. The bills of public credit of this 
Colony formed a precedent for the founders of the Bank of England 
in 1694. 

In 1686, 1714, and again in 1740, there were projects for the 
establishment of Land Banks to emit notes on real security. In 
1740, a Manufactory Company was formed in Boston "for the 
ease of trade and commerce." Bills of credit to the extent of 
£150,000, called Manufactory Bills, were to be issued. This was 
called the Land Bank Scheme, because land was pledged for the 
redemption of the bills. The Governor resisted this and another, 
called the Hard Money Bank, especially the former. But the 
scheme found favor in the rural districts. Many towns took the 
notes. There were about one thousand subscribers. 

The names below were taken from several pieces of paper 
that were saved out of the fire when the Boston Court House was 
burned in 1747. This, called also the Town House (the Old State 
House), was the successor of the building burned in 1711. This 
was rebuilt in 1714. 

Sums received by the Commissioners of several of the Direc- 
tors and Partners of the late Manufactory Company: 

Names. Towns. Assessment Oz. of silver. 

Gershom Procter, Chelmsford 4 2 

Joseph Barrett, Adm., do 1.10 4^ 

Land Bank Proprietors. 

Jos. Barrett 15. 

Gersh. Procter 10. 

[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 136, p. 83 ff.] 

The career of this bank and others was suppressed in 1741 
by parliamentary intervention, "brutal in its disregard of the 
rights of the colonists," who were interested in them, and provoking 
great hostility, which was not without its effect as the Revolu- 
tionary period came on. 

In the early days a piece of eight, the Spanish peso duro 
(hard dollar), passed at five shillings. In 1642, the General 
Court fixed its value at 4s. 8d. sterling, and later in the same year 
at 5s. In 1704, Queen Anne issued a proclamation by which the 
value of a piece of eight was made 4s. 6d. and the weight, 17 dwt. 
12 gr. This coin bore the numeral 8 and the value 8 reals. The 
commercial sign$ is derived from this figure, the vertical lines 
on the 8 being the Pillars of Hercules stamped on some Spanish 
dollars. In 1750, the Province fixed the value of a Spanish dollar 



624 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

at six shillings, which made the pound in New England currency 
equal to three and one-third Spanish dollars: $3.33| in United 
States money. Six shillings made a dollar; three shillings, half 
a dollar, which nomenclature continued in use until recent times. 
In 1750, the value of Old Tenor in Lawful Money was: 

Old Tenor Lawful Money. 

£. s. d. £ s. d. 

7 1 equals 1 

1 . equals 2 . 8 

100. equals 13.6.8 

1000. equals 133.6.8 

A pistole full weight was worth 22 . 

An English shilling was worth . . . . 1.4 

Feb. 27, 1781. 

The Justices of the Supreme Court were appointed to deter- 
mine the value of the bills of public credit. — 

From April 1, 1780, to April 20, one Spanish dollar was equal 
to 40 of the old emission; to April 25, 42; to April 30, 44;^to 
May 5, 46; and so on to Feb. 27, 1781, 75. 

(Signed) William Gushing 

Nath. Peaslee (Sargeant) 
David Sewal 
James Sullivan 

The amounts of the annual issues of Province bills depended 
on the military outlook. After the peace of Ryswick in 1697 and 
that of Utrecht, the Bostonians feared no attack by the French, 
and could undertake no expeditions against Port Royal or Quebec. 
But there was cause for agressive movements against the Eastern 
Indians, and from 1703 to 1728 there were large issues. 

In 1711, there was a temporary loan of £50,000. 

In 1714, there was a direct loan of £50,000. 

In 1716, there was through Counties a loan of £100,000. 

In 1721, there was through Towns a loan of £50,000. 

In 1728, there was through Towns a loan of £60,000. 

From 1702 to 1750, the emissions of bills including loans 
amounted to £4,634,700, and the withdrawals, £2,814,900. To 
overcome the disturbance this occasioned, bills of credit were 
distributed among the inhabitants on loans secured by real 
estate. 

In 1721, the loan to Chelmsford (£401.10) was to be let out 
in sums of not more than £20, nor less than £5, at 5% interest. 
A sixth part of the income was to recompense the Trustees — 
Benj. Adams, Joshua Fletcher and Edward Spaulding. The 
yearly interest on the loan in Chelmsford, amounted to £16.14.07. 
[See Town Records.] 




THE STODDARD HOUSE, THE REVOLUTIONARY MONUMENT ON THE COMMON, AND THE 
CHELMSFORD CLASSICAL SCHOOL, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 




A'o. 



THE ADAMS HOUSE, NORTH CHELMSFORD, MASS. 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 625 

The trustees of this Town's part of the £60,000 loan of 1728 
were Capt. Jonathan Richardson, Deacon Stephen Peirce and 
Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. Deacon Peirce became "impaired 
in his reason" and another was appointed in his stead. Not less 
than £5, nor more than £10, to be let out to one person. 

This receipt is found in the Town records: 

Boston, Septembr. 19th. 1735. 
Received of the Trustees of Chelmsford by Mr Saml. Chamberlain 
Ninety-four Pounds, Seventeen Shillings, being the first fifth, 
£60.000. Loan, & Eighteen Pounds, Nineteen Shillings & four 
pence Interest sd. Loan, 
first fifth 

94:17. 
Interest 18:19:4 

The paper currency was so oppressive and embarrassing that 
Parliament passed an act to reimburse the colonies in specie, 
but the grant was insufficient to redeem all the paper money, so 
a tax of £75,000 was levied, of which Chelmsford paid £305.15 
besides £29.7.6 to the Town's Representative. This was in 1748. 

POSTAGE. 

In 1792, the rates of postage were: For every single letter 
by land — 

Miles. Cents. Miles. Cents. 

Under 30 6 150 to 200 15 

30 to 60 8 200 to 250 17 

60 to 100 10 250 to 350 20 

100 to 150 12| 350 to 450 22 

For more than 450 miles, 25 cents. If the letter were written 
on two or more pieces of paper, postage was charged on each piece. 

In 1845, the rate was 5 cents for 300 miles per ^ ounce. 

In 1851, the rate was 3 cents for less than 3,000 miles. 

In 1863, the rate was 3 cents for any distance. 

The 2 cent rate came in 1883. 

SURPLUS REVENUE. 

The Surplus Revenue of 1837 was caused by the operation 
of the high tariff, and a new method of managing the public 
deposits. The sale of public lands also contributed to it. 
$28,000,000 or more of this surplus was distributed among the 
States, according to their electoral vote or on the basis of direct 
taxation, using the census of 1830. Massachusetts had 14 votes, 
and received $1,338,173.58. Chelmsford's population was 1387, 
and the Town's portion was $2,022.30; paid May 9, 1837, 
"Received per order Benj. Adams." The first two instalments 



626 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

were to be deposited with the towns in proportion to their popula- 
tion by the last census, the last two according to the population 
by a new census to be taken in May, 1837. Chelmsford's portion 
was received in a single payment, according to the Treasurer's 
books at the State House. The towns were bound to refund the 
deposit when the U. S. Treasury called it in, but meanwhile they 
were to apply the money or the interest on the same to those 
public objects for which it is lawful to raise money, and for no 
other purpose. Massachusetts used the interest somewhat for 
the support of schools, but the principal has been used up mainly 
on Town expenses. 

In the Town records, it is stated that the third instalment 
was $ 1 , 025 . 90 , and that the fourth was never received . The money 
was loaned to the inhabitants in sums not exceeding $500 on 
mortgages on real estate. There seems to be a discrepancy 
between the State record and that of the Town. The two pay- 
ments mentioned, amounting to over $3,000, probably completed 
Chelmsford's full portion. 

ACREAGE OF CHELMSFORD. 

The tract originally asked for was six miles square, which 
would include 23,040 acres. The additional grant was less than 
half the original in extent, say 10,000 acres. Allen states that 
the measurement in 1781 gave 13,838 acres, 2,063 of which was 
in roads, ponds and sunken lands. Westford had been separated 
from Chelmsford, and since then other parts of the Town, including 
Lowell and Middlesex Village, have been cut off. In the report 
of the Valuation Committee of 1850, in the vState Library, the 
acreage is given as 14,301, of which 323 acres was in roads and 
1,563 covered by water. The Assessors' report for 1914 gives the 
number of acres of land assessed as 13,908. This, of course, does 
not include land owned by the Town — the Town Farm, land on 
which are located the Town Halls and schools and cemeteries, 
church property, ponds, waterways and roads, commons and 
public squares. 

Symme's Map of Westford, 1753-5, gives a Plan of Chelms- 
ford in 1725, and states the area of the eastern part (Chelmsford) 
to be 19,519 acres, 116 rods; and that of the western part (West- 
ford) the same; making a total of over 39,000 acres. 

VALUATION OF CHELMSFORD. 







Polls 


Population 


1790 


$ 9,512.75 (Polls) 


299 


1,144 


1800 


11,816.10 


322 


1,290 


1810 


12,659.10 




1,396 


1820 


15,993.98 


402 


1,535 


1830 


355,751.00 Total 


416 


1,387 


1840 


443,684.77 


443 


1,697 


1850 


958,369.00 


543 


2,097 



TOWN MEETING, TAXES, POPULATION 



627 









Polls 


Population 


1860 


$1,371,136.00 Total 


583 


2,291 


1870 


1,695,075.00 


593 


2,374 


1880 


1,461,316.00 


642 


2,553 


1890 


1,772,035.00 


758 


2,695 


1900 


2,448,848.00 


1,275 


3,984 


1910 


4,524,105.00 


1,347 


5,010 


1915 


4,514,610.00 


1,337 


5,182 






POPULATION. 








1707-8, 


March 18. Number of polls. 




Chelmsford, 


137 


Cambridge, 


260 




Billerica, 


140 


Concord, 


223 




Groton, 


67 


Charlestown, 


270 




Dracut, 
Dunstable, 


15 
20 


Middlesex Co., 


/ 2,641 

\ Populatic 


)n, 10,564 



1741. Chelmsford: Males, 415. Females, 438. Total, 853. 

1763-5. There were in Chelmsford 133 houses, 176 families, 
224 males under 16, 227 females under 16, 246 males above 16, 
304 females above 16. Total, 997. Errors, 4+. Negroes: 
male, 7; female, 4. Total, 1,012. 

In 1755, there were eight negro slaves in Chelmsford above 
16 years of age. In Boston there were 989. 

In 1776, there were 1,341 white people in Chelmsford, includ- 
ing 106 persons from Boston and Charlestown. (See page 298.) 

Middlesex County had within its borders 40,121 white people. 

In 1777, there were 319 males of 16 years and upwards. 
Strangers, 5. Quakers, 0. 

In 1778, the niimber of polls in valuation was 255. 

In 1781, the number was 240. 

In 1784, the nirtnber of male polls in Chelm.sford, rateable and 
not rateable, was 279. Supported by the Town, 2. 

In 1790, the population of Chelmsford was 1,144. Males 
over 16, 327; under 16, 233. Females, 572. All other free 
persons, 12. Allen says the cause of the decrease in the population 
from 1776 to 1790 is to be found in the separation of seventeen 
families from Chelmsford to form the District of Carlisle, 1780. 

The decrease in 1830 is accounted for by the fact that Lowell 
was set off in 1826. 

[See U. S. Census, Am. Statist. Ass'n. Coll., and Allen, p. 184.] 

Town Expenses. 
For the year ending Dec. 31, 1914, (ten months) accord- 
ing to the Assessors' report, the total expenses of 

the Town were $87,431 . 13 

Less estimated receipts 14,590 . 00 

$72,841 . 13 

This includes the State tax 8,925.00 

State Highway tax 526 . 59 

County tax 4,894 .48 



628 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Rate of taxation, $15.70 per $1,000.00. 

Number of polls assessed 1,384 

Assessed on polls only 682 

Residents assessed on property: 

Individuals 1,105 

All others 20 

1,125 

Non-residents assessed on property: 

Individuals 356 

All others 21 

377 



Total niimber assessed 2,184 

For the vear ending Dec. 31, 1915, total expenses 

$82,362.16 less receipts, $12,752.21 (Rate $17.80). $69,609.95 
For the year ending Feb. 28, 1914, total expenses 

$82,234.80 less receipts, $9,000 (Rate $16) $73,234.80 

For the year ending Feb. 28, 1913, total expenses 

$78,374.72 less receipts, $14,500 (Rate $14.20) .... 63,874 . 72 
For the year ending Feb. 28, 1912, total expenses 

$91,644.25 less receipts, $7,160 (Rate $19.40) 84,484.25 

1914. 

Number of horses assessed 486 

Number of cows assessed 925 

Nimiber of sheep assessed 57 

Nimiber of neat cattle other than cows 225 

Number of swine 151 

Number of fowls 14,534 

Number of dwellings 1,133 

Number of acres of land 13,908 

The writer made copies of the following documents, which are 
too extended to be included in this book, but they may be con- 
sulted at the Adams Library. 

The United States Direct Tax of 1798. 
"A General List of all Dwelling-Houses, which with the Out- 
Houses appurtenant thereto, and the Lots, on which the same are 
erected, not exceeding two acres in any case, were owned, possessed 
or occupied on the 1st day of October, 1798," &c., with the names 
of owners and occupants, and valuation. 

List of Chelmsford Names, &c. 
Original in the Library of the N. E. Hist. Gen. Soc, Boston. 

The First Census of the United States, 1790. 
Chelmsford Town. 
Names of heads of families and number of males and females. 
Printed by the United States in "A Century of Population 
Growth," 1909. 



CHAPTER XIII. 
TOPOGRAPHY. 

HILLS. MEADOWS, BROOKS. AND PONDS. 
robin's hill. 

WHAT follows is from a note on the Pennacook Indians, by 
John Farmer printed in the N. H. H. Soc. Coll., Vol. I, p. 225. 
John Farmer, the distinguished New England antiquary, was 
bom in Cheknsford, June 12, 1789, the eldest son of John Farmer 
of this Town, who was descended from Edward who came from 
Warwickshire, England, to Billerica, in 1670. 

"The Pennacook Indians were a more warlike tribe than the 
Wamesit Indians who lived around Pawtucket Falls in Cheknsford. 
They were opposed to the introduction of Christianity among 
them, and 'obstinately refused to pray to God.' " 

"The Indians of the most peaceful character among the 
Pennacooks were the Robin family, a part of which lived in 
Cheknsford, and owned a hill in that town, which, for almost 
two hundred [now nearly three hundred] years has been known 
as Robin's Hill." The hill was so called when the first settlers 
came here in 1652. At the beginning of the settlement, through 
John Eliot's agency with the Indians and at Court, an exchange 
of land under improvement on Robin's Hill for an equal quantity 
under similar improvement at a place to be designated by the 
Indians within their grant, was agreed upon and ordered by the 

Court. . , ,1 

The height of Robin's Hill is 450 feet above sea level. 
Latitude: 42° 35' 06.252"; Longitude: 71° 21' 56.086". 

Cheknsford Meeting House: Latitude: 42° 35 50.493 ; 
longitude: 71° 21' 12.322". .... 

St. Anne's Church, East Chelmsford (Lowell): Latitude: 
42° 38' 47"; longitude: 71° 19' 2". 

Cheknsford, Middlesex Church: Latitude: 42 38 11.58 ; 

longitude: 71° 21' 19.87". . ^ u- - -lt-h 

A single pine tree formerly stood on the top of Robm s Hill, 

and formed a landmark which, it is said, was the first object 

sighted by vessels entering Boston Harbor. 

The steel-framed watch tower now, in a way, takes its place 

as a landmark. The top of the tower is 30 feet from the ground; 

the cabin which surmounts it is 8 feet square. A 60-foot tower 

has been planned to take the place of this one. The Custom 



630 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

House tower in Boston may be seen from the watch tower. 
Wachusett, Monadnock and the foot-hills of the White mountains 
stand out against the sky on the horizon. Forty-nine towns may 
be seen, and a territory of 400,000 acres is within the scope of the 
glass. Brush fires or forest fires may be located by triangulation 
within a few feet. 

At the triangulation station on the simimit of Robin's Hill 
close to the tower, there is an iron bolt in the rock. The station 
has three witness marks, that is, drill holes enclosed in squares 
cut in the rock, with arrows pointing toward the centre. 

The name of this hill has been spelled Robin, Robins and 
Robin's. In the chapter entitled "The Beginning," it is printed 
as Mr. Perham wrote it. In the remaining portion of the History, 
"Robin's" has been employed, as having been used by Farmer, 
and is, the writer thinks, the correct form of the word. 

The following lines were written for the Chelmsford Eagle. 

' robin's hill. 

Dear, oft remembered "Robin's Hill!" 

How many memories cluster still 

Around thy bold, yet graceful form, 

Unshaken by the ages' storm. 

Often in Childhood has my gaze 

Lingered with joy, when sunset rays 

Diffused their splendor 'round thy head, 

Like veil of glory o'er thee spread. 

Upon thy summit, how serene 

And beautiful, the wide-spread scene! 

The distant hills, in calm repose. 

In kingly garb of purple rose. 

And lake, and stream, and woodland, made 

A picture that will never fade. 

The ancient highway on the north, 

Trod by our grandsires in their youth, 

Had many charms in youthful eyes, 

Which still in later years we prize. 

On one hand lay the lime-pits old. 

Dug deep as men have dug for gold; 

And I would wander there alone. 

Charmed with the strangeness all their own, 

And let my fancy roam at will. 

Thro' deep ravine, o'er rocky hill; 

To my imagination then, 

Smile not in scorn, ye wiser men; 

In truth they really seemed as grand 

As Alpine wilds of Switzerland. 

Still further, where the ledge laid bare 

Its mossy breast to sun and air. 

And a few pine trees murmured low, 

And spread their sheltering arms, as though 

To guard a spot most sacred made, 

For there my saintly father prayed ;* 

His presence, and his purity. 

Have made it a Gethsemane. 

Rev. John Parkhurst. 



TOPOGRAPHY 631 

And winding on around the hill, 

Beside the road a rock lies still, 

On which a curious track is seen, 

As though a foot had melted in, 

Which old time superstition said, 

Was by the Evil Spirit made; 

When in his wanderings to and fro, 

In respite from his home below, 

He passed this way, and on the stone 

His foot-print left, and only one; 

So that the inference may be drawn. 

He made no stay, but hastened on. 

Upon the hill's broad rocky crown. 

The lone pine stands, which marks to town. 

By those approaching it is seen 

Afar, and welcome has it been 

Full oft, to many a weary eye. 

Returning homeward joyfully. 

Long may it on its firm throne stand, 

And never avaricious hand 

Be raised this king of pines to slay, 

Till time shall crumble it away. 

Change with its ever busy hand, 
Has ridden boldly thro' the land; 
Old houses vanish, new ones rise, 
And steam, like magic, time defies; 
Faces familiar once and dear. 
Have passed, and left their places drear. 
A few brief years, and those who ran 
And played, as only children can. 
Around the hill, are scattered wide. 
And some have gained the other side; 
But the old hill unchanged remains. 
Thro' winter's storms and summer's rains, 
An emblem faint of love and power. 
Which guards our lives from earliest hour, 
Till we up Zion's mount shall climb. 
Past earthly hills, past earthly time. 

— Martha L. Emerson. 



TADMUCK. 

"The Town of Westford was originally a part of Chelmsford 
and its early history is involved in the history of that town. From 
the land allotments recorded in Chelmsford and from old deeds, 
it appears that the meadow and plain in the southwest part of 
Westford were called Great Tadmuck; the swamp on the east 
side was called Tadmuck; and these were sometimes designated 
as Farther Tadmuck and Hither Tadmuck ; and the region about 
the east burying-ground was known as Little Tadmuck. The hill 
on which the central village stands bore the name of Tadmuck. 
No proof has been found that this name was given to any territory 
north of Stony Brook, and no Indian name of this stream has been 
discovered. The early deeds also mention Nubanussuck Pond 
and Kissacook Hill, north and west of the brook, and these are 
each Indian appellations. 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"Some of the favorite haunts of the Indians are still known, 
where they built their wigwams and planted their com. These 
were generally near a stream or spring, but sometimes on a warm 
hillside. One of their resorts was on the east side of Boutwell's 
Meadow, about one mile from the Centre, and near the house of 
Oren Coolidge. Stone tools and flints have recently been found 
there, and are now in possession of Mr. Coolidge. 

"Another resort was an island in Providence Meadow, on 
which their implements have been found. Still another on the 
slope near the lone tree west of George Drew's house, and there 
probably they raised patches of Indian com, after the manner of 
Indian husbandry. Yet another was on the hill east of Eli Tower's, 
where a flat rock is shown upon which the squaws kindled their 
fires and baked Indian cake in the best style of Indian cookery. 

"But Forge Pond was the rallying point of the tribes. It is 
to be regretted that the Indian name of this pond has not been 
preserved. On its banks they were accustomed to gather for 
feasting and dancing, and for purposes of Indian hospitality and 
friendship. On the eastern margin two places are shown where 
the encampments of lodges were fixed, which are indicated 
by slight excavations and the finding of arrow-heads. Old 
Andrew, the Indian, who sold his warre (weir) at the outlet to 
the Town of Groton before 1680, was doubtless a fisherman (an 
expert in the business), but driven away by the encroaching 
white man. No trace of their abiding at or near Nubanussuck 
is known to the compiler ; but it is fair to presume that they often 
went there as well as to other ponds on the north part of the town. 
By those clear and quiet waters no doubt the Indian maidens 
had their toilet, and by the setting sun their graceful forms were 
mirrored in the limpid stream. These freeborn children of 
solitude have passed away, but still the waters shimmer in the 
sunlight and remind us of the sad fate of a vanished race." 
[Hodgman's "History of the Town of Westford," pp. 2, 3.] 

OTHER LOCALITIES. 

Heart pond was so named on account of its shape, the outline 
somewhat resembling that of the conventional heart. It has 
sometimes been called Baptist pond because most of those living 
near it were of that religious denomination. 

The western bank of the Concord or Musketaquid river, 
where the English made their earliest settlements on the old 
Indian pasture, known later as the Wamesit Purchase, bounded 
"a plot of ground much resembling a heater," says Allen, "which 
gave rise to the name of Concord River Neck." "The Great 
Neck, or Neck Land, so called, includes the whole Indian planta- 
tion, lying northeast of original Chelmsford and between Concord 
river and Merrimack river. Concord River Neck lies between 
River Meadow brook and Concord river, extending southwest 
to the line between Chelmsford and the Indian plantation." 



TOPOGRAPHY 633 

Golden Cove (found in the Town records as early as 1688) 
is an ancient name for the locality where the brook of that name 
is crossed by the road to Lowell, but its origin is obscure. The 
sand which covered the bottom of the old fordway; the yellow 
lilies once numerous there; a story that the Indians had fotmd 
gold there; these are some of the vague attempts to account for 
the name. 

In 1660, a highway was laid out to "Verjeniah." 
In 1716, "Voted that a hy way between Chelmsford and 
Concord shall be laid out by verginea meddows." (See Map No. 

Merrimack plain was the name of the northwestern part of 
Newfield, and included all the land northwest of Deep brook. 

Carolina plain, or South Carolina plain, as it once appears 
in the records, lies near Golden Cove. (See Map No. 11.) So 
called as early as 1720. 

Frances hill should be thus spelled. In 1664, Solomon Keyes 
of Newbury took up his residence on a piece of land on the north 
side of this hill, and named the hill for his wife, who was Frances 
Grant, and whom he married the preceding year. He was the 
first premanent settler in what is now Westford. 

Hills: Robin's, Frances, Chestnut, Drum, Flatt, Walnut, 
Tadmuck, Millstone, Ridge, Bare or Bear, Pine, Huckleberry, 
Rocky, Fort, Providence, Nashoba, Kissacook, Railtree, 
Rattlesnake, Sawpit, Black Brook, Meeting House, Wamesit 
Meeting House, Steven's, Proctor. 

Ponds: Heart, Long Sought For, Round, Long, Nabnasset, 
Annanniesumsick (Newfield), Nonsuch, Providence, Keyes' (north 
part of Westford), Flushing, Birge's. 

A region called Texas is in the southern part of what is now 
Westford. 

Farther Tadmuck and Hither Tadmuck are swamps on the 
east side of Westford. 

Little Tadmuck is in Westford, toward Chamberlain's comer, 
region around the east burying ground. Great Tadmuck meadow 
and plain in southwest part of Westford. 

The Centre Village of Westford is on Tadmuck hill. 

Swamps: Great and Little Tadmuck, Great (by the Canal), 
Wigwam, Bear, Poplar, Long, Muddy, Spruce. 

Plains: Merrimack, Carolina, Pine, Golden Cove, Bocken- 
egont. Pond. 

Brooks: Great or Mill, River Meadow, Hale's, Beaver, 
Farley's, Black, (flows through Peat meadow). Long, Stony, 
Keyes, Deep (runs into the Merrimack at Newfield), East 
Meadow, Gilson's, Crooked Springs, House (southeastern part of 
Town), Golden Cove, George's, George Robbins', Vine, Speen's 
(in East Chelmsford), Sawmill Meadow. 



634 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Flaggy meadow is in the western part of Chelmsford, a half 
mile west of the Elbridge Button homestead, a mile from the 
Westford line. 

Peat meadow, in the eastern part of the Town, is a part of the 
tract known as "Redshire," about a mile west of Stedman street. 
Black brook flows through this meadow, and through Middlesex 
Village. 

River meadow gives its name to the brook flowing through it. 

Long meadow is named in Adams's grant, 1660. 

Flushing meadows are near Flushing pond. 

Ministry meadow; Round meadow; Smooth meadow; East 
meadow; Mole Hill meadow; Golden Cove meadow; Forty 
Acre meadow; Pond meadow; Crane meadow; Cross meadow; 
Home meadow; Blanchard's meadow; Tobacco meadow; Sakateare 
meadow; Wamesit meadow; Long Pond meadow; Pawtucket 
meadow; Spring meadow; are mentioned in the records. 

Snake meadow is between the West and North Villages, near 
Crooked Springs brook. 

Grasshopper valley is east of the bridge in North Chelmsford. 

Drowned Cow hole is in Tadmuck swamp. 

Six acres called Providence meadow lie on the east side of 
Tadmuck hill. 

QUOTATIONS FROM ALLEN — 1820. 

"Chelmsford is situated twenty miles north-west of Boston, 
on the post-road to Amherst and Windsor. It is bounded on 
the north by Merrimack river, on the east by Concord river, 
south-east by Billerica, south by Carlisle; west by Westford, and 
north west by Tyngsborough. By a measurement in 1781, it 
was found to contain 13,838* acres; 2,063 of which are in roads, 
ponds and sunken lands. It is remarkably diversified by meadows 
and swamps, uplands and forest trees of various kinds, and inter- 
sected by brooks and rivulets. Few townships in the Common- 
wealth have a greater variety of soil, or possess greater facilities 
to a profitable market for their various productions. Upon the 
Merrimack and Concord, much of the land is alluvial and fertile. 
Thence proceeding south west, lies a pine plain, called Carolina 
plain, upwards of a mile wide, intersecting the north east and 
south west part of the town. The soil is shallow and sandy; and 
of little use except for raising rye. It produces a crop of about 

ten bushels per acre triennially The flour is of a quality 

superior to that raised on a richer and more fertile soil. The 
natural growth of this plain is white and yellow pine. It lies in 
the vicinity of Middlesex canal ; and makes advantageous additions 

to the farms bordering upon it The wood is an article of 

great domestic use, and finds a ready market at the Glass Manu- 
factory The wood lands in the neighbourhood of this great 

plain produce an alternate growth of oak and pine. 

* 6 miles square contains nearly 23,000. 



TOPOGRAPHY 635 

The west part of the town is generally rocky and hard to be 
subdued; but when much labor and expense have been bestowed 
upon it, it is found to yield a large croj) and to retain its strength 
and vigor for many years. 

So illy suited to grazing is the town, that few families even 
among the most wealthy make a sufficiency of butter and cheese 
for their own consumption. Its principal productions for market 
are English grain and cider. Since the opening of Middlesex 
Canal, much of the woodland has been cleared up, and its growth 
sent to the capital. The principal resources of the town are its 
fisheries, granite, lime-stone, clay, peat, wood, mills, manufactures, 
canals, and great roads. 

HEART POND. 



The only [?] pond in town, is Heart Pond, which is a very 
pleasant basin of water of a few miles in circiimference, much 
frequented, formerly by those who were fond of angling. It 
lies in the south west comer of the town, and in form resembles 
a heart. 

BROOKS. 



Stony Brook originates in Harvard, passes through the 
northerly parts of Littleton and Westford, and the north west 
comer of Chelmsford, where it enters into the Merrimack. It 
affords a number of excellent seats for mills, which are improved 
by forges, trip-hammers, saw mills, grist mills, and clothing mills. 

Mill brook, rises out of Heart Pond, and takes a south easterly 
direction to the north part of Carlisle where it shifts its course 
towards the north, and falling into the great meadows, in the 
easterly part of Chelmsford, is called River-meadow-brook, from 
the junction of Beaver brook; where it takes a north easterly 
course, until it enters Concord river above Wamesit falls. It 
has upon it four grist mills, two saw mills, and a clothier's mill. 

Beaver brook rises in Tadmuck and other swamps west 
of the meeting-house, and running a few rods south of it falls 
into River-meadow-brook half a mile east of the said meeting 
house. On this stream , though less than three miles in length, 
are a saw mill, a grist mill, a carding machine, lathe and apparatus 
for sawing felloes for wheels, moved by water. 

Black brook issues from a large swamp south of Stony 
brook, runs about a mile and a half in an eastern direction, and 
then north east into Merrimack river, half a mile above Pawtucke t 
falls. 

Deep brook begins in the north east comer of Westford, and 
passing through the north west comer of Chelmsford, enters the 
JMerrirnack, between Newfield Eddy and Stony brook. 



636 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The town possesses natural advantages, which may be the 
means of increasing the wealth and population, so as to make it 
the seat of much business. The two rivers that form its northern 
and eastern boundaries are connected by Middlesex canal with 
Boston harbor. 

This opens a communication from these rivers, which facili- 
tates the transportation of lumber and produce, and increases 
their value. The fisheries upon these rivers are lucrative to 
individuals, and were the laws regulating the taking of fish better 
observed, would be a source of considerable wealth to those who 
devote their attention to this business. 

When the town was first settled and for fifty years afterwards, 
Merrimack river abounded with salmon, shad, alewives and 
sturgeon,* together with various kinds of smaller fish. With 
these the mouth of Concord river was also stored. Some of the 
smaller streams, particularly Stony brook, abounded with shad 
and alewives. For some years the inhabitants used them to 
manure their fields. Artificial obstructions across these rivers 
and brooks, and other causes have greatly diminished the fish; 
so that they are rather desirable as a ltixiu"y, than as an article 
of cheap living. 

The quantity of sahnon, shad and alewives, caught in Chelms- 
ford annually may be computed at about 25 hundred barrels, 
besides a large quantity of other fish of less value. 



MILLS. 

The advantages of the brooks and rivers above mentioned 
will best appear from the number of Mills, Machines and Manu- 
factories, built upon them. There are six saw-mills; seven 
grist mills; one woolen manufactory; and iron works, where 
hoes and shovels are manufactur'd, and various kinds of curious 
work done, and irons for machinery castf, a fulling Mill and 
clothier's shop. Also a very curious loom for weaving boot- 
straps, moved entirely by water. This loom, constructed by Mr. 
John Golding is a great curiosity in these parts, and will, it is 
believed, bring a handsome income to the ingenious and indefatig- 
able owner. 

LIME. 

In the south west part of the town, is a bed of lime stone, of 
an excellent quality, extending two miles north-east. It has five 
lime kilns upon it, and from which are annually drawn, about a 
thousand hogshead, which may be estimated at $5 per hogshead. 

* Merrimack, signifies in the Indian language a Sturgeon. In some of the earliest histories of 

this country it is called Merrimack or Sturgeon River, 
t Messrs. Ames & Fisher. 



TOPOGRAPHY 637 

PEAT. 

Peat has been lately found in sundry places Few experi- 
ments have yet been made to ascertain its quantity or quality. 
From the few that have been made, it appears highly probable, 
that many meadows now esteemed of little value, contain vast 
treasures of fuel, from which future generations will draw their 
supplies, as the present do from their wood lands. 



GRANITE. 



In the north west part of the town, are granite [boulders] 
of superior beauty and excellence. They are not found in quarries, 
but on the surface of the earth, or partly sunk into it. They are 
of various sizes and dimensions, from one to a hundred tons' 
weight. They are first split with iron wedges, and then wrought 
into any form by hammers and other iron tools, at the pleasure 
of the workman. They are in so great a demand for the con- 
struction of dwelling houses, churches and public edifices, that 
eight workmen, the last season (1817) were not able to answer 
the urgent calls, which were made for them. A quantity of the 
value of twelve thousand dollars and upwards, was transported 
the last year, in a rough state through Middlesex Canal, to the 
State Prison in Charlestown, where they were hammered and 

prepared for the builders' use by the convicts So extensive 

has become the knowledge, and so celebrated the beauty of them, 
that an elegant church was built of them at Savannah, Georgia, 

in 1818 They are found in divers parts of the town; but 

the best and whitest are in Merrimack plain, or Newfield, and the 
adjacent part of Tyngsborough. They have acquired the common 
and discriminating name of 'Chelmsford granite.' 

The amount of stones wrought in Chelmsford, and transported 
to Boston and other places, in 1818, is estimated at upwards of 
25,000 dollars. 



CLAY. 



Beds of clay have been opened in sundry places and con- 
siderable attention has been paid to the making of brick; par- 
ticularly in the east part of the town. The clay is not of the 
purest and best kind; but is manufactured to good advantage. 
The local situation and quality of the clay, hold out advantages 
sufficient to induce enterprising men to carry on the brick-making 
business upon a more extensive plan, than has yet been attempted. 
[Allen, pages 38-43.] 



638 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

INDIAN NAMES. 

Aberjona: Hale's, or River Meadow brook, the region below 
the great causeway — i. e., Plain street, Lowell.* 

Assanunnickcom — ^misick, Annannieumsick : Newfield pond. 

Kissacook hill, in Westford. 

Massachusetts: at or about the great hills, i. e., the Blue 
Hills of Milton. 

Massic falls and island. Concord river. 

Musketaquid : the Concord, the grass grown or meadow river. 

Merrimack: sturgeon, rapid river, place of swift waters, 
river of broken waters. 

Naticot, Nacooke, Nahamcok, Naamkeak, Namcock, Name- 
keake, Nahamkeage, Neahambeak: eel-land, or a fishing place. 
Middlesex Village. 

Nabnasset, Nubannussuck : pond in Westford. 

Pawtucket: at the falls, or, place of the loud noise. 

Suneanassit: region at mouth of Stony brook. 

Tadmuck: hill and swamp in Westford. 

Wamesit, Weymessick : the place for all, or of a large assembly. 

Weikeset, Wicasee, Wicasuck, Wickasauke, Wicosucke: now 
called Tyng's Island, in the Merrimack. 

ORTHOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS. 

Twenty-three different spellings of the name of the Town 
have been noticed in the records and docimients consulted. 

Chelmsford Chenceford 

Chellmsford Chensford 

Chellmsfoord Chalmsford 

Chemlsford Chelford 

Cheemsford Chilford 

Chemsford Celmsford 

Chilmsford Clemsford 

Chimsforde Chemsfort 

Chimsfarde Chettinford 

Chansford Chalmsforth 

Chansforth Chelmsforth 
Chalmsferd 

These variations are found in records relating to the English 
town: 

Chelmsford Chelmesforde 

Chelmsforde Chelmysford 

Chelmersford Chelmysforde 

Chilmersford Chelmysfode 

Chelmesford Chainsford 

♦Probably a reminiacenoe of the Aberjona river in Woburn, whence came some of the early 
settlers. 



TOPOGRAPHY 639 

Lippincott's Gazetteer gives the pronunciation of the name 
"Chemzford" — the e short, and without sounding the 1. This is 
the common pronunciation. 

The name Merrimack, according to the Encyclopaedia 
Britannica, is spelled with the k at places along the river above 
Haverhill ; but the k has now been ofi&cially recognized as belong- 
ing to the name. 

PART TWO. 



METEOROLOGICAL AND SEISMICAL OBSERVATIONS. 

The earliest recorded earthquake in this region was on June 1, 
1638, between the hours of 3 and 4 p. m. The weather was clear 
and warm, and the wind westerly. All New England was violently 
shaken. The shock lasted about four minutes. In some places 
people could scarcely stand upright. 

On January 26, 1663, another heavy shock was felt in New 
England. It was especially severe in Canada. 

Feb. 27, 1695, the General Court could not sit in Boston on 
account of the severe cold, and a violent storm of wind and 
snowdrifts. 

In 1727, on October 29, there was a severe earthquake in this 
part of the country, lasting about two minutes. Walls and 
chimneys fell and all the towns on the Merrimack suffered severely. 

1816 was the cold year. The grain raised was not sufficient 
in quantity to suffice for planting the following season. There 
was a considerable emigration from New England to the West. 

FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV. EBENEZER BRIDGE. 

1750/1. Jan. 22. This morning a very high wind which 
blew down several buildings, & much rain. 

1755. Oct. 30. Lecture day. I preached. Snow storm. 
The thinest meeting I have seen in Chelmsford. 

[1755. Nov. 18, occurred an earthquake which shook the 
grasshopper weather-vane off Faneuil Hall in Boston. And on 
the same day the city of Lisbon in Portugal was destroyed by an 
earthquake. 

Rev. William Emerson says: "On the morning of 18 Novem- 
ber, 1755 the inhabitants of Boston, and of all the northern and 
middle states of North America, were surprised with the most 
violent shock of an earthquake that ever was experienced in this 
part of the world. Many houses were shattered, hundreds of 
chimneys were blown down, wells broken, and huge chasms made 
in various parts of the earth. It lasted about three minutes." 
It was taken to be a token of the divine anger.] 



640 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Parson Bridge gives this account of his experience: 

1755. Nov. 18. About 4 o clock this morning we were 
suddenly awaked out of sleep by a most terrible & shocking Earth- 
quake. I was awaked whether by ye noise or ye shaking I know 
not, but immediately I thot what it was. Called to my wife 
& she & I leaped immediately out of bed — & were casting about 
in our minds wt Course to take for safety. She ran to ye Chamber 
where 4 of our children & our Servt. lay. I run after her & then 
took back to dress me. She then ran to ye chamber where my 
Sons Ebr. & Jno. lay — My dear lambs were all in a dreadful 
surprize — I believe this shock was as great as yt in ye year 1727 
wch I well remember. We all got up & dressed ourselves & I 
could not enough praise & bless the Lord who had preserved us 
and ours. I observed presently a little repetition of ye Shock 
& about an hoiu: & a half another Considerable one. I discoursed 
with my family upon this loud call in ye providence of ye Lord 
& gave em ye best counsel I could. My son Ebenr. & Daughter 
Sarah were effected. While my wife & I were in our greatest 
Confusion & She running to ye Kitchen Chamber. I perceived ye 
shock to abate, but then it Came again with a greater force, & 
I called to her to stand still & see ye Salvation of the Lord. About 
this time a hand bell in our garret was set a ringing by the shake. 
Two bricks fell from the top of our chimneys, but the Lord pre- 
served us and ours from all damage. Blessed and forever blessed 
be his great and holy name. I soon went out and walked about. 
Ye night had been remarkably serene. & clear, but a considerable 
Cloud had lain in ye East, as it had done for a night or two before. 
Oh, it is a night much to be observed by me & by all people in 
ye land. I pray I may never forget it. 

May the Lord quicken me & my wife and all my people, & 
all his people, and may he lead us all to repentance. 

20. Last night about 10 o'clock there was considerable 
nmibling of an earthquake but little or no shaking. 

22. This evening between 8 & 9 o'clock we were alarmed 
again with ye shock of an earthquake. It rained. We kept up 
till toward 2 o'clock. Oh that I and mine could trust in ye Lord 
calmly. Lord, spare thy people. 

1756. Jan. 8. A Day of Public Humiliation & Prayer on 
account of ye Earthquakes, &c. 

1757. Aug. 14. Foul weather p. m, so that one could not 
observe the eclipse of the sun, only ye darkness. 

1759. Feb. 1. Earthquake between 2 & 3 in the morning. 

1761. March 12. A very considerable shock of an earth- 
quake, greater than I have known, except that of 1727 & '55. 

During the siimmer there was a long draught — no thunder 
storms. 

Oct. 24. Great wind did damage to fences and trees. 

Nov. 1. Earthquake this evening between 8 & 9 o'clock. 

1772. March 15. Ebenezer Bridge was sick and could not 
send for a doctor on account of the deep snow. 



\ 



TOPOGRAPHY 641 

JOHN bettey's observations. 

Nov. 26. 1779 the Ground was covrd. with snow and in Deer. 
the first portion of the month their came snow a foot deep. Then 
on Jan. 3rd. their came 3 foot more and so on from time to time till 
got to be 25 foot deep in many places. 

And on May 19, 1780. it was so dark for many hours that 
know work could be performed in house without a candle and 
went to dinner with a candle. This is my observation. J. Bettey. 

THE DARK DAY. 

May 19, 1780 was the famous Dark Day which filled the 
superstitious with terror. Nov. 2, 1819 was another Dark Day. 
Sept. 6, 1881, some can remember as the Yellow Day. Whittier, 
in "Abraham Davenport," describes the day in 1780: 
'"Twas on a May-day of the far old year 
Seventeen hundred eighty, that there fell 
Over the bloom and sweet life of the Spring, 
Over the fresh earth and the heaven of noon 
A horror of great darkness. ***** 
Birds ceased to sing, and all the barnyard fowls 
Roosted; the cattle at the pasture bars 
Lowed, and looked homeward. ***** 
Men prayed and women wept; all ears grew sharp 
To hear the doom-blast of the tnmipet shatter 
The black sky." 
A lady in Boston, it is related, sent her young son to Dr. 
Mather Byles to know if he could explain this terrifying 
phenomenon. "My dear," said the reverend gentleman, "tell 
your mother I am as much in the dark as she is." 

FROM bridge's DIARY. 

1780. May 19. A very great darkness came on fm abt. ^ 
after nine, a. m. & lasted till between 2 or 3 p. m. It was so 
dark by 11 o'clock yt I could not read with my spectacles wthout 
a candle. We ate our dinner by candle light, such lights were to 
be seen in ye neighboring houses. I suppose it was occasioned 
by ye density of ye Clouds, wch spread over every part of ye 
heavens above us, & even to ye whole visible horizen, & no wind. 
Many people were terrified, & full of fearful apprehensions. 

20. Last night there was a great & uncommon darkness 
for ye night as yt was in ye day time for ye day. 

1782. April 12. Had a fine view of an Eclipse of ye Sun 
in ye middle of ye day. How manifold are yy. works O Lord. 
In wisdom hast thou made em all. All yy. works praise thee, 
O, Lord. I could not help calling to mind these passages & such 
like, of holy writ, and felt my soul somewt. affected wth. the thots 
of ye Infinite powr, wisdom & goodness of the Lord. 

June 18. About 5 o'clock, p. m. there was a prodigious Gust 
of wind wth. thunder & rain, wch passed by us & seemed for a 



642 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

short space as if it would bear down all before it. Some limbs 
were blown off fm. a tree by my house. A great deal of this sort 
was done in ye trees by David Danforth's, & Josiah Fletcher's 
bam was blown down entirely. It seems as if it was similar to 
a hurricane, for it extended but a little way in width. There 
were other such winds in other places the same afternoon, and 
much damage. 

1785. Feb. 25. A very great snow storm, and ye way 
vastly blocked up. 

1786. January 1. Extremely cold. Ebenezer Bridge almost 
fainted in the pulpit. 

December 11. Roads so blocked up with snow, they could 
not bury the dead. 

1790 July 17 A great storm, rain and hail, thunder and 
lightning. Wind, which did a great deal of damage. Parson 
Bridge's windows and those of others greatly broken by large 
hail stones. Rye, corn, trees, &c., greatly damaged. 

THE SEPTEMBER GALE. 

1815. The "great blow" or September Gale, which inspired 
a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes, occurred on September 18, 
1815. Allen says: "The remarkable and destructive gale, experi- 
enced through New England, Sept. 18, upset and moved out of 
their place, most of the small buildings, and several bams in the 
Town. The barns of Mr. Samuel Marshall, sen.. Col. Bowers 
and Mrs. Haywood, together with a barn of Mr. Joel Mansfield, 
were blown down. Col. Joseph Bowers, his nephew of 16 and 
son of 8 years old, were wonderfully preserved. They were at 
work in the bam, and happened to be in the linter at the moment 
when it fell. They were buried under its ruins. Col. Bowers 
and his son were uninjured. His nephew, Milo F. Byam, had his 
head so badly pressed between two timbers as to start his eyeballs 
from their sockets; he was timely relieved, and in a few weeks 
recovered his health. A considerable proportion of the fruit and 
forest trees were broken down, eradicated, or prostrated to the 
ground. The wood blown down and destroyed in Chelmsford is 
estimated at 50,000 cords. A very large elm of 60 years' growth, 
before the house of Maj. Nathl. Howard, was blown down, which 
contained on measurement 8^ cords of wood. It was 4| feet in 
diameter at the ground and 14 feet in circumference." 

The roof was blown off the "three story" or Bowers house in 
Middlesex Village. The pine forest near the Dupee house at 
South Chelmsford was levelled with the ground. Portions of the 
Mansfield bam were strewn along for half a mile. A pine tree of 
good size was uprooted and blown along down a slope of nearly 
half a mile, and fetched up against the Spaulding-Hazen house. 

1832. Note by Allen : This winter was remarkable for long, 
severe cold. Many fruit trees were killed, owing, as is supposed, 
to the cold weather setting in before the sap had gone down. 



CHAPTER XIV. 
GEOLOGY, BOTANY. 

GEOLOGY treats of the history of the earth and its life. 
Among the principles which it utilizes are those of physics, 
chemistry, mineralogy and botany. The latter science is that 
branch of biology which deals with plant life. The complete 
history of a given locality should include some account of the 
ground we walk upon, and of the vegetation which is so important 
to our welfare. The following articles on the Geology and Botany 
of Chelmsford were prepared expressly for this History at the 
request of the present writer. 

Map No. 9 will indicate to the reader the location of exposed 
ledges, glacial marks, and cskers in this vicinity. 

THE GEOLOGY OF CHELMSFORD. 

By Clarence H. Knowlton, formerly Principal of the Chebnsford 

High School. 

Numerous publications refer in one way or another to the 
geology of Chehnsford and vicinity. The oldest of these is 
Hitchcock's Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, published 
m 1835, which describes the Westford granite and the Chelmsford 
limestone. Prof. William O. Crosby, recently of the Massa- 
chusetts Institute of Technology, studied this area with con- 
siderable care, and published a very interesting map.* His 
descriptions of rocks and minerals are good, but many of his 
published conclusions have been superseded. I have also con- 
sulted three less technical local papers, f one of which, on Early 
Mining near Lowell, deserves careful reading, for it combines 
with Its geological facts a great deal of interesting local history. 
(A portion of this paper is printed in Chapter XV.) For a 
modem presentation of the essential facts in regard to the under- 
lying bedrock, I am greatly indebted to my classmate, Mr. 
Lawrence La Forge of the U. S. Geological Survey. 

There are three general classes of rocks : sedimentary, igneous, 
and metamorphic. Sedimentary rock is composed of fragments 
of older rock, usually laid down in water. It usually shows layer 

♦Contributions to the Geology of Eastern Massachusetts, pages 123—161, 1880 
T Geological Explorations, Rev Owen Street. D. D., Contributions of Lowell Old Residents' 
Historical Association, Vol, IV pages 60—86. Our local Geology, Harriette Rea, do.. 
hnH^nf 'i^^'^n J-"";^^- . I*' y Mining Operations near Lowell. Alfred P. Sawj-er. Contri- 
butions Lowell Historical Society, Vol. I. Pages 316—342 



644 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

structure, and often the fragments of which it is made can be 
distinguished. Sandstone and limestone are examples. Igneous 
rocks are those which have cooled from a molten mass, like lavas 
at the surface, or granite in the interior. When there is great 
pressure and heat applied to rocks, as in mountain building, strata 
are often bent and twisted and heat enough is generated to change 
the original structure, and the rock becomes more crystalline, 
often developing new planes of cleavage. Such rocks are called 
metamorphic, and gneiss, schist and slate belong to this class. 

All the bedrocks of this region are very, very old, running 
back many millions of years. The limestone is earlier than the 
Cambrian period of the Palaeozoic age, and is probably Archaean, 
and other rocks may be equally old. The age of many of the 
other rocks is still unsettled, for they contain no fossils and have 
been greatly changed by heat and pressure. The granite belongs 
to the Carboniferous or coal period of the Palaeozoic, and nothing 
except a few dikes is more recent. 

Mr. La Forge writes me: "In general, the rock which might 
be said to form the 'ground mass' of the geologic map of the area, 
the rock into which the other rocks are intruded, or upon which 
they were laid down, is a biotitic granitoid gneiss. It is in part 
certainly sedimentary and in part probably igneous, but it is not 
feasible to map the two parts separately, as they are thoroughly 
inter-layered, hence, presumably, the igneous parts were intruded 
into the sedimentary parts, which are, therefore, older. There 
is also another biotitic granitoid gneiss which is probably of 
purely igneous origin, and which may or may not be closely 
associated with the first mentioned gneiss. It, however, is more 
abundant in the towns farther south than Chelmsford, and is 
not extensively exposed in that town. 

"The lenses of limestone seem to be closely associated with 
the sedimentary part of the biotitic gneiss, and to be probably 
of the same general age. They are, as you say, greatly meta- 
morphosed, the metamorphism being probably due in part to the 
intrusion of the igneous portion of the gneiss and in part to the 
great deformation that the rocks have suffered. 

"Besides the general 'ground-mass' of gneiss, there are a 
number of strips and lenses of metamorphic sedimentary rock, 
the principal types being a biotitic sandstone or quartzite and a 
fibrolitic mica schist, both being more or less pyritic in many 
places and hence characteristically rusty on the outcrops. It is 
not yet certain whether these lenses and strips are of later age 
than the gneiss, and infolded or infaulted in it, or of the same age 
and interJDedded with it, and their age is, at least at present, 
entirely unknown. The widest and principal strip extends 
through Littleton, Westford, and the northern part of Chelmsford 
into Lowell, and southeast of it are a number of others, even as 
far southeast as the northern part of Bedford. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 645 

"Cutting the gneiss and schists in almost every outcrop are 
many sheets, stringers and lenses of pegmatite and of muscovite- 
biotite granite, which also occurs as larger lenticular or oval 
bodies in several places, and forms a great mass, occupying 
practically the whole area northwest of the railroad from Ayer 
to Lowell. It is evidently later, as you say, than the other rocks 
of the region, and Professor B. K. Emerson has adduced pretty 
fair evidence that it is of late Carboniferous age, in which he seems 
to be correct. There are no rocks of later age, so far as I know, 
except a few diabase dikes." 

There are some exposures of this bedrock which are worthy 
of special mention. One of these is the bed of the Merrimack 
below the Pawtucket dam. Here the mica schist has developed 
marked slaty cleavage, so that Professor Crosby characterizes it 
as mica slate. The cleavage planes are nearly perpendicular, 
and the river has eroded enough to leave ledgy shores. At the 
Middlesex Street station of the B. & M. R. R., in Lowell, the cut 
under Chelmsford street is through mica schist, there a firm hard 
rock. In other places, it contains more mica, and is a rusty, 
cnmibly, rotten stone. In Chelmsford Centre, many of the 
boulders in the stone walls are composed of a much contorted 
mica schist, a rather firm stone. 

The ledges on Littleton Street, Chelmsford, and at the 
summit of Robin's hill are of gneiss, in which there is a great 
deal of feldspar, and there are many boulders of this material. 
On the south slope of Robin's hill, however, there is a soft pyritic 
schist which was formerly worked to a depth of fifty feet as a 
copperas mine. 

On the northwest side of Robin's hill is a lens of the ancient 
limestone, and another lies north of Littleton street. At both 
places the old lime kilns and quarries are easily accessible. This 
limestone is highly crystalline, and a large nimiber of different 
minerals have been found here. Among these are black serpentine, 
actinolite, magnesite and scapolite. One form of the latter has 
been called Chelmsfordite. Professor Hitchcock and Professor 
Crosby give good accounts of these interesting minerals. 

Granite is an igneous rock, and its origin is closely related to 
the geological history of the region. "Granite is now regarded 
as the product of the slow cooling and crystallization of molten, 
glass-like matter at a dull-red heat — matter which contairied 
superheated water, and was intruded from below into an overlying 
mass of rock of sufficient thickness not only to prevent its rapid 
cooling and its general extrusion at the siu-face, but also to resist 
its pressure by its own cohesion and powerfully to compress it 
by its own gravity. ***** The overlying rock 
mass which furnished so large a part of the pressure required to 
form granite has at many places been removed from it by erosive 
processes that operated through great stretches of time. Indeed, 
it is only by the removal of this mass that granite is anywhere 



646 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

naturally exposed. Although this mass may have measured 
thousands of feet in thickness, its former presence is at some 
places attested only by a thin capping on the granite or by frag- 
ments which the lacerating action of the intruding granite has 
incorporated into itself."* 

It seems strange to us that the surface of this region was 
once hundreds, if not thousands of feet higher than it is today, 
but the presence of the granite, and the metamorphic condition 
of the older rocks are geological indications of this. In the 
Permian period, which followed the Carboniferous and closed the 
Palaeozoic age, there was developed a very strong stress in the 
earth's crust. The lateral pressure was so intense that the rocks 
were forced slowly up from their former positions, folded, crumpled 
and broken, and mountains were formed, of unknown height. 
All through the long Mesozoic age, the forces of nature wore 
down these ancient hills and mountains, until, at the close of the 
age, in the Cretaceous period, the land was almost leveled. Only 
harder masses of rock like Robin's hill and Nobscot, Wachusett 
and Watatic, rose above the undulating surface of the so-called 
peneplain, whose surface was only slightly above the level of the 
sea. This must have been tnily an age-long process, for these 
levelling agencies of nature work very slowly. 

At the end of the Cretaceous period, before or at the beginning 
of the Cenozoic age, there came a vertical uplift, which raised 
the peneplain to the level of a plateau, and which again set the 
brooks and rivers to carving out and transporting the rock material 
to lower levels. The old peneplain gradually disappeared, leaving 
as its legacy the even skyline which you see from Robin's hill. 
Ridge after ridge, and hill after hill, except for an occasional 
harder peak, have the same long level siunmit-lines. Toward 
the end of the Tertiary period, the land surface was much as now, 
except that the valleys were deeper, the ledges rougher, and the 
hillsides more jagged and irregular than now. The vegetation 
at this time, though it left few relics of itself in New England, 
contained many modem genera of trees. 

The present topography and most of the present soil have 
been profoundly influenced, and in many cases caused, by the 
great glacial invasion which came at the close of the Tertiary 
period. For various reasons, not yet fully understood, the 
summers changed in character so that snow and ice remained all 
summer in the ravines and valleys of the northern highlands, in 
constantly increasing quantities. These masses gradually became 
valley glaciers, which, from year to year, advanced further and 
further over the adjacent lowlands. As the summers became 
less and less effective in melting, and additional snow and ice 
kept forming each winter, the whole surface, even the tops of the 
White Mountains, finally became covered with one immense 
continental glacier. This mass of ice was not static, but, because 

* T. Nelson Dale, The Chief Commercial Granites of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and 
Rhode Island, Bulletin 354, U. S. Geol. Survey, pp. 9—10. 1908. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 647 

of its own weight, uneven strains in the mass, and alternate 
freezing and thawing, and the pressure from huger outflowing 
masses in Canada, it flowed very slowly in a generally south- 
southeasterly direction across New England, finding its southern 
tennini in the ocean, and on Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, 
and the gravel hills of Cape Cod. 

This immense glacier carried along great quantities of rocks 
and all the original soil of the region, and worked them over like 
some great mill. In the lower ice were frozen thousands of rocks, 
which were pressed down on the underlying ledges by the immense 
weight above. Thus the projecting hilltops and ledges were 
rounded off by this tremendous attrition. The exposed ledges in 
Chelmsford still show this rounding, and where the ledge is hard 
or has not been long exposed to the weather, the scratches and 
grooves worn by the rocks passing over, may readily be seen. 
It is from these scratches and grooves that the general direction 
of movement has been determined. 

When the ice-sheet passed over valleys and low places, it 
usually partly filled them with the groimd-up soil and roughly- 
rounded boulders, often brought from many miles to the north- 
ward. The weight of the many thousand feet of ice above con- 
solidated this material into the hard-pan, or till, which underlies 
the surface soil in many places. This material which was pushed 
along under the glacier is called the ground moraine. It forms 
the strong rocky soil still found on the uplands. When the glacier 
melted, it deposited over this ground moraine most of the rnaterial 
it had been carrying in the ice above, so in many places this good 
soil was buried under coarser material. For some as yet unknown 
reason the ground moraine was in places heaped up under the 
moving glacier in large lenticular hills called drumlins, whose 
longer axes point in the direction of the general flow. There is 
a large group of these drumlins in Groton. In Lowell there are 
two very good examples in Fort hill and Belvidere hill. 

Where the glacier halted for a time on the land, there was 
always piled up in front of it an irregular ridge of the materials 
that had been carried in or on the ice. This contained many 
large boulders, some of them unmodified by the ice. Such a 
formation is called a terminal moraine, and there is no example 
of it in Chelmsford. 

When the ice retreated evenly from year to year without 
long halts at any one place, the material it had been carrying was 
left on the ground moraine beneath. Sometimes there was only 
a thin layer of this, and in other cases great masses, which have 
been deposited in irregular hillocks. The clay was washed away 
from this gravel by the water from the melting ice, and the stones 
are often as well rounded as shore pebbles. The irregular hillocks 
are called kames, and are of frequent occurrence in Chelmsford 
and elsewhere in eastern Massachusetts. Often the sand and 
gravel in them is in layers, as may be seen where they have been 
used for gravel-pits. 



648 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Sometimes there are long, irregular ridges of nearly uniform 
height made of these water- worn materials. One of these ridges, 
or eskers, runs over five miles from North Chelmsford, crossing 
the Lowell road near Golden Cove, parallel with the old turnpike, 
thence running southward. Another lies between Chelmsford 
and Westford, and still another runs from the south part of 
Chelmsford down near the Carlisle pines. These were parts of 
a system of drainage by which the waters of the melting glacier 
escaped. Some of the streams flowed in ice-tunnels at the bottom 
of the glacier, sorting over the materials of the ground moraine, 
and carrying away the clay in suspension, the so-called "glacier 
milk." As the ice-sheet melted, the roofs fell in, bringing down 
a lot of surface debris, later augmented by tributary streams from 
the top of the glacier. When the ice melted further, the reduced 
stream slipped down to one side, leaving its former bed high and 
dry, as one of these eskers. Some of the drainage streams flowed 
on top of the ice sheet, with banks of ice on either shore. As they 
cut deeper, the rock material they found was assorted, much as 
by the sub-glacial streams, and they finally carved and melted 
their way down to the ground beneath the ice-sheet, leaving an 
esker ridge when the ice had disappeared. 

In front of the melting ice, where the slope was not too steep, 
the streams from the glacier spread out in a broad network, 
carrying vast quantities of sand and gravel, and distributing 
them in layers over the surface, while the finer clay, which made 
the water milky, was carried in suspension to the sea. There 
were many shallow ponds at the time, where dams of glacial 
debris held back for a time the vast volimies of water. In these 
ponds the glacial streams made many broad deltas which sometimes 
filled the entire pond. In some such ways as these were formed 
the barren sand-plains so well known in this region. So, too, 
were formed many of the lower plains now occupied by swamps 
and wet woods. 

Now and then, among the kames or in the sand-plains, a 
block of ice would be isolated from the main mass or buried in 
the gravel. When this melted, a depression was left in the 
gravel, sometimes dry today, sometimes containing a small pond. 
These pits are called kettle-holes or ice-block holes. 

Besides causing this variety of land-forms and furnishing 
most of our soil, the glacier, with its transported materials, upset 
the whole system of drainage, so carefully developed during the 
forming of the peneplain. The most important change for this 
district was in the course of the Merrimack river, which, in the 
Tertiary period, flowed into Boston Harbor. The glacial debris 
choked the old channel and forced the river into an easterly 
course, and, where it fell over ledges the water powers of Lowell 
and Lawrence have been developed and cities have sprung up. 
Dams of glacial debris also made Heart pond and most of the 
Middlesex County ponds and swamps. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 649 

The muck or peat in the swamps and wet woods has all been 
deposited from vegetable remains since the close of the glacial 
period. In some of these deposits, especially at North Chelmsford 
and near Forge pond, Westford, the early settlers dug good 
quantities of bog iron ore. Water with acids in it trickled through 
the soft mica schists and came into the bogs charged with iron. 
When it met the air, the iron crystallized and was deposited, its 
weight bringing it into fairly compact masses. Richer deposits 
elsewhere have driven these humble sources of iron ore into 
disuse. 

QUOTATIONS FROM HITCHCOCK. 

Hitchcock, in "Geology of Massachusetts," 1841, says: 

In the bed of the Merrimack, from Chelmsford to Newbury, 
is a hard slate approaching quartz rock, which I apprehend will 
answer nearly as well for a road stone as the slate around Boston 
associated with the graywacke. [Page 211.] 

He mentions the scenery and cascades near the mouth of the 
Concord river, and the deep cut for the railroad through mica 
slate, (at the junction of Chehnsford and Westford streets); 
also the scenery at Pawtucket falls on the Merrimack: "The 
bottom of the stream is composed of rocks, whose ragged aspect 
is finely contrasted with the smooth water and beautiful banks 
extending several miles above the city. " [Page 280.] On page 264, 
he notices the exceedingly beautiful landscape, with the graceful 
curve in the river half a mile south of the village of Tyngsborough, 
(at the Chelmsford line). 

He mentions two or three beds of limestone, and says the 
simple minerals imbedded in this limestone are numerous and 
interesting. The most common and abundant mineral is scapolite. 
It occurs both crystallized and compact. The crystallized 
variety is most abundant at * * * Chelmsford * * *_ 
The crystals are sometimes transparent, more commonly opaque 
and white, having begun to decompose. Sometimes the crystal 
exhibits the primary form, or a right square prism, acuminated 
by four planes set on the lateral planes. More commonly, how- 
ever, the lateral edges are slightly truncated. Some of these 
crystals are one, or even two inches in diameter; though, in such 
cases, generally imperfect. Often this mineral is compact, and 
the color either white or lilac red. This red color, however, occurs 
also in that which exhibits an aggregation of prisms. * * * 
At Chelmsford, small masses of black serpentine occur in the 
limestone, and at Littleton also, of a lively green color. They 
occur also at Bolton, and form a good vert antique. Very delicate 
and beautiful amianthus is found in veins in the limestone, about 
two miles southwest of the center of Chelmsford. The fibres are 
sometimes two or three inches long, and resemble the finest and 
most beautiful while silk. [Page 564.] 



650 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The spinelle of several colors has been found at Bolton, 
Littleton and Acton. At Bolton and Littleton, it is sometimes 
red, and forms a real Balass ruby. At the same places, it is blue 
and hair brown, forming the pleonaste. The latter has also been 
found at Chelmsford, as well as Brucite, or chondrodite; and 
also a beautiful wine coloured garnet. * * * 

Rose quartz. This differs only by a shade of color from the 
amethyst. It would be much esteemed in jewelry were it not 
that it is liable to fade. Yet a faded specimen may be in a measure 
restored by being placed for some time in a moist place. This 
variety occurs in Blandford, Chesterfield, Chester, Williamsburgh 
and Chelmsford, but at none of these places is it particularly 
beautiful. [Page 185.] 

The granite range, extending from Cohasset and Quincy, 
through Randolph, Stoughton, Foxborough, &c., nearly to Rhode 
Island, affords much valuable stone for architectural purposes. 

^ ^ :i: 

The stone used in Boston under the name of Chelmsford 
granite is found in a range of this rock, not connected with the 
deposit that has been described above. * * * This rock 
is pure granite, with no hornblends; and, being homogeneous and 
compact in its texture, it furnishes an elegant stone. Good 
examples of it may be seen in the pillars of the United States 
Bank, and in the Market House in Boston. These were from 
Westford. [Page 148.] 

He mentions, on page 604, quartz of a rose red color as found 
in Chelmsford, but is not certain that mica slate is its gangue, 
because he found it only in boulders, yet has little doubt that 
such is the fact. 

The limestones in Chelmsford are magnesian, and most of 
them are loaded with earthy impurities. 

The limestones of eastern Massachusetts are among the 
oldest on the globe. The crystaline dolomite of Chelmsford 
occurs in the midst of gneiss, and is frequently fetid, so as to give 
a strong odor when struck with a hammer. [Page 568.] 

The naturalist will be gratified to learn that on digging over 
the earth on the bank of Merrimack river, to lay the foundation 
of the locks of the Middlesex Canal, pine cones and charcoal 
were found at the depth of twelve feet from the surface, in a sound 
and unimpaired state; specimens of which are deposited in the 
museum at Cambridge. A small horn was also found at nearly 
the same depth from the surface, supposed to be that of a cow 
of two or three years old. [Allen, page 74.] 

Chelmsfordite is the same as Scapolite (Wemerite) and is 
a silicate of akiminmn with calciimi and sodium. 

Colors, light: — white, grey, pale blue, greenish, or reddish. 
Streak, uncolored. Transparent to nearly opaque. Hardness, 
5 to 6. Sp. Grav., 2.6 to 2.8. Clearage indistinct. Occurs in 
crystals, or massive, or sub-lamellar. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 651 

THE BOTANY OF CHELMSFORD, BY C. H. KNOWLTON. 

The plants of this region have been studied mostly by 
amateurs. The first of these was Rev. John Lewis Russell, pastor 
of the Unitarian Church at the Centre from 1839 to 1841. He was 
a corresponding member of the Boston Society of Natural History, 
and occasionally read and published papers in which Chelmsford 
plants were mentioned. He was especially interested in mosses. 
Dr. Charles Walter Swan of Lowell collected very extensively in 
Lowell and Chelmsford, and contributed much information for 
the Flora of Middlesex County, published by Messrs. Dame and 
Collins, in 1888. His collection is now part of the Yale Herbarium 
at New Haven, Conn. Emerson and Weed's "Our Trees, How to 
Know Them," published in 1908, contains many fine pictures of 
Chelmsford trees. These were photographed by Mr. Arthur L 
Emerson, and appear in the book as half-tone engravings. My 
own collecting in Chelmsford was done from 1900 to 1903, with 
occasional visits_ since. I have a list of 500 species which are 
known to grow in the Town, and there are, doubtless, over 800 
species in the region, including the ferns and their allies. 

Most plants have certain preferences as to soil, moisture, 
shade and other conditions, and, therefore, may be grouped 
according to habitat in what are called plant societies. The 
Chelmsford plants, I find, naturally arrange themselves in six of 
these societies. These are dry woods, cleared upland, wet woods, 
meadows, sand-plains, and lastly, a group of cosmopolites, mainly 
of European origin, which grow anywhere and everywhere, and 
are called weeds. Most of the plants in the first five societies are 
native, and were probably growing here when the settlers came, 
though in different proportions than now. The area covered by 
moist and dry woods has been greatly reduced by clearing and by 
fires, while meadows, cleared upland and unwooded sand-plains 
are more extensive than originally. In general, the region belongs 
to the coastal belt of dry woods, sand-plains and meadows, and 
is different from the plateau region of Worcester County and the 
morainal region of Cape Cod, though all three have many species 
in common. In the following pages, after a general account of 
common and conspicuous trees and plants, I have added brief 
lists, giving the Latin names of other characteristic species. 

The dry woods are composed mainly of white oak, with 
occasional trees of red, scarlet and black oak. In some places, 
the chestnut is the prevailing tree, and white pines are abundant! 
Poplars, butternuts, hickories, sassafras, a few hemlocks, beeches 
and hornbeams, and here and there an occasional red cedar 
or savin, are mixed with the oaks in some places. There are a 
few straggling shrubs in these woods and along their borders, 
especially the hazel, the huckleberry and the low blueberries'. 
There is a little mountain laurel in remote places. There are 
numerous brakes, and in rocky places a number of more delicate 



652 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ferns. The ground is carpeted with dry leaves, much the same, 
winter and siinimer. Here, in early spring, a few May flowers 
may be found by those who know where to look, but the best 
flower of these woods is the pink lady's slipper, which blooms 
in late May. The other plants in the undergrowth are mostly 
weedy or inconspicuous. 

Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf. Maianthemtun canadense 
Desf . Anemone cylindrica Gray. Anemone virginiana L. Aqui- 
legia canadensis L. Saxifraga virginiensis Michx. Baptisia 
tinctoria (L.) R. Br. Desmodium Dillenii Darl. Desmodium 
marilandicum (L.) DC. Desmodium paniculatum (L.) DC. 
Ceanothus americanus L. Lechea villosa Ell. Gerardia pedicu- 
laria L. Viburnum acerifolium L. Prenanthes trifoliolata (Cass.) 
Femald. Solidago bicolor L. Solidago caesia L. 

Cleared upland in pastures and old fields gives a chance for 
such woody plants as the juniper, sweet fern, blackberries, the 
smnachs (of which there are three kinds, the staghorn, the smooth, 
and the dwarf), the woodbine and the poison ivy. This last 
flourishes wonderfully by Chelmsford roadsides, and often develops 
into a regular hedge above the stone walls. The barberries also 
like the old pastures and flourish there. On and around Robin's 
hill, there are many beautiful locust trees. These are not con- 
sidered native in Massachusetts, but were long ago introduced 
from further south. Many of the plants of the dry woods, 
accustomed to light shade, flourish equally well in the open. The 
first spring flowers on the upland are the little everlastings, or 
"pussy's toes," followed by the dainty bluets, the blue violets and 
wild strawbeiTy blossoms. There is a little yellow flower like 
the strawberry, but smaller, which fills the drier fields and often 
crowds out the grass. This is the cinquefoil, of which there are 
several kinds, one of them with silvery leaves. Another beautiful 
early flower is the wood betony, which has fern-like, velvety 
leaves and a head of irregular yellow or reddish flowers. Robin's 
plantain is a late spring flower with plantain -like leaves, but 
the flowers are like bluish and purplish daisies. Later in the 
summer, there are the pink bell flowers of the dogbane, the coarse 
but fragrant milkweed, and numerous asters and golden-rods. In 
many of the pastures, there are immense clumps of garget, a 
fleshy broad-leaved plant, with long racemes of whitish flowers 
and purple berries. Newly seeded fields contain little but 
"English grass" and clover sowed in them by the farmers. 

Spiranthes gracilis (Bigel.) Beck. Ranunculus fascicularis 
Muhl. Potentilla arguta Pursh. Geum strictimi Ait. Linum 
medium (Planch.) Britton. Hypericum punctatum Lam. Viola sep- 
tentrionalis Greene. Ligustrum vulgare L. Myosotis virginica (L.) 
BSP. Lobelia spicata Lam. Aster dumosus L. Aster laevis 
L. Aster patens Ait. Aster vimineus Lam. Krigia virginica 
(L.) Willd. Solidago rugosa Mill. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 653 

The sand-plains look so barren that it is hard to realize that 
they support a considerable number of species, some of which 
grow also on the dry upland. The gray birch and the pitch pine 
are the chief trees when the plains are wooded, and there is often 
much white pine. Other woody plants are two dwarf willows, 
two kinds of scrub oak, sweet fern and bayberry.^ In several 
places the beach pltmi {Primus maritima Wang.) is abundant, 
and the bullet-like fruit is often used to make a fine preserve. 
There are several characteristic grasses, two or three of which 
are rightly called "poverty-grass." One of these {Andropogon 
scoparius Michx.) is reddish and coarse, about two feet tall, and 
a certain sign of poor soil. Even in winter, it waves above the 
snow and betrays lack of fertility below. There are very few 
spring flowers in the sand, the bearberry and the birdfoot violets 
being^ the most conspicuous. Lupines are occasional, and in 
midsummer the red Philadelphia lily with its upturned cup. In 
early auttimn comes the blazing-star, a long wand with three to 
seven beautiful purple flowers scattered near its tip. In the most 
barren places there blossoms in mid-September a dcHcate, wiry 
annual with very slender racemes of delicate little white or pinkish 
flowers, the Polygonella. Then come dwarf asters, and several 
golden-rods. 

Aristida dichotoma Michx. . Aristida purpurascens Poir. 
Digitaria filiformis (L.) Keeler. Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) 
Steud. Panicum dichotomimi L. Panicum Scribnerianimi Nash. 
Sporobolus neglectus Nash. Salix hmnilis Marsh. Salix tristis 
Ait. OuercusilicifoliaWang. Quercus prinoides Willd. Coman- 
dra urnbellata (L.) Nutt. Crotalaria sagittalis L. Oenothera 
muricata L. Lechea maritima Leggett. Trichostema dichoto- 
mum L. Asclepias amplexicaulis Sm. Aster linariifolius L. 
Aster multiflorus Ait. Solidago juncea Ait. Solidago puberula 
Nutt. 

In the wet woods the dominant tree is the red maple. There 
are mmierous trees of the very scraggly swamp white oak, and 
occasional elms and ashes. The tupelo or black gum is a very 
odd tree in such places, with a great many parallel droopmg or 
horizontal slender branches and smooth, shining leaves. There 
are tangles of horsebrier and long festoons of wild grape, bitter- 
sweet and clematis. In the spring comes the first flower of all 
the season, the unsavory skunk-cabbage, soon followed by the 
brilliant yellow marsh marigold or cowslip. The yellow spice- 
bush gives way to the shad-bushes, and a succession of other 
flowering shrubs, closing in August with the sweet alders and their 
fragrant spikes of cream-colored flowers. There are few simimer 
herbaceous flowers, for the shade is usually dense, but here and 
there the ghostly Indian pipes rise pallid from the decaying 
vegetation below. At Heart pond, South Chelmsford, there is 
a spruce swamp, filled with trees of black spruce, not a common 
tree in eastern Massachusetts. 



654 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The strip of alluvium along the Merrimack is rather narrow, 
but it supports occasional trees of red ash, and, in some places, 
the ragged-barked red birch. The lower Merrimack region is 
the only place in New England where this peculiar tree is native. 

Leersia virginica Willd. Peltandra virginica (L.) Kunth. 
Calla palustris L. Allium canadense L. Clintonia borealis (Ait.) 
Raf. Trillium cemuum L. Epipactis pubescens (Willd.) A. A. 
Eaton. Carpinus caroliniana Walt. Impatiens bifiora Walt. 
Aralia racemosa L. Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr. Oro- 
banche uniflora L. Rhus Vernix L. 

The meadows and open swamps have a very large number of 
species. For v/oody plants, there are alders and willows, with 
rhodora and many straggling shrubs from the wet woods. In 
the wettest places there are great clumps of ferns, with the royal 
fern and its kindred dominating, and in midsummer great masses 
of native grasses and sedge. Here grow the white violets, and the 
long-stemmed blue violets, the early yellow parsnip and the 
pale magenta geraniimis. There are anemones and yellow star- 
grass, and later, two kinds of iris — the common blue flag and the 
slender, grass-leaved iris from the coast. But the rarest meadow 
flower is the scarlet painted-cup, which blooms about May 30. 
This was reported by Rev. J. L. Russell in an article published in 
1841, as "very common in meadows." 

Late simimer brings out a large array of coarse flowers, 
conspicuous among them the tall swamp coneflower, from which 
the "Golden Glow" developed. There are wild lettuces, beggar- 
ticks, the parasitic dodder, thoroughwort, nettles, vervain and 
loosestrife, with occasional plants of the brilliant cardinal-flower. 
There are many swamp asters and golden-rods, and mmierous 
vigorous growers which help to make dense masses of vegetation 
in every place where moisture is abundant and the black mucky 
soil furnishes plant food. 

Woodwardia virginica (L.) Sm. Ophioglossimi vulgatum L. 
Leersia oryzoides (L.) Sw. Panicum agrostoides Spreng. Pani- 
cum clandestinum L. Carex folliculata L. Smilax herbacea L. 
Myrica Gale L. Salix pedicellaris Pursh, var. hypoglauca 
Femald. Thalictrum polygamum Muhl. Sarracenia purpurea L. 
Drosera rotundifolia L. Viola lanceolata L. Viola pallens 
(Banks) Brainerd. Viola primulifolia L. Viola cucullata Ait. 
Rhexia virginica L. Cicuta bulbifera L. Cicuta maculata L. 
Vaccinium corymbosum L. Gentiana Andrewsii Griseb. Gen- 
tiana crinita Froel. Menyanthes trifoliata L. Chelone glabra L. 
Gerardia paupercula (Gray) Britton. Aster novae-angliae L. 
Aster novi-belgii L. Aster paniculatus Lam. Bidens laevis (L.) 
BSP. Senecio aureus L. Solidago neglecta T. & G. Solidago 
rugosa Mill. 



GEOLOGY, BOTANY 655 

There are a great number and variety of weeds in eastern 
Massachusetts, as every farmer and gardener well knows, and 
Chelmsford has no shortage of these troublesome plants. The 
broadest definition for a weed is "a plant out of place," but certain 
plants are so habitually out of place that, in cultivated ground, 
they are always classed as weeds. Such are the witch-grass and 
several annual grasses; the nettles, smartweeds, docks and pig- 
weeds; the chickweeds, purslane and the mustards; the ragweeds, 
daisies, thistles, burdocks and dandelions. The buttercups, of which 
Chelmsford has at least three kinds, seem to belong in this class, 
too. One rare weed which fills at least one field in South Chelms- 
ford is the ragged robin. It is as tall as the grass, with a delicate 
pink flower, the petals curiously ragged. The elecampane is a 
big, sturdy weed, with large leaves and a round, yellow head, at 
least two inches across. 

Most of the weeds came from the Old World, where, from 
centuries of resistance against agriculture, they seem to have 
developed qualities which insure their success. Some of them 
are so fleshy that they die very slowly; many of them grow close 
to the ground where they are not easily disturbed, and almost 
all of them produce thousands and thousands of seeds. 

In addition to these cosmopolitan weeds, a large number of 
strange waifs have appeared from time to time. Some have come 
up in the waste of the city, as the canary grass and millet have 
frequently done, but the strangest plants have come to the 
North Chelmsford woolen mills. Separated from the foreign 
wool, the seeds have sprung up when the wool -waste was spread 
on the land. Rev. W. P. Alcott reported a large number of 
these aliens in the Middlesex Flora, and Miss Emily Fletcher 
of Westford has also studied them more recently. These 
plants do not seem to have liked oiu" soil and climate, and, so 
far as I know, only two species have really spread enough to be 
considered a permanent part of the flora. These are a prostrate 
grass with prickly burs, and the beautiful purple loosestrife 
(Lythrum Salicaria L.) along Stony brook and the Merrimack. 
Other weeds of some interest are the following: 

Eragrostis megastachya (Koeler) Link. Eragrostis minor L. 
Cenchrus carolinianus Walt. Mollugo verticillata L. Berteroa 
incana (L.) DC. Solanum nigrum L. Centaurea nigra L. 



CHAPTER XV. 

MANUFACTURING. 

A PAPER on "Early Mining Operations near Lowell," by Alfred 
P. Sawyer, Esq., published in Vol. I of the Contributions of 
the Lowell Historical Society, is of special interest, as being 
closely related to the subject of this chapter. After describing 
the first blast-furnace in this country at Saugus, and the early 
iron-works at Concord and elsewhere, he says: "The ore used 
in all these early iron- works was the hydrate oxide of iron, 
which was found as a deposit in many of the ponds, and also 
in the swamps and meadows in eastern Massachusetts. It 
is known as limonite, from the Greek word for meadow, and its 
common designation as bog ore or bog iron ore accurately 
describes it. The early settlers discovered that if the deposit was 
removed, the iron-bearing springs or streams would form a new 
deposit within twenty or thirty years. Sea-shells furnished a 
sufficient flux for smelting it with charcoal, and the product 
was a fairly good iron, although on account of the phosphorus 
present it was generally only fit for castings. 

"The quantity of bog ore in and around Chelmsford early 
attracted attention, and the Town Records show that "At a 
Gen'll Town meeting, march the 4th, 1706-7, Jonathan Richardson 
and John Richardson had granted the Liberty of erecting Iron 
works upon Stony brook with the conveniency of flowing provided 
it Damnifies none of the inhabetants." 

"The location of this iron -works is unknown, but, if the valley 
of Stony brook between North Chelmsford and Forge Village 
was once a lake, as has been claimed, the presence of the bog ore 
in the valley is easil}'' explained. 

"Probably the Chelmsford grant was nearly contemporaneous 
with the furnace or forge started by Jonas Prescott at the outlet 
of Stony Brook pond, which became known as Forge pond, and 
the settlement as Forge Village, now in Westford. He was the 
grandson of John Prescott, who, with four others, settled Lan- 
caster in 1647, naming the town after their native county in 
England. John Prescott was a blacksmith and millwright. A 
grist-mill built by him in 1653, and a sawmill which he built in 
1659 and operated, stood on the site of the Bigelow Carpet 
Company's mill in Clinton, and another mill which he built in 
Harvard in 1667, he gave to his son Jonas. 



MA N UFA CT URING 657 

"The word blacksmith in those days was a broad term descrip- 
tive of a worker in the baser metals. As John Prescott brought 
with him from England his coat of mail, helmet and armor, which 
he used in the early wars, it is entirely probable that, whether 
cavalier or puritan, he was an armorer as well as blacksmith, and 
could make and repair armor, tools, and weapons, as well as 
perform the himible occupations of his calling. He was one of 
the petitioners for colonial license to erect iron-works in Lancaster 
and Concord, and, according to Nourse, in his Annals of Lancaster 
(1884), he planned a bloomery in connection with his sawmill 
at Clinton. Slag and cinders, such as accttmulate at a forge, were 
to be found at this place, bounded, as described in the grant to 
him in 1657, "by the east end of a ledge of Iron Stone Rocks 
southards," but, as this was so near the date of the construction 
of the Concord iron- works before referred to, it is probable that 
this pioneer made use of the bog ore which was used in these early 
furnaces. 

"His son Jonas built a mill at Forge pond by vote of the Town 
of Groton passed June 15, 1680, after the resettlement of the 
town following its destruction by the Indians in 1676. It was near 
the "warre" (wier) purchased by the Town for twenty shillings 
from Andrew the Indian. As Jonas Prescott followed his father's 
craft, he undoubtedly had a forge and used the bog ore found below 
his location on Stony brook. The property passed to his son 
of the same name, the above grandson of John Prescott, who 
enlarged the works and erected forges for manxifacturing iron 
from the bog ore which he brought from the northern part of 
Groton. The product of this forge was known as "Groton iron," 
and was brittle and not of good quality. This iron-works con- 
tinued in operation until 1865 under the control of the descendants 
of the first Jonas Prescott. The last of that name who carried 
on the business, Jonas Prescott, who died in 1870, was the owner, 
in 1863, of forty shares of the Forge Company. The Forge 
Village Horse Nail Company, organized January 5, 1865, purchased 
the property and put in machinery for making nails. Its capital 
stock was $30,000, which was increased in 1868 to $100,000. 
The officers were John T. Daly, president, John F. Haskins, 
secretary, and Alexander H. Coryl, treasurer. The business was 
carried on successfully for several years, but was closed in 1877, 
In October, 1879, the buildings and water power were purchased 
by Abbot & Company, of Westford, who conveyed the same, in 
1900, to the Abbot Worsted Company. 

"About the year 1823, William Adams, who owned much of 
the land in the Newfield section of Chelmsford, including the bed 
of Newfield pond, brought these deposits to the attention of 
General Sheperd Leach, who was then carrying on an iron and 
foundry business in Easton, where he owned seven furnaces, as 
shown by the tax lists for that year. 



658 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"This pond originally contained nearly one hundred acres, and 
its surface was about thirty feet above the level of Stony brook, 
although it discharged its water into Deep brook through an 
outlet at the north end of the pond. Mr. John Richardson owned 
a mill on Stony brook, and at a Town Meeting held May 25, 1709, 
it was voted, "That John Richardson shall have the Liberty of 
Drawing of the pond called New-field pond to suply his mill with 
Water; and shall have the benefit of said pond to the high-water 
mark." Acting presumably under this authority, although Allen 
in his History gives the date of the incident as in the year 1700, 
Richardson commenced the construction of a canal through the 
sandy embankment which separated the waters of the pond from 
the valley of Stony brook. The workmen had completed about 
two-thirds of the excavation, when the waters of the pond burst 
through the bank, sweeping away a negro workman named 
"Jack," Vv^hose body was never recovered. The pond became a 
swamp partly covered in time with a heavy growth of wood, and 
producing a long meadow grass which was cut and used in packing 
the products of the Chelmsford Glass Works, which were estab- 
lished at Middlesex Village nearly a centiiry later. 

"Mr. Adams conceived the idea of filling this breach in the bank 
of the old pond, and by bringing the waters of Stony brook to it 
by a canal from West Chelmsford, to fill it to its original capacity, 
and by means of a canal from this reservoir, to utilize the whole 
fall. In 1824, General Leach purchased about nineteen acres 
of land in the village of North Chelmsford from Mr. Adams, 
together with the bed of Newfield pond and the land necessary 
for the construction of the canals. The canal from West Chelms- 
ford was made, the pond, then known as Leach's pond and now 
called Crystal lake, was filled, and its waters conducted through 
a canal which he dug to his land in North Chelmsford. There he 
erected a blast-furnace near the present location of Moore's mills, 
and obtained the power to operate his works and the ptunps 
which supplied the air for the blast-furnace, from two breast- 
wheels forty feet in diameter which were fed by the water from 
his canal. The first iron was produced at this furnace in 1825. 
Much of the bog ore used in the beginning of this enterprise was 
obtained in Chelmsford and the neighboring towns, and was 
brought in by the farmers with their own teams. Some of it is 
known to have been found in the Redshire meadows near North 
Chelmsford, and some of it came from Dunstable and Groton. 
Nason, in his History of Dunstable, (1887), says: "Good bog- 
iron ore is found on the farm of the late Jasper P. Proctor, about 
one-half mile southeast of the center of the town. About half 
a century ago this ore was carried to Chelmsford and worked up 
to advantage." Shattuck's Historj^ of Concord, (1835), states 

that, "Bog iron ore is found in abundance Several tons 

of this ore have recently been carried in boats from this town to the 
furnace in Chelmsford, and it is said to produce good castings." 



MA N UFA CT URING 659 

"Limestone from the quarries near Robin's hill served as a 
flux, and the charcoal used in smelting this bog ore was made by 
General Leach in four circular kilns, which were in existence until 
the number two Moore mill was erected, and large tracts of land 
were stripped of their wood which was converted into charcoal 
for this use. Many castings, especially heavy gears, were made 
at these works for the mills in Lowell and other manufacturing 
cities. 

"After the death of General Leach in 1832, the property passed 
into the hands of his brother-in-law, Captain Lincoln Drake, of 
Easton. He added a cupola furnace about 1842, and carried on 
the business until 1849. He was succeeded by Williams, Bird & 
Company, and in 1858, George T. Sheldon, who was a brother- 
in-law of Charles T. Bird of that firm, purchased the property 
and organized the Chelmsford Foundry Company which still 
(1908) conducts the business. 

"As the deposits of native ore became exhausted, the works 
used iron from other sources, some of which came from the 
Katahdin iron works in Maine, and, with the red molding-sand 
from New Jersey and other supplies, was brought up the Middlesex 
canal. Under the management of Captain Drake, the works 
employed about forty men. 

"It is somewhat noteworthy that all the successive owners of 
this plant. General Leach, Captain Drake, and Messrs. Bird and 
Sheldon, were from Easton, then an important iron town, where 
it is claimed the first attempt in America to manufacture steel 
was made by Eliphalet Leonard, about 1775, in making firearms. 

"These early iron works, which drew their supplies of ore from 
Nature's laboratories in our Massachusetts ponds and swamps, 
served well the needs of the early colonists, and stand as monu- 
ments to the energy, ingenuity, and resourcefulness of those 
pioneers of the great iron industry of today." 

After an extended account of the Dracut Nickel Mine, and 
reference to the Carlisle Copper Mine, Mr. Sawyer continues: 
"Another early mining enterprise was the "Copperas Mine," as 
it was called, in Chelmsford. It was located on the southerly 
slope of Robin's hill, and is said to have been worked to a depth 
of over fifty feet. Very little can be learned about it, as the mine 
probably has not been worked for over one hundred years, and it 
is now filled with stones and other refuse matter. It is said to 
have yielded a dark, rotten rock of greenish hue, from which 
copperas was obtained, which was locally used in the tanning and 
manufacture of leather. There were eight or ten tanning vats 
by the small brook on Bartlett street, in Chelmsford, a larger 
number in Westford, and several vats in Acton, which created a 
demand for the product of this mine. The material taken out, 
if we may judge of it from the name given to the mine, was 
probably partially decomposed or weathered iron pyrites, which 
by oxidation and other natural processes produced copperas. 



660 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

By simple artificial imitative processes, this mineral would yield 
the ferrous sulphate commercially known as green vitriol or 
copperas. 

"The Chelmsford limestone quarries before referred to are 
worthy of mention in this connection, for the caves and tunnels 
from which the limestone was removed warrant treatment of the 
subject as a mining enterprise of olden days. 

"Massachusetts possesses large deposits of limestone in the 
western portion of the state, but many small deposits of good 
quality have been found in this vicinity. The lime used in early 
colonial building was made from sea-shells, and, being the carbonate 
of lime, was free from impurities. In 1697, limestone was dis- 
covered at Newbury by Ensign James Noyes, and caused great 
excitement. As many as thirty teams in a day came to carry it 
away, until a town meeting was called to prevent the spoliation, 
and it was stopped by the sheriff. This may have been the first 
attempt in this country at conservation of our natural resources. 

"The Bolton limestone was discovered about 1736, but it is 
not known when limestone was first found in Chelmsford. The 
lichen covered walls of schist and gneiss, the trees which have 
grown in the partially filled excavations, and the general appear- 
ance of the surroundings would indicate that the Chelmsford 
deposits were worked at as early a date as those at Bolton. It is 
said that the "pigs" of limerock turned up by the plow in the 
cultivation of the land, led to the discovery of these deposits' in 
Chelmsford. The principal quarries were on the westerly slope 
of Robin's hill, and on the other side of the valley of Beaver brook, 
westerly of the Littleton road. The caves and grottoes from 
which the limestone was taken in the latter locality and the ruins 
of the old lime-kilns are still objects of interest. It took a week 
or ten days to burn a kiln of lime, and required much skill and 
care. The making of lime added much to the business of the 
town, as the kilns used a large amount of fuel, and the coopers 
were kept busy making casks and barrels for the transportation 
of the lime. In Allen's History of Chelmsford (1820), it is said 
that 'in the southwest part of the town, is a bed of limestone, of 
an excellent quality, extending two miles northeast. It has five 
kilns upon it, and from which are annually drawn, about a thousand 
hogsheads, which may be estimated at $5 per hogshead.' 

"Professor Edward Hitchcock, in his Geology of Massachusetts, 
written in 1839, groups the beds of limestone in Acton, Bolton, 
Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, and Littleton together, because 
of their similar mineral characteristics, and describes them as 
white crystalline limestones, highly magnesian, and almost 
destitute of stratification, placed between highly inclined strata 
of gneiss. He even classes them as dolomite, and believes them 
to be among the oldest on the globe. He says the rock is usually 
very much mixed with foreign minerals, such as scapolite, serpen- 



MA N UFA CT URING 661 

tine, compact feldspar, etc., and that none of the beds are of any 
great extent in the direction of their strata, nor is their width 
more than a few yards in any case. 

"He gives the following analysis of the Chelmsford limestone: 

Carbonate of Lime 56 . 52 

Carbonate of Magnesia . . . . 39.38 

Peroxide of Iron .90 

Silica, Alumina, etc 3.20 



100.00 



"He states the specific gravity as 2.85, and the per cent, of 
quicklime, 31.65. On account of the large percentage of magnesia, 
the mortar made with this lime was harder and whiter than that 
made from lime which was purer. It was of good quality, and 
was used in the construction of many buildings in Chelmsford 
and early Lowell. It is said that the mortar made with it is so 
strong and clings so tenaciously, that bricks laid in it are not 
worth cleaning. Part of a ceiling made with this lime recently 
fell to the floor in an old Chelmsford house without fractiire. 
The woods in the vicinity of the kilns were in time so cut ofif as 
to greatly increase the cost of burning the lime, and the low 
priced lime from Thomaston, Maine, was brought up the Middlesex 
canal and undersold the Chelmsford product in its home market. 
Mr. Henry S. Perham, who was engaged in writing the history 
of Chelmsford at the time of his decease, states in the History 
of Middlesex County, that David Perham, who was his grand- 
father, operated the largest lime-kiln in Chelmsford and continued 
the business until 1832. The manufacture of lime at Bolton was 
carried on as late as 1861. 

"Although most of these limestone deposits have been 
exhausted, and none of the quarries have been worked for many 
years, they are well worth visiting to study the geological story 
they so plainly reveal, and to acquire a fuller realization of the 
value of these deposits to the colonists. Lime was a very import- 
ant article in their day, when the only source of supply was in 
the shells to be found on the seashore, and their search for lime- 
stone was exceedingly thorough. Professor George H. Barton 
says that in all his geological explorations and field-work in 
eastern Massachusetts, he has never found a limestone deposit 
of any size which had not been worked in former days. 

"These old quarries are rich in the variety of minerals which 
they contain. At Bolton may be found actinolite, allanite, 
apatite, boltonite, calcite, chondrodite, petalite, phlogopite, 
pyroxene, sahlite, scapolite, spinel, and titanite, and other rarer 
minerals. Many of these may be found in Chelmsford, which 
also possesses a mineral of its own, a variety of wernerite called 
chehnsfordite, and amianthus is also found there. Some geologists 



662 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

think they have found in the Chehnsford limestone the fossil of 
the earliest form of life, the eozoon canadense, while others 
vigorously oppose this view, and declare the supposed fossil to 
be nothing but a minute discoloration in the stone. Whatever 
it may be, it is clearly perceptible as a small green speck or stain 
imbedded in the white limestone." 



Two early industries are mentioned by Mr. Perham: 

In 1673 (Feb. 3d), the following action was taken by this 
Town: "the day above, by a major voatt was granted to farther 
the Iron-works that they shall have for 2d. a cord leave to cutt 
wood acording to former agreement." There is no further record 
in regard to iron-works at so early a date. It probably refers to 
works near the outlet of Forge pond, then in Groton. 

The people in the east part of the Town were accommodated 
by a grist-mill upon the Concord river at what is now North 
Billerica. The following vote refers to the mill at that place: 
"7 of March, 1721-2. Voted that the Selectmen in the name of 
the Town Petition to the Hond General Court that Mr. Christopher 
Osgood's mill Dam may be speedily erected again." Osgood's 
grant from the Town of Billerica was in 1708. 

In 1794 a map or plan of the Town was made from a surv^ey 
by Frederick French. From this map it appears that there were 
at that time two sawmills and one corn-mill on the Merrimack 
river at Pawtucket falls ; one sawmill and one set of iron-works 
on Concord river near its mouth; one sawmill on the canal 
near where it emptied into the Concord river; one clothier's 
mill ; one saw- and grist-mill upon River Meadow brook : these 
were all within the limits of the present City of Lowell. A grist- 
mill and sawmill are shown upon Stony brook, at what is 
now North Chelmsford; a grist-mill on Beaver brook at the 
centre of the Town, and one on Great brook (then the Adams mill). 

Hale's clothier's or fulling mill, built in 1790, stood just below 
where Gorham street crosses River Meadow brook. The other 
mills on this brook were above Gorham street. The iron -works 
mentioned were carried on by John Ames and John Fisher, and 
were situated on the Concord river at Massick falls, near Ames 
street, which was named for John Ames. His son, Nathan P. 
Ames, according to Mr. H. S. Perham, introduced many improve- 
ments in the works. Allen says: "hoes, and shovels are manu- 
factured, and various kinds of curious work done and irons for 
machinery cast." N. P. Ames possessed great mechanical skill, 
an enterprising spirit and an inventive talent of high order. In 
1829 he removed to Chicopee. 

There was a bridge over the Concord at the iron-works, and 
an old road, which lead from Tewksbury, may still be traced 
running to it from the junction of Rogers and High streets. The 
bridge and adjacent buildings were burned, probably about 1820. 



MANUFACTURING 663 



THE CENTRE VILLAGE. 



As has been elsewhere noted, Chelmsford has always been in 
the main an agricultural town, with a few stores, blacksmith 
shops, saw- and grist-mills, and other industries, like Marshall's 
woodworking shop, commonly found in such communities. Of 
late years, there have come into being a ntmiber of greenhouses, 
and market gardening is a growing industry. The Chelmsford 
Directory gives the names of 131 farmers. The oldest settled 
part of the Town, Chelmsford Centre, is now fast becoming a 
place of residence for people who have their business or employ- 
ment in Lowell, and many attractive houses have been built. 
The distance is traversed by the steam cars in eight minutes, and 
by the trolley cars in twenty minutes to the B. & M. Station in 
Lowell. Express trains nm between Lowell and Boston in thirty- 
eight minutes. 

The opening up of new residential districts, such as the 
Homestead and the Westlands, in the Centre Village indicates 
the character of its development. 

The history of manufacturing at the Centre Village is brief. 
In 1887, a brick two-story machine shop was erected by Mr. 
John B3/iield, for the manufacture of knitting machinery. Busi- 
ness was commenced in January, 1888, under the name of the 
Byfield Manufacturing Company. Mr. Byfield withdrew from 
the firm, and occupied the upper story for the manufacture of 
knit goods, under the name of the Beaver Manufacturing Com- 
pany. 

This building was burned in 1893. In 1901, the Chelms- 
ford Spring Company rebuilt the structiu"e and used it for 
manufacturing Ginger Ale and other such beverages. The build- 
ing was again burned in 1912, and replaced by a modem fireproof 
structure of reinforced concrete. C. G. Armstrong is no'w the 
sole proprietor, and has built up a growing and prosperous business. 
Eben R. Marshall has a sawing and planing mill in the Centre 
Village. 

About 1840, a Mr. Butterfield owned the blacksmith's shop 
at the Centre. In 1842, N. P. Dadmun and Eben H. Marshall 
owned it. It has since been operated by John Wosencroft, Wil- 
kins, David Policy, Henry Hanson, George M. Wright and F. W. 
Santamour. 

In 1845, Mr. Marshall built a shop at the comer of South 
street and Warren avenue, which was enlarged by his son, Eben 
R. Marshall. It was burned in 1893, and the same year the 
present shop was built on the same lot, where all kinds of house 
finish are turned out. 

F. J. Whittemore has a carriage manufactory and repair shop. 
Nearly forty years ago an attempt was made to manufacture glass 
on the Homestead, which proved not to be a success. Specimens 
of the work done there, such as paper weights of varied hues, are 
preserved as souvenirs. 



664 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

A business closely related to the fanning interests has been 
the manufacture of cider vinegar. David Perham began to make 
a specialty of that in connection with his farming in 1840. The 
business constantly increased. In 1872, he sold to his son, Henry 
S. Perham, of the seventh generation from John Perham, who 
first settled upon this farm in 1664. From 3,000 to 5,000 barrels 
of cider are made annually from apples brought to the mill from 
this and adjoining towns. About 20,000 barrels of apples are 
now made into cider at this mill. Walter Perham succeeded his 
father, Henry S. Perham, who died in 1906. The late Israel 
Putnam was also largely engaged in this business. The Perham 
Farm Vinegar is made by the natural process, and has a high 
reputation. 

The Eclipse Chemical Manufacturing Company makes 
indelible inks and aniline dyes, with a business of $30,000 or more 
per year. R. B. Barbour is the proprietor. 

Mention is made, on page 52, of a mill on Beaver brook. 

There may still be seen at the bottom of the Paasche lot on 
the north side of the railroad track by the mill pond at the Centre 
Village a wheel pit, and an old sluice-way ninning low on the 
south side of the track. This, no doubt, belonged to the Parker 
mill at the upper dam. 

The mill was removed to the lower dam within the memory 
of persons living twenty-five years ago. The entrance to the mill 
at the upper dam was through what is now Bridge street at a 
point just west of Forefathers' cemetery. In the late forties the 
mill was owned by Mr. Roundy. In 1857 Joseph Steams sold to 
George S. Wood, and in 1864 the transaction was reversed. For 
about twenty years the Chelmsford Mill Company, consisting 
of David Perham, Levi Howard, Benj. M. Fiske and E. K. Park- 
hurst, carried on the business. 

David Perham sold the mill to Edwin E. Dutton in 1884. 
He operated it in partnership with his brother Lewis M., until 
1899, when it was sold to H. C. Sweetser. The firm name was for 
some years, Sweetser and Day. George W. Day is now the owner. 
The grist-mill was burned and rebuilt in the early years of its 
ownership by Mr. Wood. 

The Adams mills, on Great brook (see page 35), later known 
as Russell's mills, is still used to some extent as a sawmill. The 
present dwelling house on the property was built in 1816, and, 
with about 100 acres, is owned by H. P. Swift. On the same 
water course, just beyond the present Carlisle line, on the estate 
of J. C. Wetmore, were built by the Adamses about seventy-five 
years later than the former mills, some prosperous mills, almost 
every vestige of which has now disappeared, but about which were 
erected dwellings so numerous as to be called "the city." A 
niimber of cellar holes are still to be seen there. There was also, 
on an adjacent hill, a stone structure known as the "fort," where 
the people repaired on an alarm of an expected attack by the 



MA N UFA CTURING 665 

Indians. At the old mill site there is a fall of water of twenty feet 
or more, and the old sluice-way and remains of the water wheel, 
with the surrounding scenery, make it a romantic spot. Mr. 
Wetmore's deed includes the right to use the water for power. 
[For other early industries see pages 483 to 491.] 

THE NORTH VILLAGE. 

The early mills at North Chelmsford are described in Chapter 
I. Waldo's mill must have been erected earlier than 1695, for in 
a deed from Thomas Hinchman dated Dec. 2, 1692, of land lying 
upon Stony brook, one line runs "to Stony brook a little below 
the place where Mr. Dl. Waldo's mill first stood," the "place 
called Suneanassitt." [Note in Mr. Perham's copy of Allen.] 

Referring to an account of the grist-mill, quoted on page 
52, Allen says fiirther: Other improvements deserve notice. 
The run of stones designed principally for com has a small fanning 
wheel, fixed near the mouth of the shoe, to which motion is com- 
municated by a band from the stone, and which impels a current 
of air against the grain, as it falls into the eye of the stone, and 
blows ofiE chaff and other light substances. The bottom of each 
of the shoes of the other runs of stones is a tin sieve, through which 
fall sand, sorrel seed and other impurities in the grain which is to 
be ground. These improvements deserve the attention of all 
millers. 

The Merrimack Manufacturing Company bought this mill 
to secure the right of fiowage by the erection of the dam at Paw- 
tucket falls. It was sold by the Merrimack Manufacturing 
Company to the Locks and Canal Company, who leased it to 
different parties until 1839, when it was sold to Lincoln Drake. 
In 1842, Lincoln Drake sold to Charles Blood. In 1845, Charles 
Blood sold one-half to William Swett, who, in 1848, sold 
his half to Joel Paige. In 1861, Edward Lamson, J. E. Rogers 
and Warren C. Hamblet bought the mill. From 1695 to 
this time the privilege had been used for grinding grain and 
sawing lumber. Between the years 1863 and 1868, the sa^vmill 
was taken out, an additional story put on the sawmill building 
and the mill utilized for grinding and storing grain for a grain 
store in Lowell. 

A spice- and drug-mill was also introduced, where drugs were 
ground for J. C. Ayer & Co., for the compounding of their medi- 
cines. Large quantities of gypsum were ground at one time 
during their occupancy of the mill. For a short period a portion 
of the room was occupied in the manufacture of worsted yam by 
Sharp & Axtell. Later the mantifacture of hosiery was carried 
on for a time. 

In 1868 James C. Dodge bought the mill, and in 1871 sold 
one-half his interest to John G. Sherburne, using it largely for 
milling purposes in connection with a grain and flour store kept 
by them in Lowell. 



666 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

From 1872 to 1882 the premises were occupied by Gray, 
Palmer & Pendergast, for the manufacture of shoddy, who turned 
out some 250,000 pounds of shoddy a year, being very successful 
financially until the dissolution of the partnership in the latter 
year. After the removal of the shoddy business in 1882, the mill 
remained practically idle, the buildings going to decay and the 
dam rotting and being washed away, until 1887, when Mr. George 
C. Moore bought the privilege, and in 1888 tore down the old grist- 
mill part, and in 1889 removed the last of the dam, building a 
substantial wall on either side of the brook from the bridge to 
the original site of the dam, using them as abutments for a railroad 
bridge, and occupying the remaining building for storage purposes. 

In the foregoing account of Early Mining Operations is 
recorded the development of the iron industry by William Adams 
and others, until the organization of the Chelmsford Foundry 
Company. 

In 1888 a shop, eighty by forty-four feet, and two stories 
high, was erected in connection with their foundry for the finishing 
and fitting up of their cast and wrought iron work. An addition, 
sixty by thirty feet, one story high, was erected in 1890. They 
also occupied a shop in Boston and another in Cambridge for 
the same purpose. In their foundry and shops, in the several 
places, they employed about 150 hands. From 1825 many heavy- 
castings were made for the mills erected in Lowell, Nashua and 
Manchester, especially in the line of heavy gears, until the burn- 
ing of their pattern-house in 1875. 

The stone-ore, pig-iron, hard coal, sand and other materials 
used in a foundry were brought from Boston to North Chelmsford 
in canal-boats, by way of the Middlesex Canal and Merrimack 
River, till 1853, when the canal was given up. The boats were 
"poled" up from the head of the canal into the pond below the 
grist-mill dam, and the freights transferred to carts and conveyed 
to the places of their use. Castings were frequently sent to 
Boston by the same route. 

Mr. E. D. Bearce and Mr. H. W. B. Wightman were prom- 
inent in the management of this industry. 

The Chelmsford Foundry Company went out of existence 
in 1913. October 11, 1912 was the last day they poured. 

In this account free use has been made of Mr. Perham's 
sketch in the History of Middlesex County. 

Swain's Machine-Shop. — In 1867 Mr. Asa M. Swain, having 
purchased the site of an old saw-mill on the road leading from 
North Chelmsford to Dunstable, built a substantial dam across 
Blodgett's Brook (called in the early history of the town Deep 
Brook), and erected a shop, 80 x 43 feet, one story high, for the 
manufacture of a first-rate water-wheel, invented by himself, 
and known as Swain's turbine-wheel. This shop was run about 
ten years, affording work at one time for twenty men. It was 
given up about 1877, and came into the possession of Dr. Simpson, 



MA N UFA CTURING 667 

remaining unoccupied till 1889, when it was taken down and the 
lumber removed. This shop was known as the Wickasauke 
Works. Its ruined foundation still remains. 

Baldwin Mill. — A mill was erected for the manufacture of 
worsted yam and carpets in 1841, and a company was afterwards 
organized as the Baldwin Manufacturing Company, which was 
very successfully operated for several years, until near the close 
of the war, when, with many similar companies, they failed. 

The property came into the hands of Mr. G. H. Sheldon and 
remained idle for some time, until he sold it to Mr. George C. 
Moore, who uses it in connection with his business. 

Moore's Mill.— In 1872, Mr. George C. Moore, then a young 
man, bought of G. T. Sheldon the old foundry on the northerly 
side of the passage-way leading from the Lowell road to the old 
turnpike, near the brook, with the water privilege, except certain 
rights previously sold and certain rights reserved by Mr. Sheldon. 
Machinery was put in and wool-scouring was at once commenced. 
In 1875 he erected a brick mill, 100x70 feet, three stories high. 
A part of the building was rented to Mr. Richard Rhodes for 
the manufacture of worsted yam, and wool-scouring was carried 
on in other parts. Oct. 25, 1875, this new mill, just completed, 
together with the old foundry boarding-house, foundry carpenter's 
shop, ware-dressing shop, pattem-shop and counting-room was 

burned. 

A temporary wooden building, 100x40 feet, one story high, 
was soon erected and wool-cleansing restimed. In 1877 a new 
brick mill, 220x70 feet, one story high, was erected, covering the 
temporary wooden building, so that wool-cleansing was not 
intermpted during the rebuilding. 

In 1885 an additional brick building, 140x76 feet, two stones 
high, was erected at the easterly end of the one-story building. 

In 1888 a second story of brick, 120x70 feet, was put on to 
the easterly end of the one-story building, and a brick building, 
45x56 feet, two stories high, was added to the easterly end of the 
mill, for a machine-shop and a carpenter's shop. The lower story 
of the two-story mill, 260x76 feet, was used for sorting and 
drying wool, and carding and combing wool. The second story 
was used for spinning worsted yam and for a counting-room. 

In 1890 the old walls of the westerly end of the one-story 
building were tom away, and a new building, 100x70 feet, three 
stories high, erected, to increase the facilities for cleansing wool. 

The worsted mill about 1890 was producing 16,000 lbs. of 
worsted yam per week, mostly from camel's hair. It had facilities 
for cleansing 30,000 lbs. of wool a day. The pay-roll contained 170 
names. On January 19, 1909, this building was partially bumed, 
but it has been rebuilt. 

Today, 1915, twenty-five million pounds of wool are scoured 
annually in the scouring-mill of Mr. George C. Moore, who owns 
all the water privilege from North Chelmsford to Graniteville, 



668 kHISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

seven miles, including sixteen hundred acres. He owns half of 
Forge pond, which he raised three feet at a cost of $35,000. He 
also owns Nabnasset and other ponds. The power on this water 
way has been increased four times in thirty years. Mr. Moore 
raised a mile of the Stony Brook Railroad six feet and profited 
thereby four times the cost in the increased height of the water. 
Mr. Moore owns more than eighty tenements in the North Village. 

The North Chelmsford Machine & Supply Company, for- 
merly the Silver & Gay Co., and at one time, known as Gay, Silver 
& Co., claims to be the oldest established industry in the Town of 
Chelmsford, and, as such, merits an extended notice. 

Established in 1832, it has continued in operation ever since. 
The first authentic record of transfer is recorded in the South 
Middlesex registry at Cambridge, book 332, page 130 under 
date of May 22, 1834. 

This deed sets forth in detail that Lincoln Drake, of Easton, 
"in consideration of the stim of $4,000.00 before the delivery hereof 
well and truly paid by Ira Gay of Dunstable in the county of 
Hillsborough in the state of New Hampshire, Gentleman, the 
receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, have given, granted 
bargained and sold, and by these presents do hereby give, grant 
bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff, convey and confirm unto the said 
Ira Gay his heirs and assigns forever, the several pieces of land, 
buildings, water power, and rights of way hereafter described, 
lying and being in the Town of Chelmsford in the County of 
Middlesex which were recently a part of the estate of Shepherd 
Leach, late of said Easton, Gentleman, deceased." 

The deed then proceeds to describe in legal terms the Machine 
Shop, Air Furnace and other details about the property, and 
stipulates that with the real estate is included, "also a water 
power sufficient to carry 1,000 spindles such as are now used in the 
Hamilton Mills at Lowell for spinning cotton yam nimiber fourteen 
with the requisite machinery for converting cotton into cloth 
running at the same speed as those spindles and that machinery 
now run which water shall be taken from the canal conducting 
the water to Drake's Furnaces," etc., etc. 

In 1838, a deed from Lincoln and Caroline Drake, signed, 
sealed and delivered in the presence of Daniel and Caroline 
Belcher as witnesses before Ebenezer Adams, Esq., conveyed to 
Ziba Gay of Nashua "three undivided fourth parts of several 
pieces of land together with water power and rights of way over 
the road between the Middlesex Turnpike and the road leading 
from Adams' Tavern to Lowell." 

In 1841 Ziba Gay deeded to Harvey Silver "one undivided 
half of all the lands, buildings, water power, rights of way, etc., 
included in the previous deeds to said Ziba Gay." 

Under date of Dec. 13, 1859, there is recorded a deed from 
Stephen Fairbanks to Harvey Silver of "one undivided fourth 



MA N UFA CT URING 669 

part" of a piece of land "upon which the machine shop, so called, 
stands." This deed contains the same provision previously 
noted in regard to power sufficient to drive 1,000 spindles, etc. 

On December 26, 1859, "in consideration of $15,000 to me 
paid by Ziba Gay, Jr., of Chelmsford," Ziba Gay of Nashua 
deeded to the said Ziba Gay, Jr., "one undivided half of all and 
singular the several parcels of land, buildings, water power, rights, 
easements, privileges, goods, fixtures and chattels, known and 
described as the 'Machine shop and Air furnace.' " This deed 
contains a clause referring to "The right granted me in the said 
deed (of one Seth Williams) to use and occupy in common the 
Railroad side track for the purposes for which it was designed." 

In 1892, Mary E. Gushing and Edward H. Silver deeded 
"one undivided half of all the machine shop property" to Ziba Gay. 
This deed refers to the property as the Machine Shop and Air 
Furnace, and also contains the provision that the amount of water 
used shall be sufficient to drive 1,000 spindles such as were used 
in the Hamilton Mills in 1838, together with the requisite machin- 
ery for converting cotton into cloth at the same speed as then run. 

In 1898, the entire property was purchased by George C. 
Moore, who operated it under the name of "The North Chelmsford 
Machine Co." until February, 1905, when it was incorporated 
together with the North Chelmsford Supply Co., a manufacturing 
company organized in 1897 for the purpose of manufacturing 
leather belting, leather comb aprons, brushes and general mill 
supplies, also owned by George C. Moore, under the name of the 
North Chelmsford Machine & Supply Co. 

The corporation was capitalized at $50,000.00, with George 
C. Moore, treasurer, H. Stanley Crysler, president, and Henry 
Woods, secretary. 

April 27, 1901, the old building was partially destroyed by 
fire. The burned portion has since been replaced by a more 
modern building better suited to the needs of present day manu- 
facturing. The output of this corporation has a wide distribution. 
In almost every state in the union, where textile manufacturing 
is carried on to any extent, may be found machines made in this 
shop. Their machines are in use today in Venezuela, Scotland, 
Ireland and Canada, as well as in the United States. 

The principal articles manufactured at present are automatic 
ball winders, yarn quillers, jack spooling machines, reels, wool 
scouring machinery, wool openers, leather belting, roll covering 
leather for worsted, jute and flax mills. Steel fallers for the 
same trade, worsted comb aprons and brushes and special 
machinery of any kind to drawing or pattern. 

This shop was one of the first, if not the very first in 
America to manufacture worsted yam machinery. Some of the 
spinning frames built here are still running, and from all outward 
appearances are good for many years more. 



670 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The automatic ball winder for winding twine, yam, silk, etc., 
was originated and perfected here, and by far the largest part 
of all the material outside of binder twine and tarred twines used 
in this country are being wound on Silver & Gay bailers. 

They were the originators of, or at least among the very first 
to make, machinery for the manufacture of split pins, or cotter 
pins, and many samples of the work they did in this line are still 
to be seen at the shop. Among many other machines originated 
or perfected at this shop, may be mentioned the following: Bolt 
cutters, baling presses, bundling machines, doublers, drills, 
dynamometers for measuring power. One of these machines is 
used by the United States Government for measuring and determin- 
ing the amount of power transmitted in the various shops at 
Annapolis. Also hydraulic presses and pumps, gear cutters, 
Jacquard looms for the weaving of carpets, engine lathes, planers, 
pickers, openers and lappers, roll covering machines, saw mills, 
slabbers, yam twisters, skein winders, wire winders and many 
other kinds of machinery are made here. 

The present buildings consist of a three-story brick main 
building with three-story wooden wing, and one-story boiler house 
with forge shop attached, also a pattern shed and pickling house 
of wooden construction. 

The business employs between fifty and sixty men, and has 
run with very little interruption and no serious trouble since its 
beginning in 1832. 

The Silesia Mills, belonging to the United States Worsted 
Company, is the largest establishment in Chelmsford, and has 
twenty-five acres of floor space. George C. Moore sold this 
plant to the Moore Spinning Company for $1,600,000 about the 
year 1902. They sold it in 1912, to the United States Worsted 
Company for $3,000,000. 

The Wm. P. Proctor Company was organized as a corporation 
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1905, 
and piu-chased the site of its present plant on the north side of 
Middlesex Street, in North Chelmsford the same year. 

It began building operations in the fall of 1906, but it was 
about two years before the plant was put into active operation, 
employing about twenty-four men. At the present time, 1915, 
about seventy-five hands are given employment by this corporation. 
It manufactures box shooks and house finish, and deals in all kinds 
of building material, wood and kindlings. It is also equipped for 
sawing logs. 

The Stanhope Manufacturing Company make tinsel yams 
and binding twines, lace yarns and crochet cottons. 

Chelmsford has good railroad facilities. The New York, 
New Haven & Hartford (Old Colony System), runs through 
South Chelmsford and the Centre, connecting at Lowell with the 
Boston & Maine. The double track line of the Boston & Maine 
Railroad from Boston to Concord, N. H., skirts the shores of the 



MA N UFA CT URING 671 

Merrimack river, with a station at North Chelmsford. The Stony- 
Brook Branch serves the people of West Chehnsford, and connects 
at North Chelmsford with the main line. A private track runs 
to the big granite quarries of H. E. Fletcher & Co., at West 
Chehnsford. Upwards of two miles of side tracks serve the 
various manufacturing industries located at North Chelmsford, 
mostly on the Stony Brook road. About 700 cars per month are 
used in receiving and forwarding the commodities of manufacture- 
A business of less than $1,000 a month in 1890 has grown to 
$12,000 per month at the present time. The Bay State Street 
Railway has a double track from Lowell to North Chehnsford^ 
where connections are made for Ayer and Tyngsborough. 
Another line runs to Chehnsford Centre. 

About the year 1900, the principal industries of North 
Chelmsford were George C. Moore's mills, where wool scouring 
and spinning woolen yams were employing probably 300 hands; 
the Chelmsford Foundry Co., conducting a business in heavy 
ornamental cast and wrought iron for building purposes, employing 
about 100 hands, and the Silver & Gay Machine Shop, manu- 
facturing textile machinery, such as spinning frames, loopers, 
ball winders, etc. 

The electric car line connecting the village with Lowell had 
been in operation five or six years at that time, and this connecting 
link was beginning to make a change in the conditions of life in 
the village from what it had been for years past, for the industries 
had depended largely upon the local residents for employees. 
The accessibility to the city through the improved means of trans- 
portation has caused the village to grow rapidly in manufacturing 
and residential buildings. 

Within the last sixteen years, many changes have taken place 
in all lines of public activity. Moore's Mills have changed 
hands, and are now called the Silesia Mills of the U. S. Worsted 
Co. The former owner, whose name the mills bore, George C. 
Moore, has erected new mills slightly up stream on the Stony 
Brook Railroad, principally for wool washing and spinning. 
Part of this mill has been occupied for six or seven years by the 
Lowell Textile Co., which manufactures towels. 

One industry which is of considerable importance to the 
village, is that of the Boston Ice Co., which has ten or twelve 
large ice houses which it fills from Crystal lake, giving employ- 
ment to hundreds of hands for a short time each winter, with 
steady shipping during the simimer months to the Boston market. 

Many improvements have taken place in the village con- 
ditions within the last few years, the State Highway known as the 
Princeton Boulevard from Lowell, having been completed and 
connected with the New Hampshire State Highway, makes this a 
main artery for automobiles traveling north to the White Moun- 
tains and other points of recreation. 



672 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The proposed State Highway along South and North (or 
Centre) streets through the Centre and North Villages will make 
a direct route from Boston to New Hampshire. 

THE SOUTH VILLAGE. 

The South Village is a quiet farming hamlet, not unlike many 
in New England, with church and school and store, whose stillness 
is broken only by the locomotive. D. P. Byam manufactures 
sleighs and sleds. For an account of the manufacture of the first 
lucifer matches see page 595. 

The Daniel Gage Ice Company has ice houses at Heart pond. 

THE EAST VILLAGE. 

The East Village seems to be absorbed into the City of Lowell, 
yet, unlike the city, it has no manufactories. 

THE WEST VILLAGE. 

Ninety years ago, there were only three houses in West 
Chelmsford, including Westford Comer. One street ran through 
it from North Chelmsford to Westford. The nearest way to 
the Centre Village was by a bridge across Stony brook near Brook- 
side. 

Soon after 1820, Deacon John Farwell from Fitchburg, an en- 
terprising scythe maker, with an old-fashioned family of smart boys 
and girls, rented the Farrar house, one of the three mentioned, 
bought land and the water privilege upon Stony brook, built a 
factory, and carried on a lucrative business for about twenty years, 
making scythes. He and his son each built a dwelling house, as did 
George Messenger, one of Farwell's employees. Elias, brother 
of George, a brick mason, built his house of brick. The village 
was known as Farwell, until after the building of the railroad, 
and it was also called Scythe Factory Village. 

From 1,500 to 2,000 dozen scythes were turned out annually, 
from which was realized from $15,000 to $20,000. In the spring 
of 1844, Deacon Farwell gave up the business to his sons and son- 
in-law, who, two years later, sold the real estate to Lincoln Drake 
of North Chelmsford, and removed the machinery to Fitchburg. 
Drake sold to F. T. Sawyer, who sold a half interest to Christopher 
Roby. Roby, Sawyer & Company refurnished the plant and 
manufactured scythes. 

The factory was destroyed by fire, but was soon rebuilt. In 
1853, Mr. Sawyer retired, and the business was then conducted 
under the name of C. Roby & Co. The market for these goods was 
largely in the Southern and border States, and when the war 
broke out, in 1861, this company found their trade destroyed, 
and, in addition to that, suffered the loss of most of their goods 
which had been shipped during the previous winter. 




PLAN OF CHELMSFORD CENTRE IN 1856 



>^^-'''^^^s^^-MbL 




No. 40 THE i;keat klm at the putnam farm, chelmskokd centre. 

SEE page 698 



MA N UFA CT URING 673 

The company now ceased to manufacture implements of 
peace, and proceeded to furnish implements of war. They 
manufactured swords and sabres until 1865, when the company 
closed up its affairs. 

The Hiscox File Company purchased the scythe works, and 
engaged in the manufacture of files and machine knives. They 
discontinued business about 1888. 

In 1830, a dam was built above the scythe factory pond by 
Mr. Nathan Oliver, assisted, perhaps, by his brother, Samuel 
Oliver, of Lowell. They sold the water power and land to the 
"Chelmsford Company," by which a mill was erected for the 
manufacture of worsted yam. Mr. William Calvert was the 
superintendent for several years. When the financial depression 
of 1857 came on the mill was closed. After a time, it was purchased 
by Isaac Farrington, of Lowell, who resumed business. It was 
burned, 1863, but was at once rebuilt. Business was continued 
by several parties until 1883, when it was again destroyed by 
fire, and was never rebuilt. The last operators of these mills, 
called the Eagle Mills, were T. H. Tyler and his successor, 
M. L. Heery. 

Trains on the railroad through West Chelmsford began 
running July 4, 1848 ; soon afterwards, a post office was established, 
relieving the citizens from the inconvenience of going two miles 
to North Chelmsford for their mail. John Goss, road-master 
on the Boston and Lowell Railroad, was the first station agent. 
Captain C. Roby, Frederick T. Sawyer, associated with him in the 
scythe business, and William Calvert, of the Chelmsford Woolen 
Mills, were active in having the post office established, and the 
name of the place was changed to West Chelmsford. David 
Simons was the first postmaster. In 1852, Captain Roby was 
appointed postmaster, and continued in that office for thirty-four 
years. 



CHELMSFORD GRANITE. 



The H. E. Fletcher Company's quarries have furnished 
granite for the First National Bank of Boston, part of the Albany 
State Capitol, about twenty stories of the Bankers' Trust Company 
building in New York City, for the Camden Court House in New 
Jersey, for the Presbyterian church in Savannah, Georgia, for 
the base and approaches to the post office at New Orleans, for 
the Frick mansion, and many other residences on the North 
Shore, for the lower story of the new wings of the State House in 
Boston, and also many miles of curbing and paving for New 
England towns and cities. The granite for the lower portion of 
the Forsyth Dental Infirmary in Boston also came from these 
quarries. 



674 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

From Geo. P. Meirill's "Stones for Building and Decoration:" 

"It was not, however, until early in the present century that 
granite began to be used at all extensively in and about Boston, 
when the material was introduced in considerable quantities by 
canal from Chelmsford, thirty miles distant. It was from Chelms- 
ford stone that was constructed in 1810 the Boston Court-house; 
in 1814 the New South Chiu"ch; and about the same time the 
Congregational house on Beacon street; the old Parkman house 
on Bowdoin square; University hall in Cambridge; and in 1818-19 
the first stone block in the city, on Brattle street." 

It is stated in the "Fletcher Genealogy" that Gardner 
Fletcher, in 1822, engaged in the stone business in Chelmsford, 
which he carried on successfully for twenty years. He furnished 
the columns for Quincy Market in Boston. 

In 1837, there were seven air furnaces in Chelmsford, and 
one glass manufactory; the product of the latter was valued at 
$30,000. There were thirty hands employed; one scythe manu- 
factory, having a capital of $10,750, and employing twelve hands, 
one machine shop employing twenty hands, one hat manufactory, 
producing hats valued at $32,500. The population was 1,613. 

The following occupations are represented in Chelmsford, as 
shown in the directory: 

Architect, 1; Automobile Repairing, &c., 4; Bankers, 3; 
Binding Twines, 1; Blacksmiths, 4; Boarding Houses, 7; Boat 
Livery, 1; Boot and Shoemakers, 4; Box Mfg., 1; Brick Mfg., 1; 
Builders' Finish, 1; Markets, 2; Carpenters, 14; Carpet Yam 
Mfg., 1; Carriage Mfg., 1; Cattle Dealer, 1; Chemical Mfg., 1; 
Cider and Vinegar Mfr., 1; Clergymen, 8; Coal and Wood, 2; 
Concreter, 1; Contractors, 5; Doors, Sash and Blinds, 2; 
Dressmakers, 6; Druggists, 2; Electrician, 1; Embalmer, 1; 
Express Companies, 3; Farmers, 131; Fish Dealer, 1; Florists, 
1; Funeral Directors, 2; Furniture Mover, 1; Garage, 1; 
Gardeners, 3; General Stores, 6; Grain and Feed, 2; Granite 
Dealers, 6; Groceries, 5; Hotel, 1; Ice, 3; Ice Houses, 2; Insur- 
ance, 1; Junk, 1; Justices, 8; Landscape Gardener, 1; Laundry, 
2; Lime and Cement, 1; Limiber, 6; Machine Mfg. and Repairs, 
1; Market Gardeners, 9; Masons, 2; Markets, 2; Milk Dealers, 9; 
Notaries Public, 5; Nurserymen, 2; Nurses, 5; Leather Belting, 1 ; 
Painters, 4; Physicians, 6; Plumbers, 2; Poulterers, 11; Press 
Bagging Mfg., 1; Printers, 2; Produce, 1; Provisions, 5; Quarry- 
man, 1; Real Estate, 2; Restaurants, 2; Roofers, 3; Saw Mills, 4; 
Sled Mfg., 1; Soda Water, 1; Tailor, 1; Teaming, 6; Tea Dealer, 
1; Tops and Noils, 1; Towels and Crashes, 1; Variety Stores, 7; 
Veterinary Surgeon, 1; Vinegar Mfg., 1; Well Driver, 1; Worsted 
Yams, 1. 



CHAPTER XVI. 
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. 

THE FIRST PARISH. 

FOR an account of the early days of the First Parish, and of 
Mr. Fiske and Mr. Clarke, see pages 15-29, and 65-71. 

Biographies of other early ministers will be found in 
Chapter XIX. 

For an account of the first meeting house, see pages 20 and 47. 

The old meeting house was repaired in 1701-2, but was fast 
approaching a state of decay. Here are some items from the 
Town accounts. 

1701 June ye 3d These are to order you [Comet Nat. Hill] 
the said Treasurer to pay the Townes Depts as foloweth : 
To Comet Hill for nailes and Boards used about the 

meeting Hous £ 0: 3:0:0 

To Comet Hill for Drink 0: 1 :2:0 

To Sargt Samll ffoster for the Decense of ye meeting 

House. [Decence is an obsolete word for decency.] 1 :18 :0 :0 
To the Glaziers for mending the glass about the meeting 

house & for nailes 0:11 :8:0 

After Mr. Clark's death, various ministers preached, as will 
be seen from the following: 

1705 June 24 To Lef tenant William Fletcher Town Treasurer 
pray pay thes folowing siuns: 
To Deckon Spaldin for A companig Mr. Stodard To 

Chelmsford and for Keeping ministers horses 5 

wekes 0:10:0:0 

To Comet Hill for Minesters Entertainment at sundrey 

times 1:10:0:0 

To yourself for four jomys tow Ipswitch one to Cam- 

bridg one To Wobom To Acompany Minesters to 

preatch with us 2 : :0 :0 

To Deckon Spalding for mony paid to Mr Broadstreet . 0:12:0:0 

To yourself for mony Lent the Towne : 4 :0 :0 

To Muster Goodhue 17: 0:0:0 

To Leuetenant William Fletcher to entertaining Mr 

Goodhue 5: 0:0:0 

To John perham Senor for pastering Mr Goodhues hors :16 :0 :0 

To Mr hanckkuk 2: 0:0:0 

To Mr cuttler 1 : 0:0:0 

To Mr fox 1 : 0:0:0 

To Mr Thatcher 3:12:0:0 



676 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1700 the Town accounts show this item: 
To Eyeing the Coshin for the pulpet £2 :1 :0 :0 

In 1763, Colonel Stoddard received a vote of thanks for 
giving the Town a "Gushing" and also a ntimber of Psalm books. 
There was a box to lay the burying cloth in; also boxes to keep 
the cushion in, and the Town's stock of powder, &c. Mr. Bridge 
mentions the "paul holders." 

The "burying cloth" is several times mentioned. 

In 1701, Cor. Stephen Peirce, tailor, made a burying cloth, 
and received £0 :2 :6 :0. 

In 1703, there was an article in the Town Warrant to buy a 
burying cloth. 

In 1794, Major John Minott gave SIO to pay for a new 
burying cloth. 

1773, Sept. 2, it was voted to sell all the old Communion 
vessels, flagons, dishes and tankards, and to purchase new ones. 

In 1702, the meeting house was repaired "both withoutside 
to keep out rain and snow, & also withinside such Inlargement as 
may be needful & in perticular a long table from one allee to 
another." 

In 1705, Moses Barron was allowed to build a stable near 
the meeting house. 

The petition "for the meting hous to be sit in the senter of 
the towne" was not granted. A committee was chosen "to draw 
a few lines and send to Mr Thatcher." 

The Rev. Messrs. Goodhue and Thatcher both declined to 
become the minister of Chelmsford. 

The Rev. Messrs. Willard, Brattle and Mather were con- 
sulted in regard to a man for that offlce. Messrs. Esterbrooks, 
Barnard and Broadstreet preached. 

In 1706, there was a day of prayer with the elders of the 
neighboring towns, and a public Town Meeting was held for the 
election of a minister. The Rev. Samson Stoddard was ordained 
July 25 of that year. 

THE MEETING HOUSE OF 1710-12. 

1710. March 30. Voted to build a new meeting house in 
Chelmsford where the old meeting house stands. There was an 
attempt made some years previously to change the location of 
the meeting house to Chestnut Hill, near the geographical centre 
of the Town, which had some advantages, but was not favored 
by a great number. 

Sept. 19. It was voted by the inhabitants of Chelmsford 
an non-concurance to those petitioners that petitioned for the 
removal of the meting house to the Centre or that they may be 
dismist acording to thar pitition. 

It was also voted to choose a committee to consider the 
Bigness of the new meeting house, which it was decided should 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 677 

be "fifty towfoots in Length and forty tow foots in Brodth and 
twenty four foot Between Joynts, 25 foot spar, and a terit to 
hang the Bell in." 

Voted to choos a Comity of five men to drar up proposals 
how the meting hous voted to be bult in chelmsford shall be 
finished and ofred to the toune. Lent. Adams, Sergt. Jonathan 
Richardson, Moses Barron, Ephraim heldreth, Edward Spaulding 
are chose a comity for that purpose. 

Voted a concturence to the Comitys proposalls in all things 
as to finishing the meting hous which we have agreed to build 
in chelmsford except the stepell. 

Committee for carying on the building: Jonathan Richardson, 
Wm. Fletcher, Corprell Wm. Fletcher, Moses Barron, Moses 
Barit Senr. The Town voted to give £330. of money and the 
"ould meting hous" and the raising of a new meting hous, for the 
erecting and finishing a new meting hous, the old house not to be 
defaced until the new be fit to meet in. 

Lieut Adams, Jonathan and John Richardson, Lieut, fletcher 
a committee for letting out and carying on the work, "to be 
raised by the last of June next and to be finished by June come 
twelve month folowing." The money to be paid, ^ at the 
raising and ^ at the finishing of the house. 

Stephen Richardson of Wobum "shall be sought unto to 
be helpfull as to raising our meeting hous with his implements 
proper as to such an employe." The Town stores (military, &c.) 
were removed from the old building when it was demolished. 
To Mr. Hill innholder for the select mens expense and 

the County's expense at thare three severall 

meting about the meeting hous £2: 1 :10 

To Ambrose Swalow for macking 20 spickes and furells 

for Raising the meting hous 0:13: 4 

To Sargent Saml Foster for Deceasencey in the meting 

hous 1:18: 

To the select men for tending the Genorall Cort to 

macke answare to the petitioner about the siting 

the meting hous, &c 2:3:0 

1712 The Town voted that Mr. Stoddard shall have a pue 
for the euse of his family at the Westerle Comer of the meeting 
hous and the said Stoddard relinquisheth his right in the ministerial 
pue. 

Voted that there be an aley from the south Dore of the 
Meeting hous to the Decons Seate. 

Voted that the coving of the meting hous shall be Paid by 
the Town and those that have given by subscription shall have 
thare money again. 

To Mr. Stoddard for the Coving £2:15:3 

To Sundry persons that gave towards the coving of 

which thare is a list 3 : 4 :9 



678 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1712. July 1, the Town accepted the building, and a com- 
mittee was chosen to seat the new meeting house : John Richard- 
son, Sergt. William Fletcher, Capt. Joseph Adams, Ephraim 
Hildreth, Sen., Joshua Fletcher, Jr. 

Voted that the eldest persons shall be seated in the foremost 
seats and likewise that there be a moderate regard to estates in 
seating the meeting house. 
To the Comitys expence to [John] Perhams [innholder] 

that seated the meeting hous £0 : 8 :8 

Dec. 12 It was voted that Col. Tyng, Capt. Bowers, Capt. 
Baron, and Lieut. Jonathan Richardson shall have the Liberty 
and Benefit of making pues in that vacant Roome on the East 
side of the Pulpit in the new Meeting house, to the East window. 

1713. .John Bates shall have Liberty to buld a pue in the 
north-west corner of the Meting hous Provided it Dont Damnifie 
the Aley. 

Capt. Adams made motion for a Pue in the south side of the 
meeting hous. 

1713. To Jonathan Bowers for Mr Roby's preaching £1:5:0 
To William Fletcher for Mr Coton's preaching 1 : 0:0 
To Moses Barron for the hier of Mr Coton's 

horse : 5 :0 

To Jonathan Barit for fetching Mr Coton to 

preach : 5 :0 

1714 . . To Jon. Bradish for mending the glass in the 

meeting house :14 :0 

1719 Stephen Peirce, Senor, and several inhabitants of the 
Neck have liberty to build a stable near the meeting house. Also 
Left. Adams, Ensign Snow, Zach Emery and Thomas Barrett. 

In this meeting house the men sat on one side and the women 
on the other. There was a men's gallery and a women's gallery, 
also men's stairs and women's stairs. Samuel Adams bought 
pew-room in the gallery over the men's and women's stairs. 

June 20. 1729 Voted that the last bell shall be rang exactly 
at ten of the Clock on Sabath day mornings yearly. 

Voted that the time allowed between exercises on Sabath 
dayes be two hours from the furst day of March to the Midle of 
October, and from the Midle of October unto the first day of 
March be one hour yearly. 

1736. Left. Joseph Parker erects a pew in the S. W. comer, 
and another in the S. E. part near the women's door. 

1737. Col. Jonas Clark erected a pew in the meeting house 
near Col. Tyng's pew. 

Voted in Town Meeting that all heads of families direct their 
families to be orderly in their going out of their seats in the meeting 
house on Sabbath days after public worship. 

1738. Mr. Gookin preached five Sundays. Mr. Chandler, 
Mr. Parker, Benj. Bowers and Joseph Underwood also preached 
during Mr. Stoddard's "weakness and inability." His death 
occurred August 23, 1740. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 679 

1740, Oct. 23 was a solemn fast. Committees of the Town 
and Church were appointed to take the advice of the neighboring 
ministers in regard to settHng a new minister. 
Mr. Thomas Bridge was invited to preach. 
The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge was ordained May 20, 1741. 
1753. The meeting house was repaired by clapboarding with 
spHt pine clapboards, new window frames and sashes were made, 
and the house new glazed. Micajah Morrill of Salisbury was 
employed to glaze it, and received for his services £12. 

1755. For three months from April 7, Deacon Ebenezer 
Gould taught the first singing school in Town, and received 
£1.12.0 la\vful money per month. 

1762. An elegant folio Bible was presented to the church 
by Joshua Henshaw, Esq., of Boston, to be read publicly by the 
minister on the Lord's days. It was printed in 1739. If the 
practice of reading the Scriptures publicly should cease by vote 
of said church, the Bible was to go to the minister to be used by 
him and his successors. The Bible was newly bound in 1812. 
1766 To Mr John Robbins providing stones for 

Building the New pound £6.13.4 

To James Dunn for Laying up the Stones for 

the New pound £2. 13 .4 

To Joseph Adams Junr. for Timber for the Gate 

of the pound £0 . 4.0 

1766 To Joseph Adams for hemp to make the Rope 

for the Meeting house Bell £0 . 1.7.3 

To John Barret for makeing a Rope for the Meeting 

house Bell £0 . 1.0.0 

To David Danforth for mending the totmg of the 
meeting house Bell and the Latches of the 

meeting house Doors £0 . 2.4.3 

1768. The town treasurer was to receive 12 shillings for 
the old iron which came off the Top of the 
Meeting house. 
1769 for providing leather to line the Gushing in the 

meeting house £0 . 5.0.3 

1771 To Mr Benjamin Walker for mending a Loock 

to the meeting house door £0.1.0.0 

1776. The Town voted for "Queresters" or "Persons to 
Tune the Salm on Lords Days:" Deacon Ebenezer Goold, 
Mr, Joseph Emerson, Reuben Goold, John Freeland, Jonas 
Pierce, Thomas Davis, John Robbins, William Fletcher, Jr. 
Voted that those persons that are made choice of to tune the 
Salm on Sabbath Days, and others that may be Desirous to Joyn 
in singing may have seats by them selves. Voted that those 
persons made choice of for singing shall have the Liberty of the 
second seat in the front gallary for that purpose. This privilege 
was obtained with difficulty. The people were fearful of dangerous 
innovations. 



680 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In 1777, Thomas Thatcher preached here, and Jonathan 
Smith in 1789. 

In 1779 Ebenezer Gould, Samuel Marshall, Phinehas Cham- 
berlain, and Joel Barrett were chosen to practice reading in the 
meeting house on the Lord's Day between meetings. 

THE MEETING HOUSE OF 1792. 

In 1784, some began to agitate for a new meeting house, and 
plans were drawn. The next year the vote was 73 to 7 in favor 
of the old site. 

In 1789, it was voted in Town Meeting not to have the Town 
"sentered," i. e., not to have the meeting house placed at Chestnut 
hill. 

In 1790, it was voted to build a new meeting house 54 feet 
square. This was changed to 63 by 46 feet, and in 1792 the final 
decision was to have it 64 by 48 feet. There was to be a projection 
12 feet in length and 23 inches wide. The windows in the gallery 
were to be "Simecurcle." There was to be a steeple, and a 
"vain or wheather cock on the top of the speir." The under- 
pinning was to be of hewed stone two feet above the ground. 

While this was building, the meetings were held in the hall 
at the tavern of Oliver Barron. There was to be one tier of 
pews round the gallery, and two rows on each side the broad 
alley, and 52 square pews on the floor, each 6>^ by A.}4 feet in 
size. They were to have bannisters, and were not to be painted. 
The cushion on the new pulpit was covered with baize which 
cost 10 shillings. The whole trimming for the pulpit cost £15. 
It was voted that the Town raise £400 and the old meeting house 
and the pews in the new, except the minister's pew, for building 
the new meeting house. 

1791. Voted, 62 to 45, not to have the new meeting house 
in the center of the Town, i. e., at Chestnut hill. The sum of 
£300 was voted for the new building to be built "on the hill where 
the old meeting house now stands." 

Parson Bridge records in his diary : 1791 , May 15. Preached 
all day but omitted reading by reason of the pulpit being so wet 
after the rain. 

"January 2, 1792. [The Town] Voted to chuse a Committee 
to establish the writing with those persons that shall undertake 
to buld the new meeting house." 

1792. March 11, Mr. Jacob Coggin preached the last two 
Sundays and received £2. 

Mr. Bridge died Oct. 1 of that year and the Town chose a 
committee "to hier preetching for the futer." Among those thus 
engaged were Daniel Marrctt, Alden Bradford, Mr. Kimball, 
and John Tappen. 

1793. The Town voted not to hang the old bell in the new 
meeting house, and £110 was appropriated to "purtich" an 
English bell of seven hundred weight and hang the "saim." 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 681 

The Town voted not to abate the taxes made against the 
Baptists for building the new meeting house. 

May 13, 1793, the Town invited Hezekiah Packard to become 
pastor of the church. In his letter of acceptance, which was 
read to the church and congregation by the Rev. Caleb Blake of 
Westford, he says: "The kindness, hospitality and friendship 
which I have so largely experienced excite and deserve unfeigned 
gratitude, and your invitation presented me by the committee of 
Church and Town I think it my duty to accept. And may he 
who presides over the assembly of the first-bom pour upon us his 
richest blessings, under the cultivation of divine grace may we 
enjoy the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 

Mr. Packard was ordained Oct. 16, 1793, with £200 settlement 
and £100 a year. 

In preparation for the ordination, a committee was appointed 
by the Town to take proper measures that order be kept in the 
meeting house on the day of ordination and that the meeting 
house be secured against "ingury." It was propped. 

It was ordered by the selectmen that Oliver Barron, Town 
Treasurer, should receive out of that part of the Town's money 
that was raised for the support of the Gospel ministry the following 
sums, viz. for two barrels of Cyder he provided for the use of 
the Council at the ordination [of Mr. Packard] £0:15 :0:0 

1796. To Isaac Chamberlain for iron and labour 

he did in fixing waits on the meetinghouse bell 2 : :0 :0 

and for making a fraim to set the crisning bason in ... 0:16:0:0 

1797. The Town appropriated $400 for the support of the 
Gospel ministry. In 1815, the amount was $500. 

The Town voted to give consent to have the meeting house 
bell rung at twelve of the clock in the day, and at nine in the 
evening, at the expense of those who desired it. 

In 1800, the Town voted not to hier a singing school-master. 
An article was read to see if the Town will give any encouragement 
to those persons that are disposed to learn the art of singing, that 
the singing may be carried on in good order in the meeting house. 
At the next meeting $40 was appropriated: the Baptists to draw 
their equal proportion. At that period the singing was congrega- 
tional, and was often very poor and tended not to edification. 

Mr. Packard resigned July 5, 1802, and preached his valedic- 
tory sermon, August 1, from Rom. 15: 1, 2, 3; after that the 
following ministers preached: Perez Lincoln, Elisha Clapp, 
Samuel Veazie, Mr. Stone, Joseph Kidder, Messrs. Sawyer, Mcllen, 
Blood, Thompson, Ballard and Richardson. 

Rev. James Thompson declined the Town's invitation to 
become pastor. 

The Rev. Wilkes Allen accepted a call. The Town gave him 
$333.33 settlement and $500 a year. 

He was ordained Nov. 16, 1803, and his pastorate closed the 
third Sunday in October, 1832. 



682 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

A committee consisting of Mr. Saml. Howard, Genl. Ebenezer 
Bridge and Capt. Jonas Pierce was chosen to confer with Mr. 
Allen about the time of his ordination. 

Another committee consisting of Capt. Josiah Fletcher, Wm. 
Adams, Esq., Capt. John Butterfield, Ichabod Gibson and Capt. 
Jonas Pierce was chosen to cause provision to be made for that 
event, and to prop and secure the meeting house. 

Another committee was chosen consisting of Mr. Azariah 
Spaulding, Lt. Daniel Procter, Mr. Josiah Parkhurst, Lt. Jonathan 
Snow, Capt. Saml. Stevens, Mr. Joseph Spaulding, Lt. Joseph 
Parker, Adt. William Bridge, and Mr. Joseph Warren, Jr., to 
attend the doors of the meeting house and keep order on ordination 
day. Mr. Owen Emerson and Mr. Isaiah Parker were added to 
this committee. 

In 1806, it was voted to enlarge the singers' pew, "so as 
to convenience the instruments." The meeting house was 
painted and new pews built. 

1814. Upon the recommendation of the General Court, a 
resolution was adopted in Town Meeting that all good citizens 
exert themselves to cause all persons to conform to the laws of 
this Commonwealth providing for the due observation of the 
Lord's Day. 

1816. $100 was appropriated for the purpose of singing. 

1818. Major Josiah Fletcher and others requested that a 
meeting house be built in the easterly part of the Town. A 
meeting was appointed to consider it, but only two persons 
attended. 

STOVES. 



1819. Cyrus Baldwin and others desired to have one or 
more stoves with funnels set up in the meeting house at the 
Centre. The article was dismissed. The next year, at the request 
of Moses Hale and others, liberty was granted to place a stove in 
the meeting house in the middle of the Town, under the direction 
of the selectmen as to the place where it should stand, on the 
condition that it be no expense to the Town. In 1822, a stove 
was bought by the Town for the Centre meeting house, and one 
for that at Middlesex Village. Prior to this, footstoves and live 
dogs were used to mitigate the cold in the pews. 

1819. The Town opposed the petition of Phineas Whiting 
and others to be set ofif to the West Congregational Society of 
Dracut, but the next year it was allowed. [See page 475.] 

1820. Horse-sheds, as at present, were built on the site of 
old ones. 

In 1826 the Town appropriated $150 for a singing school 
for the benefit of the three religious societies: the First Parish 
and the Baptists, and the Second Parish at Middlesex Village. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 683 

1828. The First Congregational Society changed Watts' 
Hymns for Dabney's Collection. The former were used part of 
the time for a year, and then laid entirely aside. 

The Town consented to the request of Maj. Joseph Fletcher 
and others to allow the Rev. Wilkes Allen to preach in the northerly 
part of the Town one Sabbath in three, provided he consents 
thereto. 

1829. James Pitts and others put an article in the Town 
Warrant to see if the Rev. Wilkes Allen would exchange with 
ministers of other denominations. The First Congregational 
Society expressed themselves as well satisfied with the course of 
Mr. Allen as to exchange of ministerial labors. 

1830. The Town voted that Mr. Allen be given six Sundays 
off instead of two which he had never taken, but had statedly 
supplied the pulpit for twenty-five years with great fidelity and 
in a manner highly satisfactory to the Society. The Universalists 
were allowed to use the meeting house on these six Sundays — the 
fourth of every other month. 



SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND TOWN. 



1830. The money granted by the Town for the support of 
the Gospel Ministry in the First Congregational Society was now 
to be assessed on members of that Society only. This marks the 
separation of Church and Town. The latter soon ceased to have 
any concern in the support of religion. 

Each religious society took care of its own affairs. 

March 1, 1831, the Parish voted to choose all necessary or 
Society officers distinct from the Town officers and that hereafter 
this society will transact its business in parish or Society meetings. 

They declined to accede to the request of the First Universalist 
Society "that they may occupy the meeting house a portion of 
the time on the Sabbath for public worship." 

The next year they were allowed to use it two Sundays in 
each month. 

Dr. John C. Dalton was chosen clerk; Capts. Otis Adams, 
Caleb Abbott and Alpheus Spaulding were chosen assessors; 
Benjamin Chamberlain was chosen treasurer; Joel Adams, Esq., 
Capt. Caleb Abbott and Maj. Joseph Manning were chosen a 
standing committee. 

Sept. 26, 1831, the Rev. Wilkes Allen declared himself satisfied 
with his last year's salary, $400, and was willing to accept whatever 
the parish felt able to give for the coming year, and would make 
no demands on the parish for Arrearages. 

At a parish meeting, Sept. 22, 1832, the Rev. Wilkes Allen, 
requested that the civil contract existing between him and the 
Society be dissolved. The following letter was read: 



684 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

"Chelmsford, Aug. 20th, 1832. 
To Joel Adams Esq., Caleb Abbott, Esq., Majr. Joseph Manning, 

Gentlemen : 

I have received your note of the first of Augt. informing me 
that you have given permission to the Universalist Society to 
occupy my meeting house the 2d. Sabbath in every month till 
next March to the interruption of the regular worship of our 
society. I improve this occasion to communicate to you, and 
through you to the Congregational Society the result of my long 
and solemn deliberations upon the various circimistances and 
subjects connected with my relations to them as their pastor. 

I duly appreciate the many and unequivocal proofs of kindness 
and attachment to me, which the society have manifested through 
a course of nearly thirty years. I also approve and applaud their 
firm and persevering support of public instructions of religion 
thro the many painful changes which have taken place in the 
Town during that period & under many disheartening circum- 
stances in which the Society has been often placed ! And nothing 
but the hope and confident belief that some other person will 
better unite and be more useful among them could induce me 
to meditate a separation from them. I reflect with pleasure on 
the regular & direct course you have pursued in asserting and 
maintaining the great object of Christianity & on the good spirit 
of forbearance & love & Candor, which has marked all your 
transactions, & I devoutly hope that brotherly love & Christian 
sympathy will be continued among you, & unity of sentiment 
& feeling which have uniformly existed between us will remain 
with us through life, as the pledge & earnest of a better inheritance 
beyond the grave." 

He then refers to his relinquishment of part of his salary 
and to his being called on to pay taxes contrary to agreement, 
and says some consideration should be made, because of his 
giving up his salary and the use of the parish lands, to which he 
had a legal claim for life. The parish agreed to pay him $500, 
i. e., the proceeds of the ministerial lands for three years, and the 
remainder at the expiration of that time. The parish expressed 
regret at his leaving, and resolved that the manner in which he 
had discharged his ministerial labors and duties had been highly 
satisfactory. 

THE GLEBE SOLD. 

March 1, 1834. Voted to sell the Ministerial land. 
Mr. Hayward was to pay $70, one year's rent, for the 
Ministerial land. This land was sold at public auction in April, 
1834, in four parcels. 

To Wm. Fletcher & Son one parcel $408.57 

Amos Carlton " " $401 .05 

Benj. T. Obear " " $161.30 

Azariah Proctor " " $ 89.30 

$1,060.22 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 685 

Rev. Messrs. Hildreth. Eeles and John Lewis Russell sup- 
plied the pulpit. The latter deelined a calh The Rev^ Wm. 
Crews o' Salem accepted Feb. 17, 1836^ He d|cd >n 1838. 
Rev T T Twiss says m his sermon of Dec. ciU, i»' ' • 
For several years previous to 1844, there had been in existence 
* * * the UniversaUst Society. And although this (the 
First Congregational Society) was a Unitarian Congregational 
Surch, hi Unitarian churches of fifty Y-^ ^f ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
little sympathy of feeling or sentiment with the Universa ists, 
and so the churches of these denommations did not affiliate 
Indeed most of the early Unitarian ministers believed and taught 
he doctrine of eternal punishment of the finally impenitent 
and many of the early Universalist ministers believed and taught 
the doctrines of the Trinity and Vicarious Atonement-the 
^Le'ce between them and the Calvinists being this the 
Unfversalists believed that Christ's Atonement wof be universal 
while the Calvinists beheved it would be but partial, ine 
d^tence between the Unitarians and Calvinists was this: 
TlnSSans rSrcted the doctrines of the Trmity and Vicarious 
AtremenlZt agreed with the Calvinists upon the doctrine 

^^ ^'^hf I^rd^LC^a't^'could not conscientiously worsh^ 
togethe?, but after the burning of the meeting ^.f^^^iSste 
two united in building the new meetmg house. The Universalists 
ViTd their services fo? a time in the Academy buildmg. 

Tto were at this time included in the First Congregational 
narish the pSt Congregational Church, the Proprietors of the 
Chelmsford Centre Meeting House, the First Congregational 

^'%l tSLZl^:^tZuLi March, 1842, the meeting house 
was SscoverJd to L on fire, and so far had ^^-^^-^l^^'^^'lf, 
that all attempts to save it were hopeless. The house with all 
ts contents W^^ School library folio Bible Psal-^^^^^^^^^ 
ha^c; viol were destroyed, and the bell melted by the intensity or 
the hea It was bJyond question the work of an i^^^^f ^^^y- 
The neighboring buildings were saved with great difficulty. 

1842 When the present meeting house was erected, the 
Town built a basement of brick, above ground, which was used 
as a Town Hall until the present buildmg was erected m 1879 
The basement cost $1,426:06. This was used also for public 
meetings of various kinds and social gatherings. It was heated 
bv a toe slove. When there was a dance there, the fire was 
alUed fo^tdown, and, with two sticks of cordwood under the 
stove, four men would solemnly march out with it, ^^hlle tne 
orchestra played the Dead March m Saul. 

At Town Meeting, the room was often so full that the men 
had to adjourn to the common in order to Poll the house, the 
ayes standing on one side and the noes on the other. 



686 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



The new house was dedicated April 19, 1843. The Rev. 
Henry A. Miles of Lowell preached the sermon. 

The Proprietors of the Chelmsford Centre Meeting House 
(Eli F. Webster, Amos Carlton, John C. Bartlett and their 
associates), were incorporated in 1843. 

March 21, 1876, the steeple blew down, and was restored at 
considerable expense. A few years ago the steeple was struck 
by lightning, which followed the chain and weight of the clock 
on the interior of one of the columns, which it slightly damaged. 

In 1878, the Union Parish was dissolved — and all its assets, 
claims and liabilities were transferred to the First Congregational 
Society. 

Jan. 16, 1881, the 225th Anniversary of the establishment 
of the First Parish was celebrated. Rev. A. M. Sherman, acting 
pastor, delivered an historical address. 

In 1888, the meeting house was renovated and rededicated. 

In 1903, the Rev. C. A. Allen, grandson of Wilkes Allen, 
preached on the 100th Anniversary of the Ordination of the latter. 

In 1915, the interior was made over in colonial style. 

Otis Adams was clerk of the parish from 1833 to 1870, when 
he was succeeded by Edwin H. Warren, who resigned in 1885. 
The latter was treasurer from 1870 until 1895. Since 1887, 
Joseph E. Warren has been clerk, and treasurer since 1895. 

Miss Sarah L. Putnam was for thirty-one years treasurer 
of the Ladies' Sewing Circle. 

Since the Rev. Wilkes Allen's time, the pastors have been: 
Rev. William Andrews 1836—1838 



Rev. John L. Russell . 
Rev. Darius Forbes 
Rev. Frederick F. Thayer 
Rev. Charles W. Mellen 
Rev. William Morse 
Rev. Russell A. Ballou 
Rev. H. W. Morse 
Rev. Fiske Barrett 
Rev. Frederick W. Webber 
Rev. D. V. Bowen 
Rev. Ezekiel Fitzgerald 
Rev. J. J. Twiss . 
Rev. A. M. Sherman . 
Rev. Daniel F. Goddard 
Rev. Joseph A. Chase . 
Rev. Granville Pierce . 
Rev. A. D. K. Shurtleff 
Rev. L. L. Greene 



1840—1842 
1844—1845 
1845—1847 
1849—1853 
1854—1856 
1856—1858 
1860—1867 
1867—1869 
1870—1872 
1872—1874 
1874—1876 
1876—1879 
1879—1881 
1882—1883 
1883—1891 
1892—1901 
1901—1907 
1907— 



In an address at Dedham, in 1888, George E. Ellis said that 
the theory and practise of Congregationalism, by which the 
churches of Massachusetts were planted, as distinguished from 
Episcopacy or Presbyterianism, was the full and perfect right, 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 687 

under the New Testament pattern (as they understood it) for 
each company of convenient size, covenanted together, to choose, 
institute, and ordain all officers, pastors, teachers, ruling elders 
and deacons needed by them in a congregation or church for 
teaching and ordinances. The parish was the town. The 
church was composed only of members in full communion, and 
became an imperium in imperio. It was not incorporate. 

When the revolt came against the Calvinistic doctrines 
preached in these churches, the year 1815 is a convenient date 
to assign to the separation of the conservative and liberal elements 
in the churches. Channing's declaration of Unitarian principles 
in Baltimore in 1819 was epoch making. From 1817 to 1840, 
the separation went on in local churches. 

In 1818, occurred the famous Dedham case. A majority of 
the church members were Orthodox. The Society — the legal 
voters of the First Parish of Dedham — were, by a large majority, 
Unitarian, and called a Unitarian minister. The Orthodox 
majority of the church withdrew. The question was as to which 
party would hold the property. The Supreme Judicial Court 
decided in 1820 that a church exists only in connection with a 
Society, and in case of a division in the church, only that faction 
which remains in the Society has a right to the use of the 
property. Thus, many of the old meeting houses came into the 
hands of the Unitarians. In some cases, as in the First Parish 
of Chelmsford, the process was slow and the theological transition 
was scarcely perceived by the members. 

The Rev. J. A. Chase, minister of the First Parish, 1883-1891, 
says: "Theologically the parish has experienced no abrupt or 
violent transitions. Liberal from the first, several at least, of its 
first pastors are supposed to have been 'substantially Unitarian' 
in doctrine,* while with the succession to the pastorate of Rev. 
William Andrews, in 1836 (if not some years prior to that date), 
the parish soon became pronouncedly liberal and Unitarian. 
The present parish (1890) embraces a varied constituency, that 
may be roughly classified as Unitarian, Universalist, Materialist, 
Spiritualist, and Agnostic, but, amid all this contrariety of 
opinions, there has been a marked growth of unity and organiza- 
tion." 

THE BELL. 

Feb 1 1680-81 

In town meeting Ther was a voatt past that ther shold bee 
a bell bought for the Towns use and that ther shold bee so much 
lands sould out of the Comon as will purchas the bell and hange 
him in the metting hous that is to say if the towns stock in hand 
will not doe it then to sell land. 

In 1716, the Town voted to pay £7 for building and finishing 
a house for the hanging of the bell 12 feet square and 14 feet stud, 
a good lock and door, and a rope to ring the bell withal. This 

* This statement has been questioned. 



688 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

was to have been similar to the bell house at Lexington, but 
was never built. On consultation with Mr. Snow, of Wobum, 
a carpenter, the plan was changed, and in 1719 it was voted to 
build a "terit" on the meeting house, "with a handsome weather 
cock on sd. terit and a rope to ring the bell withall." £23:3:7 is 
the sum paid to Lt. Jonathan Richardson and John Richardson 
for building the turret with the weather cock; also an "addition 
to building the belfree, 0:3:0." 

The first bell bore the inscription, "1682." This bell served 
in the first and second meeting houses. When the third was built, 
the bell was considered too small, and in 1800 it was bought by- 
Cyrus Baldwin, Esq., who sold it for the use of a school in Tyngs- 
borough. The new bell weighed 7 cwt. and cost £100. [Allen.] 
In 1793, £110 was voted for a new bell and hanging it, for which 
service Ebenezer Gould received the next year £4:16:00. When 
the meeting house burned in 1842, the bell was melted by the heat, 
and a number of small hand bells were made of the metal, some of 
which are still treasured in Chelmsford families. 

The Baptist bell has a low, mellow tone. 

THE BELLS OF OLD CHELMSFORD. 

Deep, and then high! — high, and then deep! 
The bells of old Chelmsford melody keep. 
Deep, and then high — high, and then deep! 
In turn, and in tune, they rejoice and they leap. 

High, and then deep! — deep, and then high! 
As if they were angels, out of the sky — 
High, and then deep ! — deep, and then high ! 
Now, far away off, and now, heavenly nigh. 

Deep, and then high! — high, and then deep! 
The bells of old Chelmsford solemnly sweep. 
Deep, and then high! — high, and then deep! 
The Kingdom a-come to the Sabbath-day's sleep. 

High, and then deep! — deep, and then high! 
As tho' to the hearts of men they did cry, — 
High, and then deep! — deep, and then high! 
"Hope away! 'twill be better than this, bye and bye!" 

Deep, and then high! — high, and then deep! 
The bells of old Chelmsford harmony keep. 
Deep, and then high! — high, and then deep! 
It's joy that they sow, and it's jo}^ that they reap. 

High, and then deep! — deep, and then high! 
O, bells from two steeples, in one divine tie! 
High, and then deep! — deep, and then high! 
O, bells of old Chelmsford, never to die! 

Rev. E. Fitz Gerald. 




HOUSE BUILT BY THE REV. HEZEKIAH PACKARD, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 




.Vo. 41 SOUTH VIEW OF THE TOWN FARM, CHELMSFORD CENTRE 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 689 

DESCRIPTION OF MEETING HOUSE. 

The meeting house which burned in 1842 had three large 
porches, on the south, east and west. These had staircases to 
reach the gallery, which went round on three sides, and above this 
gallery were wall pews. The pulpit was on the north side and the 
singing seats were opposite this. The first row was for the men 
and women singers. There was a men's door and a women's 
door, and the men and women probably sat on opposite sides. 
Next above the singers were the men with fiddles of various sizes, 
clarionets and other instruments, but the fife was not allowed. 
The minister in the pulpit was on a level with the galleries, and 
the sounding board, which was shaped like an inverted umbrella, 
was over his head. There were eight steps to the pulpit, which 
was handsomely furnished with crimson satin damask. A window 
behind it had beautiful curtains. Below the pulpit sat the 
deacons. About 1830, these were Joel Adams, Noah Spalding 
(who always sat in the middle), and Owen Emerson. The stove 
stood in front of the pulpit, and there were two funnels which 
went round the room. The minister was perhaps as much too 
warm as the people were too cold. 

[This information is from a letter of Mrs. Luther Faulkner 
to H. S. Perham.] 

The four meeting houses were all built on nearly the same site. 

Three types of meeting house were erected in New England. 
The first were square log houses, with clay-filled chinks, steep 
thatched roofs, and the beaten earth for floors. Wooden floors 
and lath and plaster were luxuries. We read later of some which 
were "lathed on the inside, and so daubed and whitened over 
workmanlike." 

The second type was a square wooden building, perhaps 
unpainted, with a pyramidal roof, sometimes having a belfry on 
the top, like that at Hingham. 

The third type was that fashioned after the style which 
bears the name of Sir Christopher Wren, and which was the 
prevailing type in meeting houses after the early part of the 
18th century. The Chelmsford meeting houses of 1792 and 
1842 were built in this style. 

The earliest meeting houses, as well as dwelling houses, had 
no glass, but oiled paper, in the windows to admit light. By the 
time that Chelmsford was settled, glass was not uncommon. 
In 1661 was levied "a Toune rate for glass and other dues from 
ye toune £15-01-08." 

In 1699, "To the Glasiers for Glass for the meeting house 
£0-1-8." 

Cotton Mather "found no just ground in Scripture to apply 
such a trope as church to a house for public assembly." Nor did 
he call the Lord's Day Sunday, but Sabbath. 



690 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

This holy day began at sunset on Saturday and ended at the 
same time on Sunday, according to the ancient rule, e. g., the eves 
of holy days — Christmas eve. 

It is, perhaps, a little difficult to understand today the 
intense antipathy of the Puritans against the customs of the 
Church of England, unless one can realize the cruelties which 
religious enthusiasts of almost every name practiced upon those 
who differed from them. 

The Puritans persecuted Baptists, Quakers, English Church- 
men, and others. They came to New England not to establish 
religious freedom as we understand it, but to find a place where 
they themselves might worship as they pleased, to the exclusion 
of all who differed from them. So they banished or imprisoned 
and persecuted, in much the same way in which they had been 
treated in England. 

But they remembered their own sufferings and the cause 
for which they suffered, which was to rid the Church of England 
(which, when they left England, they could still call their dear 
Mother) of all which they called error and superstition. 

So, instead of "church," they said "meeting house"; instead 
of "Simday," they said "Sabbath." In the Chelmsford parish 
records, the meeting house began to be called the church in 1853. 

The theological deductions of Augustine, as adopted by the 
early New England divines, and organized into a theological 
system by John Calvin, were handed down for many decades 
without change or mitigation. These men were honest and 
sincere, bold and inflexible. 

By the early New England settlers, religious exercises at 
funerals were deemed unnecessary, even undesirable. They 
carried their dead reverently and solemnly to the grave and 
stood silently by while it was filled. Prayers over the dead or 
for the dead they could not allow. 

The same was true of the marriage ceremony. Marriage 
was simply a civil contract. There must be no superstitious 
symbols or ceremonies. One of the older Puritans went so far 
as to call the wedding ring "a diabolical circle for the devil to 
dance in." 

In 1646, it was enacted that no person * * * shall 
join any persons in marriage but the magistrate. * * * 

It was not until towards the year 1700 that ministers of 
religion performed the rites. They were authorized to solemnize 
marriages in 1692. Intentions of marriage (the banns) were to 
be published at some public lecture or town meeting or posted 
at the meeting house for fourteen days, and were sometimes 
forbidden. 

Mr. Bridge heads his marriage record thus: Marriages 
recorded, which, though not a proper part of a church record, 
strictly, yet may be satisfactory to some hereafter. 



RELIC 10 US ORG A NIZA TIONS 691 

Allen, page 110, says: 

In 1794 the Covenant was changed and the following, written 
by Mr. Packard, was adopted — "You do now in the presence of 
God and before this assembly profess a sincere belief in the exist- 
ence, providence, and government of an infinitely wise, just and 
good being, who searches the hearts and regards the actions of 
men, and whom we ought to worship and serve. You believe in 
man's primeval innocence, voluntary transgression and unhappy 
fall. You believe that God spake to the fathers by the prophets 
aforetime, and that he now speaks unto us in the Gospel of Christ, 
who is the one Mediator between God and man, and the only true 
way to eternal life. You do humbly confess your sins of every 
name and nature, and implore the benefits of the Spirit's guidance, 
the Son's sacrifice and the Father's mercy. And you do heartily 
desire to give up yourself to God, resolving to deny all ungodliness, 
and to live as the gospel teaches. You commit yourself to the 
care and discipline of this church of Christ and promise to walk 
in communion with it so long as God in his providence shall give 
you opportunity. Thus you believe, resolve and promise." 

The half way covenant was a covenant of persons with the 
church merely for the purpose of obtaining baptism for their 
children without partaking of the communion themselves. This 
was allowed from 1657 to 1803, when it was argued that if true 
saving faith were necessary in a parent to entitle his offspring to 
baptism, and this was all that was required in order to full com- 
munion, there was no reason for excusing them from the com- 
munion. 

The custom of calling for a vote of the church on admission 
of members and of requiring persons to make a confession of 
particular sins was discontinued in 1794. 

Rev. Horace W. Morse records: During my ministry, which 
commenced April 1st, 1860, and closed March 31st, 1867, I 
have used no efforts to gain additions to the church, believing as 
I have, that it was the privilege of every person, whether a church 
member or not, to participate in the communion service, who 
sincerely desired, in such way, to honor the remembrance of the 
Saviour, and to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord 
and Saviour," and I have accordingly always extended a general 
invitation to this effect when I have administered the service. 

During his seven years here, Mr. Morse officiated at thirteen 
weddings and seventy-four funerals. He published a small 
volume of poems, which are not altogether without interest. A 
saying of his, referring to his meagre salary, is sometimes quoted: 
"If you feed on meadow hay, you must expect meadow hay 
sermons." 

Some interesting questions regarding the legal status of the 
Congregational churches in Massachusetts have been raised. 
It has been argued that the Congregational system was not 
established in Massachusetts. The argimient is briefly as follows : 



692 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

The Ptiritans considered their reHgious system as established 
in Massachusetts, and it has been cahed a theocracy, but the civil 
authority was really supreme.* The disposition of property, 
which in England was for the most part under ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction, was here given by the colonists to the civil courts. 
Marriage was a civil contract, entered into before a magistrate. 
No clergyman was allowed to marry people. Divorce was a 
matter for civil rather than church action. Records of births, 
marriages and deaths were kept by civil officers. The observance 
of Christmas and other Church holidays was forbidden, and days 
for Fasting or Thanksgiving were appointed by civil authority. 
A clergyman's status only continued such while he was minister 
of a parish. Ministers were not allowed to hold legislative or 
other important civil offices. The civil government owned the 
meeting houses and determined the salaries of the ministers and 
paid them. The selectmen of a town could stop a child any time 
and examine him in the catechism. The Justices and General 
Court had authority to make decisions in matters of theological 
doctrine. 

According to the Congregational theory, all local congre- 
gations were independent bodies. Apparently the colonists did 
not want the clergy to become a ruling hierarchy. While they 
were allowed to have assemblies for consultation, etc., yet the 
church was to be kept fragmentary, with the control in the General 
Court. All the churches throughout the colony were prohibited 
from organizing and acting as a united body. Article XXI of 
the Church of England says: "General Councils may not be 
gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes." 
So the Synod or convention of all the clergy called for by the 
General Court at the instance of Cotton Mather in 1725 was 
forbidden by the authorities in England as a contempt of his 
Majesty's Prerogative. The secretary of the Lords Justices of 
England sent an official opinion to Lieut. Governor Dimmier, 
in which they blamed him for not notifying the King, who alone 
had power to call a synod or council; and said that such an 
assembly "was against Law, and a contempt of his Majesty's 
Prerogative." 

There was no established church in Massachusetts other than 
the Church of England. What was called the "Standing Order" in 
Massachusetts was not a legal establishment of a church or religion. 

John Checkley had declared that "the Church of England, 
as established in England, and no other, is established in all his 
Majesty's Plantations." The opinion of the Attorney-General, 
the Solicitor-General, and the Lords Justices of England was 
that "they cannot collect that there is any regular establishment 
of a National or Provincial Church there [in Massachusetts], so 
as to warrant the holding of Convocations or Synods of the Clergy." 
[See Slafter's Memoir of John Checkley, pp. 85-95.] 

* See "Was the Government of Massachusetts Bay Colony a Theocracy ? " H. E. Ware. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 693 

However, the Congregational churches were supported by 
a tax levied in the same manner as other taxes. 

The reader must form his own conclusions. 

Parson Bridge did not acknowledge any other Church in 
Chelmsford than the original, of which he was pastor. 

In 1820, Allen, on the title page of his History of Chelmsford, 
styles himself pastor of the Church in Chelmsford. John Park- 
hurst, on the title page of a printed sermon, in 1826, writes himself 
pastor of a Church in Chelmsford; and later of the Baptist Church 
in Chelmsford. 

Parson Bridge records: 

There was a new burying place began in the year 1774 near 
the Baptist meeting house, south end by ye burial of a child of 
one Elisha Rich a baptist teacher, as well as a blacksmith by 
trade, & who was presently ordained, viz. 5th Oct., 1774, over 
the Baptist meeting — so called — 

However I did not look upon myself as called to keep a 
record of ye burials in yt. burying place — so I left off early. 

DISTURBANCE CAUSED BY NEWLIGHTS AND SEPARATES. 

The early New England ministers, like Thomas Hooker, 
John Eliot and John Fiske, had been ordained priests in the 
Church of England. They came to believe, however, that their 
office was not permanent, but that it terminated with the end of 
their pastorate. They did not disown Episcopal ordination, but 
they believed the validity of the ordination had passed away 
when the pastorate ended, and that they must be ordained again 
if they accepted another pastorate. 

Byington says [page 161]: They also, [in accordance with 
the ancient canons of the Christian Church] , limited the functions 
of the pastor by the bounds of his parish. It was provided by 
law, in Massachusetts, that if any minister should preach, or 
administer the Sacraments, outside his own parish, except by 
the invitation of the settled minister of that place, he should 
lose his salary. It was also provided by law, that if any person, 
not a settled minister, should exhort in any parish, without the 
invitation of the pastor, and a majority of the congregation, he 
should be put under bonds of one hundred pounds to keep the 
peace. [The Puritan in England and New England.] 

But, as Allen notes, page 115: Notwithstanding, that the 
rights of conscience might be preserved inviolable, the Constitution 
exempts any man from contributing towards the support of any 
minister, regularly settled, in the town where he lives, provided 
he cannot conscientiously attend on his ministry, and provided, 
also, that there be any other minister of a different persuasion 
on whose ministry he does attend. 

The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, like his compeers, was a college 
bred man, an aristocrat in the social life of Boston and Chelmsford, 
who felt that for the general wellbeing of the church and com- 



694 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

munity he must maintain the high standard of his calling, as well 
as the laws by which it was regulated. Therefore, he and his 
church stoutly opposed the irregular, and, as he judged, the 
illiterate, preaching of lay exhorters. 

In view of these facts, the following records will not be 
surprising. They illustrate a disturbed period in our history. 
While we, who breathe a more peaceful religious atmosphere, 
may smile at them today, they were serious matters to those 
engaged in them. It is by such controversies that principles of 
right are established. 



A BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN CHELMSFORD, 

1741. 



November 4, 1743. 

Whereas of Late ye Chhs. in This Land have bin much 
Infested with Lay Exhorters, and Some ministers who have left 
their own Parishes & Charges, and undertaken To play ye Bishop 
in another man's Diocese, To The great disturbance of Towns & 
Chhs. and to ye breach of Christian Communion, in Such places 
where they have Come; and Whereas This Town and Chh have 
bin sorely disturbed by ye Conduct Of such persons coming among 
us, & preaching & exhorting In private houses — without Consent 
Of ye Stated pastor Of this Chh — 

And Whereas One Pain, a Lawyer belonging To ye Colony 
of Connecticut, hath very lately bin Jntroduced into ye Town 
by John Burge & Gershom Prockter Two of The bretheren of 
This Communion and Jnvited by em and Allowed To Exhort Jn 
their houses; To the offending the greatest part of ye. Chh. 

Therefore at ye motion and request Of Abraham Byam, & 
Peletiah Adam.s, Two Other Brethren, a Chh meeting is Called — 
and accordingly having mett on This day — After Prayer To God 
To Guide & lead us into the things wch. make for Peace — The 
Chh proceeded To Question John Burge & Gershom Prockter 
wth. Respect To this Affair — And They gave The Chh Satisfaction 
by Saying They were Sorry that They had so done, and designed 
not To do so Again — Moreover, Gershom Prockter in Discoursing 
wth. ye Pastor About Pains Coming, and being advised To ye 
Contrary, Said yt Sd Pain should not Come & preach Jn his 
house — Jonas Clark & Sampson Stoddard, two of the Brethren 
Of our Communion, being Witnesses — He Acknowledges his 
fault Jn This Respect also — To the Satisfaction Of chh 

But it appearing To this Chh That Diverse female Membrs. 
had followed Sd. Pain an Exhorter, and an Jlliterate one Too, To 
Westford on ye. Lord's day where they had a Separate meeting — 
It was Judged proper That this meeting be adjourned till Monday 
7th Jnstant, 1 o'clock P. M. accordingly ye meeting was 
adjourned to yt time & ye Sisters warned to appear. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 695 

Novr. 7. 1743. 

The Chh meeting by adjoument, having opened their meeting 
wth. Prayer and The Sisters who have Offended ye Chh appearing 
— viz. Rebecca the wife of Gershom Prockter, Sarah ye wife of 
John Burge, widdow Mary Barrat, Widdow Thankful Foster, 
Elizabeth ye wife of Benja. Barrat, Sarah ye wife Of Jsrael Prockter 
& Sarah Burge, Junr. : The Chh proceeded to question em about 
ye matter — Mary Barrat was discharged fm any Offence In ye 
matter of Pain's exhorting Jn her house because he was Jnvited 
there by her son, a married man, & ye male head of ye family 
without her knowledge. But she with ye Others seemed to 
Vindicate their going after him To Westford on ye Lords day — 
Except Eliza, ye wife of Benja. Barrat & Sarah ye wife of Israel 
Prockter, who gave the Chh Satisfaction By Saying yt they did 
not Justify the thing, and would be more Watchful and To 
Endeavr to do Otherwise for ye future. 

The Others in a Very Audacious manr. Justified Their Con- 
duct. 

Wherefore After much Endeavr To bring em To a sense Of 
their Mis-conduct & mattr. Of grievance to this Chh, & Seeing 
all methods Jneffectual, They dismissed em; and The Chh Agreed 
yt They Should not be admitted To ye Lord's Table until they 
would give satisfaction. Our Sacramt. being putt Off last Sabbath 
on this Acct. it was Thot propr. by the Chh that Jt Should be 
administred next sabbath God willing — and if those sisters or 
Either Of them Should see their follys— and go to ye Pastor & 
make Such Acknowledgmt as he thot. was proper To lay before 
the Chh — if it was so done and The Chh Shod, think it satisfactory 
— it being offer 'd before ye Sacramt was administred — They 
might be Admitted as before — 

Accordingly on Saturday Widdow Mary Barrat, Sarah ye 
wife of John Burge, widdow Thankful Foster & Sarah Burge, 
Junr, Came to the Pastor and left an Acknowledgmt with him 
To be read before the Chh. 

And on The Lord's day — before ye Administration of ye 
Sacrament Of ye Supper it was Read to ye Chh— As Thus We 
acknowledge to 

"this Chh That Jn our late Conduct, we Thot not Of Offending our 
"Christian Brethren, and are sorry That they were offended 
"And do resolve and purpose for the future yt. we will be watch- 
"ful, and take heed lest we do Offend em in this Mattr. again. 

Each of these persons acknowledged it, and the Chh was 
satisfied with this slight acknowledgment, since it was the first 
time they had Offended herein, and out Of a Desire to preserve 
peace. 

June 22. 1747, The case of Mary Stedman was considered. 

"She gave in a Paper containing, as she said, her Reasons, 
wch was read by ye Pastor, and afterward by Deacon Epm. 
Spaulding to ye Chh" 



696 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

To ye Revd. Pastor & Chh in Chelmsford — Revd. & Beloved. 

Having this Opportunity to Lay before you the Reasons 
Why I have Withdrawn from ye Communion in this place I shall 
now Jmprove it. 

1 . Jt is my Real & Solid belief yt God hath in a Very glorious 
Manr. poured out his Spirit upon his pple to Convince & Convert 
them to himself — 

2. Jt is my belief that God, in the Carrying on Of this 
glorious Work did Jmpower Mr. Whitefield, Tennant and Many 
Others Of his faithful Ambassadrs as Jnstruments in his hand to 
Carry on ye Glorious Work, and since it is ye Unhappiness Of 
ye Pastor & Chh in this place to Look upon these Men as Deceivers, 
& ye Work wch. is Carried on by em, to be a piece Of delusion is 
Matter Of great grief to my Soul. Knowing that he yt speaks 
against +'s True Ministers, and ye Work Of his holy Spirit, 
speaks Agt + himself. — 

3. It is my Opinion That Mr Bridge in his Publick preaching 
is much wanting, because he delivers his discourses promiscuously, 
not Dividing the Word aright, giving to each one his portion in 
season. 

4. J Cannot profit by Such Preaching, wch lays me Undr. 
a Necessity to Separate. 

Signed Mary Stedman. 

After eighteen years, on June 18, 1764, she acknowledged 
she had been mistaken, and was sorry, and she was restored to 
the Chh. 

Reasons of Job and Lydia Spaulding why they absented 
emselves from Public worship of God on ye Lord's days among 
us — read before the Chh.: 

To The Pastor & Chh of Chelmsford— Feb 6. 1745-6. 

Revd. Sr. & Beloved Brethren these lines contain ye Reasons 
why I have Gone unto Concord meeting Of late — is because Yt. 
J am better Edified & Enlightened into Gospel Truths by hearing 
Mr. Bliss than by hearing Mr Bridge. 

Signed — Job. Spaulding. 

To the Pastor & Chh Of + Jn Chehnsford. Feby. 6. 1745-6 

Revd. Sr. and Beloved Brethren These lines contain ye 

Reasons Why I have gone unto Concord meeting so much of late, 

is because J find That J am bettr. Jnlightened into ye Gospel 

Truths by hearing Mr. Bliss than by hearing ye Rev. Mr Bridge 

her 
signed Lydia X Spaulding 
mark 

The Church esteemed "what they offered as a Contempt 
cast upon ye Chh." Against the vote of the church they 
approached the Lord's Table on the next Sacrament day and 
obliged the Church to desire their absence. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 697 

Oct. 30. 1748 Zach. Emery did boisterously Jnterrupt The 
Rev. Mr Swan when preaching and Charged him in a bold and 
daring manner with preaching falsely. He afterwards made 
confession of his fault before the whole congregation and asked 
forgiveness. 

Job Spaulding, who charged Mr. Bridge with preaching false 
doctrine, after twenty-six years acknowledged himself to blame 
and was restored. The pastor declared his forgiveness in 1772. 

These examples well illustrate the mode of procedure against 
the like offenders. Allen gives an account of these cases and 
says [p. 115]: The church's censure of the abovesaid offenders 
was not for going to hear preaching "more enlightening and 
edifying than what they could hear in their own church"— but 
for violating covenant engagements in withdrawing without 
previous notice given to the church or attempts to remove the 
hindrance to edification, &c. 

The preaching of Whitefield occasioned widespread disorder 
and internal controversy in New England, and alarmed the 
ministers of the Congregational order, who feared the disruption 
of their parishes. They were also much stirred by the preaching 
of Jonathan Edwards and his followers. This revival or "Great 
Awakening" occurred in 1740-2. The followers of Whitefield 
were mostly Calvinistic Methodists, but many in this region 
became Baptists, or, rather, Anti-paedo-baptists, that is, opposed 
to the baptism of children. They were also called Anabaptists, 
because they rebaptized those baptized in infancy. They were 
called Separates, because they formed separate congregations, at 
first in private houses; then, becoming sufficiently niunerous, 
they built meeting houses. They differed from most Christians 
in holding that immersion was the only valid form of baptism. 

They were also called New Lights, because they claimed to 
have special divine guidance. They preached and exhorted 
without permission from the parochial ministers, and often spoke 
against them. This was the beginning of religious revivals, and 
resulted in vigorous attempts at the conversion of the Indians. 
Edwards became preacher to those at Stockbridge. It also had 
a great effect upon the political aspect of the colonies; the 
Commonwealth was no longer regarded as a theocracy with unity 
of faith and worship, and responsible for the salvation of the 
souls of its people. Politics was left by the revivalists to worldly 
men, while the saints were to give their minds to their own personal 
salvation. Church and State were to be separate and distinct 
from each other. 

George Whitefield (pronounced Whitfield) (1714-1720) was 
an English Evangelist and founder of the Calvinistic Methodists. 
In 1738, he followed the Wesleys to the Georgia Plantations, 
returned home and was ordained priest in the Church of England, 
as were the Wesleys. He differed with them theologically, the 
Wesleys being Arminians, but they were life-long friends. He 



698 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

made seven voyages to America, and preached in New England 
in 1740, 1744 and 1754. He died in Newburyport in 1770, and 
is buried there. "His great power was due to his delivery rather 
than to the matter of his discoiurses." "On Boston Common he 
addressed 20,000 people at one time, and was distinctly heard 
by all." Harvard College issued a "Testimony" against him, 
and he had the opposition of most of the local pastors. 

Gilbert Tennent (1703-1766) was a Presbyterian minister, 
bom in County Armagh, Ireland. He came to America in 1718, 
was ordained pastor in New Brunswick, N. J., in 1726, traveled 
and preached with Whitefield in New England, and died in 
Philadelphia. 

Whitefield once preached in Chelmsford at the house of Mr. 
Burg or Birge, on South street. (Oliver Barron and Samuel 
Perham deeded to David Burg, May 8, 1766. David Burg, on 
the same day, deeded to Jonathan Putnam. The old house was 
torn down in 1817. Israel L. Putnam, who later lived there, was 
the son of Joseph, son of Jonathan.) B. P. Himt records that 
by a singular incident Parson Bridge was an unwilling listener 
to the discourse. Before the hour of meeting arrived, Parson 
Bridge called at the house in order to dissuade the owner, if possible, 
from allowing it to be held. While he argued long with Mr. 
Birge, the crowd thronged the house to such a degree that the 
pastor was unable to recover his hat, which had been left in 
another room, and he was, therefore, unwillingly constrained 
to hear the sermon out with the rest. [Quoted by H. S. P.] 

In "An Historical Sketch of the First Church in Boston," 
published in 1812, the Rev. William Emerson (father of Ralph 
Waldo Emerson) says: "Mr. Whitfield, who visited this country 
in 1740, had produced a strong sensation of a religious nature in 
the people on the seaboard from Maine to Georgia. This dis- 
tinguished and very popular man was followed in his itinerating 
career by Messrs. Tennent, Davenport and others who had all 
the zeal of their leader without his talents, and all his assurance 
without his address. The young European Methodist had a 
most sonorous and commanding voice, and this, united with a 
ready utterance and captivating attitudes, secured him a world 
of admirers. The minds of the people were highly excited. They 
were no longer satisfied with the cool and moderate strain of 
preaching practised by the generality of the New England minis- 
ters. They had gotten a taste for a loose, incoherent kind of 
sermons which contained strong appeals to the imagination and 
senses. These they must have, and after them they would go. 
Had the itinerants who followed, preceded Whitfield, probably 
the country might have remained quiet. But men who were 
incapable of raising the tempest were able, by means of dust and 
rubbish, to continue the troubled state of the atmosphere. All 
the country was agitated. A variety of disorders were the conse- 
quence." 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 



699 



As early as 1761, there was an article in the warrant for 
Town Meeting to see if the Town will take action regarding those 
who are called Anabaptists, relating to the minister rates. They 
refused to pay, on the ground that they hired their own preachers. 

These items are from the Town records: 
1772. Capt Oliver Barron was paid £2.11.9 for his 

services in the Gen. Ct. relating to this affair. 
1774 To same for going to Boston on the affair 

respecting the case of the Baptists &c £ 

To Zebulon Spaulding (in the same matter) .... £ 

.... £ 



To David Spaulding 
To John Minott 

1775 To Oliver Barron 



14: 
: 3: 
16: 
13: 

2: 

4 



8:3 
5:0 
5:0 
4:0 
1:2 
10:2 



" " for carrying on the case 
with those persons called Anabaptists £13 

1774 To Mr Joseph Warren. . .on the case of those 
persons Called Anabaptists £ 

To John Minott on the case of those persons 
called Anabaptists £ 

1775 To Mr. Zacheus Wright of Westford for 
Travill and attendance at Cambridge and 
Charlestown Courts as an Evidence on the Case 
with those Persons in said town Called the 

Anabaptists £ 

To Mr John Robbins [in the same case] £ 



6: 8:0 
11: 0:0 
10: 0:0 



To Deacon Aaron Chamberlin 

To John Minott 

To Samuel Stevens Jr. 

To David Spaulding 

To Zebulon Spaulding 

To Mr John Robbins 

To " " 



14: 
18: 
12: 

2: 
12: 

1: 
11: 
12: 
12: 



0:0 
3:0 
6:0 
0:0 
0:0 
4:0 
1:2 
0:0 
0:0 



1776 The Town refused to Exempt them from paying the 
minister rate. 



THE SECOND CHURCH OF CHRIST IN CHELMSFORD. 



The inhabitants of the west precinct called the Reverend 
Willard Hall to be their minister (see "History of Westford," 
page 252), and agreed to give him £100 settlement and £80 a 
year. £50 was added to the settlement. He was ordained 
November 27, 1727. The Rev. Samson Stoddard preached, gave 
the charge and made the prayers. Benjamin Shattuck, minister 
of Littleton, made the ordination prayer after the sermon. 
Nathaniel Prentice, minister of Dunstable, made the first prayer 
and gave the right hand of fellowship. Thomas Parker, minister 



700 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

of Dracut, gathered and formed the church. According to the 
"History of Westford," Mr. Hall had been preaching in the 
west precinct for some months before this. 



THE FIRST BAPTIST SOCIETY. 

Some account of the early Baptists has been given in con- 
nection with the First Parish of Chelmsford. Their rise in this 
vicinity dates from the preaching of Whitefield and other revivalists 
about the middle of the eighteenth century. 

From the First Parish records and Town records, the names 
of a number of Baptists are known. These belong to the period 
following 1740, and, according to Parson Bridge, "were in a 
separation." 

Gershom Prockter and Rebeca his wife, John Kidder and his 
wife, Thomas Spaulding and his wife, John Spaulding and his 
wife. Job Spaulding and his wife, John Barrat and his wife, Jonas 
Robbins, John Burge, David Kidder, Ephraim Keyes, Esther, 
the wife of Josiah Cory, Hannah, the wife of Zach Shed, Widow 
Abigail Keyes, widow Mary Barrat, widow Sarah Swallow. 

Parson Bridge mentions "one Sam Hyde," an exhorter, who 
was at the South Village with his family, a tailor by trade. "One 
Green of Leicester was a 'lay Baptist teacher' at Westford." 

Gershom Prockter invited "one Button that says he is a 
minister of ye Gospel, was so in England, but now goes from town 
to town selling books and preaching, to preach in his house." 

In the court files at Cambridge is a document dated 1772, 
which certifies that Stephen Hastlen, Oliver Adams, Nathan 
Crosby, Jr., Benj. Crosby, Thos. Barnes, Gershom Proctor, 
Henry Procter and Ammi Andrews were "regular attendants at 
the Baptist meeting." 

In 1774, the Town refused to abate the minister rates of 
Thomas Spaulding, Jonas Robbins and others by reason of their 
hiring preaching among themselves. Five years later, Thomas, 
Job and Zebulon Spaulding, John, Jonathan and Mary Robbins 
and Simeon Barrett were served the same way. 
In 1785 Henry Blazdell's rate was abated, . . . £0: 6:2:0 
In 1786 Isaac Patten's was abated, . . . . 0:14:0:0 
Zebulon Head's was abated . . . . 0: 3:6:0 
In 1787 Mr Jonathan Adams received . . . . 0:18:4:2 
"his minister's rate for 1785 which was not getable by reason of 
his subscribing to the baptist Society and procuring a Certificate 
from that Society" 

Mr Timothy Adams had his tax abated . . . £0:17:10:0 
Oliver Hildrcth had his tax abated . . . . 0:15: 5:2 
In 1791 Benj. Kelley had his tax abated . . . 0: 5: 2:1 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 701 

In 1795, these men paid their part of the ministerial tax to 
Mr. John Peckens instead of to Mr. Packard, the minister of the 
Town : 

John Adams John Spaulding 

Robert Adams Henry Spaulding 

Benj. Adams Samuel Spaulding 

Joel Barritt Henry Spaulding, Jr. 

Solomon Byam John Spaulding, Jr. 

Aaron Chamberlain, Jr. Samson Stevens 

Sarg. Joseph Haywood Lt. Joseph Winn 

John Mansfield David Button 

Benj. Pelsue Joseph Foster 

In 1807, John Bateman was treasurer of the Baptist Society. 

What follows is taken from the pastor's historical sermon 
in 1896: 

The records of the First Baptist Church in Haverhill show 
Rev. Hezekiah Smith baptized candidates in Chelmsford as early 
as 1768-69. 

The church was organized in South Chelmsford, Oct. 22, 
1771, at the house of Daniel Lock, with nine male, fifteen female 
members, twenty-four in all. The names of the first members 
were: Edward Spaulding, Ebenezer Bailey, Mary White, Mary 
Hutchins, Rachel Adams, Mark White, Daniel Lock, John 
Spaulding, Nathan Crosby, Thomas Barnes, Hannah Spaulding, 
Elizabeth Bailey, Mary White, 2d, Rachel Longley, Elizabeth 
Barrett, Hannah Hardy, Abigail Lock, Susanna Spaulding, 
Susanna Chamberlain, Mercy Hutchins, Mary Crosby and Asaph 
Fletcher. These members were dismissed chiefly from the 
Second Church in Boston, and resided in the Towns of Chelmsford, 
Carlisle, Billerica, Acton, Westford and Tyngsborough. They were 
Calvinistic in doctrine. There is no record of any minister being 
present at the organization, or council of recognization. Thus 
the church starts out in true Baptist independence, recognizing 
no other head or leader than Christ. 

The church had no pastoral care for the first two years of its 
existence, but was not inactive during the period. It was minis- 
tered to by Rev. Samuel Honey, Dr. Greene and others. Sixteen 
were added by baptism and others received by letter, so that 
membership was doubled. Some of these early members resided 
in Hollis, New Ipswich and Mason, N. H. 

The members did not escape the peculiarities of their times. 
The records of a church meeting held April 30, 1772, have this 
item: 

"Chose Mark White, John Spaulding and Asaph Fletcher by 
vote, to be a committee to give certificates to those of the Baptist 
persuasion, which usually assemble with the Baptist society in 
Chelmsford, thereby to free them from paying taxes to support 
different denominations." 



702 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



The church has been served by twenty-three pastors whose 
labors commenced and ended as follows: 



Rev. Elisha Rich 
Rev. Abisha Grossman 
Rev. John Peckens 



March 15, 1773 to Dec. 15, 1777 
March 15, 1778 " June 6, 1789 
June 6, 1792, over the whole 
church until division of the church 
in 1804 
Nov. 13, 1821 to Feb. 12, 1845 



Jan. 


20, 


1847 ' 


July 7, 1858 


Oct. 




1858 ' 


June 28, 1863 


Nov. 


1, 


1863 ' 


May 21, 1865 


Oct. 


22, 


1865 ' 


April 1, 1873 


Sept. 


1, 


1873 ' 


Oct. 30, 1875 


Jan. 


2, 


1876 ' 


Feb. 18, 1879 


May 


1, 


1879 closed by death 








Sept. 10, 1880 


July 


1, 


1881 to sometime in 1884 


Dec. 


4, 


1885 " 


Oct. 1886 


Dec. 


5, 


1886 ' 


April 7, 1890 


Aug. 


24, 


1890 ' 


Aug. 24, 1891 


Dec. 


1, 


1891 ' 


July 1, 1894 


Dec. 


16, 


1894 ' 


May 1897 


July 


4, 


1897 ' 


Oct. 29, 1899 


Dec. 




1899 ' 


April 14, 1901 


July 




1901 ' 


May 31, 1907 


April 




1908 ' 


July 11, 1909- 


Nov. 




1909 ' 


Oct. 1913 


Oct. 




1914— 





Rev. John Parkhurst 
Rev. J. C. Boomer 
Rev. J. E. Wiggins 
Rev. J. T. Farrar 
Rev. G. H. Allen 
Rev. W. A. Depew 
Rev. W. A. Worthington 
Rev. W. S. Phillips 

Rev. J. H. Tilton 
Rev. E. H. Hayden 
Rev. A. A. Bickford 
Rev. J. E. Dinsmore 
Rev. E. D. Bowers 
Rev. T. G. Lyons 
Rev. A. A. Bickford 
A. R. MacDougall 
Rev. C. W. Williams 
G. R. M. Wells 
Rev. J. E. Dame 
Rev. Daniel J. Hatfield 

The longest pastorate was that of Rev. John Parkhurst, 
twenty-three years and three months. The shortest, Rev. E. H. 
Hayden's, ten months. The church has had pastoral care for 
eighty-nine years and has been without thirty-six years. It has 
licensed six men to preach the Gospel and ordained two. 

The Society has had times of trial, the most notable of which 
were the period of the Revolutionary War, and during its divided 
state, 1804 — 1822. It has also had seasons of prosperity. It 
has dismissed members to form churches in Hollis and Hudson, 
N. H., and in Littleton, Billerica, Dunstable, Tyngsborough, 
Lowell and Chelmsford. 

In its early history the discipline was very strict, but was met 
by those disciplined in a Christian spirit. 

The names of Spaulding, Fletcher, Hutchins, Byam and 
Chamberlain have run through the whole history of the church, 
and been prominent in its affairs. 

The church has had a membership in six associations, namely: 
Warren, Dublin, Boston, Salem, Lowell and the Merrimack, 
where it now holds its membership. 

The Sunday School was organized June 26, 1823, and has 
had its place in the church work ever since. 



RELIGIO US ORG A NIZA TIONS 703 

The church has owned two meeting houses. The first, which 
was taken down and moved there from the town of Westford in 
December, 1771, stood near the cemetery. Allen says it was 
erected near Heart pond, January 14 and 15, 1772. The present 
house in the South Village was built in 1836, and the old one sold 
for $75. 

The church has received gifts which, at the present time, 
amount to about $1,500. 

In 1775, Elisha Rich published by request, "The Number of 
the Beast, Found out by Spiritual Arithmetic," &c. It was 
printed in Chelmsford by Nathaniel Coverly. He also published, 
in the same year, "Poetical Dialogues calculated for the help 
of Timorous and Tempted Christians." 

In 1871, George H. Allen, the pastor, published a "Centennial 
Address," from which the following items are taken: 

* * * the wave of discord, staid for a time, seems to 
have gathered force; and now again its bitter flood poured in 
upon the church, so that October 11th, 1804, a faction consisting 
of five men and eleven women, led by Elder Peckens, formed 
themselves into a new church, which they styled "The Baptist 
Church of Christ in Chelmsford." The seceding party retained 
possession of the meeting house. The original church had no 
pastor during the period of separation — about 18 years, but Rev. 
John Spaulding, among others, officiated frequently. 

The first meeting house, as before stated, was moved from 
Westford, and was built probably before 1728. Some excitement 
followed the announcement that it had been sold for use by the 
Baptists, and it was "robbed of its pews and finish." It was 
taken to pieces by the purchaser, and "the Baptists went by night 
with ox-sleds, and brought it, load after load, upon the snow 
crust, in a direct line over the tops of walls and fences, to the site 
selected." 

THE SECOND CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. 

The people of Middlesex Village and others of the north- 
easterly part of the Town found it inconvenient to attend meeting 
at the Centre Village. In 1821, an article was put in the warrant 
for the Town Meeting at the request of Joseph Fletcher and 
others to see if the Town would allow Mr. Allen or his successor 
to preach to the people in the north part of the Town, according 
to their proportion paid for the support of public worship, provided 
a meeting house be built or a convenient place within three- 
quarters of a mile from the Glass Manufactory. The Town voted 
that Mr. Allen might do so "one Sabbath in three" provided he 
should consent thereto. 

Mr. Allen made the following note: 1821 Jan. 7. An 
important order passed in regular town meeting, which is the 
commencement of a new order of things whose result cannot be 



704 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

foreseen, but which seems to portend no good, viz. That the 
Congregational minister of the town of Chelmsford preach every 
third Sabbath at the head of the Canal in a house to be provided 
by the inhabitants of the north and east part of the town at their 
own expense. Also he says: 1821 July 9. The second congre- 
gational meeting house was raised. Previous to the commence- 
ment of the labors of the day prayer was offered up by the pastor, 
and the people exhorted to refrain from all profanity, &c. The 
house was erected with uncommon silence, order and safety, under 
the direction of Mr. Canady of Goffstown, where it was framed. 
It is 47 feet square, with 12 feet projection in front. It was 
dedicated January 31, 1822, and Mr. Allen preached in it the 
first time on the 10th of February following. The proprietors 
were allowed by the Town to set a part of their house on a piece 
of common land next Jesse Smith's store. It stood where the 
blacksmith shop now is, next to the tavern, on the comer of 
Baldwin and Middlesex streets. 

In 1822, a stove was bought by the Town for this meeting 
house, and one for the Centre meeting house. 

Another note reads: Jan. 1821 [1822?] The proprietors of 
the new meeting house purchased a bell of Maj. Holbrook of 
Medway, weighing 1681 lbs., keyed on G. Cost $632.40. 

In 1822, this bell broke and was exchanged for another. 

The new bell was purchased in 1823, and weighed 1,533 
pounds. It was cast by Paul Revere in Canton, Mass., and was 
one of his heaviest bells. When the meeting house was sold, in 
1859, the bell became the property of the Pawtucketville Congre- 
gational Society, and was placed in the tower of the meeting house. 
It now hangs in the new brick building, and is a fine toned bell. 
When the news came that John Brown had been executed at 
Charlestown, W. Va., Dec. 2, 1859, this bell was on the ground 
in Pawtucketville, and was placed on a wagon drawn by William 
McFarlin's horses, and tolled about the streets of Lowell. 

Mr. Allen writes that he preached at the north meeting house, 
Ephesians iii, 16, on March 7, 1824, and took leave of a number of 
his parishioners who had formed themselves into a new society. 
On March 21, fourteen members of the old parish were dismissed 
to form a new church. April 27, the Second Congregational 
Church in Chelmsford was organized by a council of pastors and 
delegates from Tyngsborough, Billerica, Tewksbury and Chelms- 
ford. Rev. Mr. Southmayd officiated for a time. The first 
pastor was the Rev. John A. Albro, who was ordained and installed 
November 21, 1827. The Unitarian movement was widely 
developed in Massachusetts at this period, and in 1830, "in 
consequence of a decision of the court that the pewholders (in 
absence of any restriction to the contrary) could control the 
pulpit, and the greater number of the pews having passed into 
the hands of Unitarians, the church and pastor were compelled 
to leave their house of worship," and assemble in a hall nearby, 




SOUTH VIEW OF THE SILESIA MILLS, NOKTH CHELMSFORD 




.\o. 42 



THE BERRY HOUSE, SOUTH CHELMSFORD 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 



705 



owned by Samuel Wood, Esq., and much ill feeling was the result. 
Mr. Albro preached in the hall until April, 1832, when he went to 
Fitchburg. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Noyes of Needham 
and others. The Rev. Hezckiah Packard, formerly of Chelmsford 
Centre, became pastor of the Unitarians of Middlesex in 1830, 
and remained until 1836. After that the meeting house became 
vacant on account of the disbanding of the Unitarians, and was 
sold to the Roman Catholics, who moved it to North Chelmsford, 
(1859 or 1860), where it is now occupied by them. 

In 1836, the church and society moved from the Wood hall 
to the old red schoolhouse in Princeton street. North Chelmsford. 
In 1838, a building for worship was constructed on Middlesex 
street, where a part of the Silesia Worsted Mills now stands. 
This was destroyed by fire, January 20, 1893. Adjoining this 
was a building erected on ground deeded to the Town by Lincoln 
Drake for $1,500, which was used for lyceum purposes and eventu- 
ally was used as a "Vestry" by the society. The present house 
of worship on Princeton street was dedicated April 26, 1894. 

Names of the fourteen members dismissed from the First 
Congregational Society to form a new church "in the northerly 
part of the Town" (Middlesex Village). 

Luke Thompson Martha Adams 

Simeon Blodget Molly Blodget 

Jacob Kidder Hannah Kidder 

Cyrus Baldwin Elizabeth Baldwin 

Richard Littlehale Susan Littlehale 

Jesse Moor Charlotte L. Burnet 

Jona. Butman Amey W. Butman 

The name of Martha Adams has been erased in the record 
made by Mr. Allen. 
The pastors have been : 

Rev. B. F. Clark 1839-1869 



Rev. Daniel Phillips 
Rev. L. J. Merrill 
Rev. J. H. Vincent 
Rev. H. L. Hutchins 
Rev. L. I. Bryant 
Rev. R. W. Dunbar 
Rev. Dorr A. Hudson 
Rev. Wilham C. H. Moe 
Rev. Franklin H. Reeves 



1870-1874 
1876-1878 
1878-1880 
1884-1889 
1889-1897 
1898-1904 
1904-1910 
1910-1912 
1912- 



THE CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH. 



On Feb. 14, 1847, a number of people from the Baptist Church 
in the South Village, with some from the First Baptist Church 
of Lowell, met at their place of worship in the Centre Village, and 
organized by choosing the Rev. John Parklmrst chairman, and 
John Mullikin scribe, and united as an independent body under 



706 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the name of "The Central Baptist Church of Cheknsford." A 
council of churches, composed of the First Baptist and Worthen 
street churches, of Lowell, the Baptist Church of Tyngsborough, 
and the Baptist Church of Nashua, N. H., was held March 10, 
1847, Daniel C. Eddy, D. D., being scribe. The membership was 
thirty-five. For twenty years, services were held in the Academy 
building, which later became the parsonage of this society. 

During the same period, until 1868, the Rev. John Parkhurst 
was pastor. The Rev. Alfred Cobum succeeded him for a few 
months. The remaining pastors have been: 

Rev. John Rounds 1868-1872 

Rev. H. B. Marshall 1873-1874 

Rev. O. C. S. Wallace 1875-1877 

Rev. J. M. Burtt 1877-1879 

Rev. N. C. Saunders 1879-1889 

Rev. I. A. Howard 1889-1892 

Rev. H. A. Cornell 1893-1896 

Rev. C. H. Ellis 1897- 

In 1868, the church building was erected at a cost of about 
$1 1 ,000, about half of which was the gift of Deacon David Perham. 

Among those who were prominently associated with Mr. 
Parkhurst, in the early days of this society, were Dr. Levi Howard, 
J. E. Stevens, and Miss Miriam Warren. Dr. Howard was 
treasurer for many years. The fiftieth anniversary was celebrated 
in 1897. 

In 1912, extensive repairs were made, and a pipe organ placed 
in the building. 

Dr. S. L. Dutton said of the Rev. John Parkhurst: "He was 
a man of high scholarly attainments, graduating from Harvard 
in 1811. It was his purpose to become a Unitarian minister, all 
of his family belonging to that faith. From a change of view, 
however, soon after graduation he became a Baptist, remaining 
steadfast to his principles throughout a long life. He was a man 
of great sweetness of character, a peace-maker, a friend to all, 
and revered and honored of all classes." 

John Parkhurst was bom in Chelmsford, Jan. 17, 1789. 
Edward Everett was of the same class at Harvard. He was 
ordained in 1814 and settled over the Baptist Church at New 
Ipswich, N. H., where he remained seven years. He returned to 
Chelmsford in 1821 and was pastor of the First Baptist Church 
in South Chelmsford until 1847, when he organized the society 
at the Centre Village. He died February 17, 1875. In his latter 
years, he became mellowed somewhat in his doctrine, preaching 
the hell of conscience, instead of a place of material fire. 

Two sermons by him are printed: "The Garden Enclosed," 
and "The Holy Tendency of Saving Grace," both preached in 
1826. They have considerable literary merit. 



RELIGIO US ORG A NIZA TIONS 
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



707 



When around the manufacturing establishments at West 
Chelmsford, a sufficient number of families had gathered, a 
society was formed by the name of the West Chelmsford Union 
Church, and a meeting house was built in 1848. This belonged 
to no particular denomination, but gradually the Methodists 
came to be in the majority. 

The comer stone of the new Methodist Episcopal Church 
was laid July 4, 1887. The building cost about $4,000. Those 
who took part in the exercises were Rev. Charles G. Spaulding, 
Samuel H. Virgin of New York, George S. Chadbourne of Boston, 
H. L. Hutchins of North Chelmsford, Walter Coburn of Lowell, 
and James Walker of West Chelmsford. The building was 
dedicated January 10, 1888. The twentieth anniversary was 
celebrated in 1908. 

PASTORS AT WEST CHELMSFORD SINCE 1870. 



-1 year 

-2 years 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-2 years 

-3 years 

-part of a year 

-3 years 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-3 years 

-3 years 

-3 years 

-1 year 

-2 years 

-1 year 

-2 years 

-2 years 

-2 years 

-1 year 

-1 year 

-2 years 

-1 year 



Mr. George F. Snow was treasurer for twenty-five years. 



Rev 


M. H. A. Evans . 








. 1870- 


Rev 


G. C. Osgood 








. 1871 


Rev 


F. M. Miller 








. 1873- 


Rev. 


John Wesley Walker 








. 1874- 


Rev. 


J. Winfield Walker 








. 1875- 


Rev. 


John E. Jubb 








. 1876- 


Rev. 


James Walker 








. 1877- 


Rev. 


W. N. Groome 








1879- 


Rev. 


M. H. A. Evans . 








1880- 


Rev. 


A. R. Sichibald . 








1882- 


Rev. 


Luther Freeman . 








1885- 


Rev. 


Chas. G. Spaulding 








1886- 


Rev. 


L. M. Hale . 








1889- 


Rev. 


F. G. Highway . 








1890- 


Rev. 


Geo. E. Mcllwain 








1891- 


Rev. 


Frank G. McConnell 








1894- 


Rev. 


W. C. Guyer 








1897- 


Rev. 


Wm. W. Guth . 








1900- 


Rev. 


Chas. C. P. Hiller 








1901- 


Rev. 


Vincent Ravi 








1903- 


Rev. 


Fred W. McConnell . 








1904- 


Rev. 


F. D. Taylor 








1906- 


Rev. 


George L. Collier 








1908- 


Rev. 


Harry Hess . 








1909- 


Rev. 


Frank Hargran . 








1910- 


Rev. 


Roy P. Crawford 








1911- 


Rev. 


Ephraim Leese 






.' 1914- 


Rev. 


Thomas Hancock 








1915- 



708 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

ST. John's roman catholic church. 

Previous to the removal of the edifice now known as St. John's 
Church, from Middlesex Village to North Chelmsford, those who 
professed the Roman Catholic faith had to journey to Lowell 
to attend mass every Sunday, as well as for the performance of 
their other religious duties. The number of families included in 
this parish, which formed part of St. Patrick's parish of Lowell, 
numbered then about fifty families, thirty of whom resided in 
the northern part of the Town and vicinity. The remainder 
belonged to the remote portion of the parish, which includes the 
Town of Westford and adjacent territory. Notwithstanding the 
fact that there were no convenient means of travel in those days, 
the members of this parish faithfully and zealously attended to 
their weekly religious duties, but a feeling made itself manifest 
that they should possess a church of their own, more conveniently 
located for their needs. 

The opportunity came about the year 1860, and was quickly 
grasped by one of the older members of the parish named John 
Morrison, a farmer by occupation, who resided at the place still 
popularly known as the brick tavern, and the father of Hon. John 
H. Morrison, whose reputation among the legal fraternity of his 
day has not yet been forgotten. While on the way to Lowell with 
a load of market gardening, John Morrison noticed a number of 
men who were on the point of starting to tear down the building 
known as the Middlesex Village Congregational Church. The 
thought suddenly struck him that this was just what was wanted 
for the members of his parish, and many minutes had not elapsed 
ere Mr. Morrison, with considerable astuteness, had stopped the 
tearing down operations until he had discussed the idea of pur- 
chasing the building as it stood, with his co-parishioners. This 
was quickly decided upon, everybody being enthusiastic over this 
proposition. The price agreed upon was about $400, which was 
then partly subscribed by the heads of the families and the balance 
obtained on a mortgage. It meant many a hard-earned dollar 
for a good number, but the money was cheerfully given, as it 
promised the realization of a project long cherished. The task 
of moving the building to its present location was undertaken 
and was eventually accomplished with more or less of a strenuous 
struggle, the feeling that existed among the followers of the 
various denominations caused a close watch upon their under- 
taking. Among the older residents who were directly concerned 
in this movement might be mentioned Patrick Ward, Anthony 
Ward, William Quigley, Henry McCabe, John McNally, Patrick 
McManomin, Edward Fox, Michael Holland, Arthur McEnaney, 
Owen McEnaney, John McCoy, Owen O'Donnell, and George 
Brennan. 

When the building was placed in its present position, Father 
John O'Brien, then pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Lowell, came 
every Sunday to celebrate mass, and this he continued to do 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 709 

nearly twenty-three years. At different times those families who 
resided in Westford were given the opportunity to hear Mass in 
their own vicinity, when the service was held at some of the homes 
in the locality. Later the sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated 
in one of the local halls, and gradually steps were taken which 
culminated in the erection of the cosy little church now known as 
St. Catherine's Mission Church, which still forms a part of St. 
John's parish. 

The mass was usually celebrated by Father John J. vShaw, 
and other curates of St. Patrick's Church, who, at times, replaced 
Father O'Brien in attending to the wants of St. John's parish- 
ioners, the visits to Westford being made about once every three 
months. After the death of Father John O'Brien, Father Michael 
O'Brien and other priests continued for several years longer to 
officiate at St. John's Church, which was looked upon as a mission 
church. Eventually Father Shaw was appointed as the first 
pastor of the parish in January, 1893, and a few months later he 
took up his permanent residence in the newly-constructed rectory. 
Father Shaw then quickly busied himself in effecting various 
improvements in and around the building, the front porch being 
added to the building and the annex constructed. New pews 
were also placed in the church at that time. 

Rev. Father Shaw having been transferred to the pastorate 
of St. Michael's Church in Lowell, in November, 1900, his place 
was taken by Rev. Father Richard S. Burke, another curate of 
St. Patrick's parish, who continued the work of improving the 
church building by having a shrine constructed in the annex, 
and installing electric chandeliers and other fixtures for illuminating 
purposes. He was also responsible for the beautiful painting 
which appears above the altar. Shortly afterwards Father Michael 
Callahan was appointed pastor, with Father Philip Sexton as 
curate. 

Another change took place a short time later, when Rev. 
Father Edmund T. Schofield was appointed pastor, a position 
which he has occupied since 1901. Father Schofield then busied 
himself in having the exterior of the building renovated, and 
continued to be very active among his parishioners. He was 
assisted in his duties by Rev. Father John McNamara of the 
Manchester diocese, who was assigned to this parish on account 
of his knowledge of the French language. On the latter being 
transferred to Salem, N. H., he was replaced by Rev. Father 
Michael E. Doherty, who had just been ordained to the priesthood. 
From 1910 until his departure some two years later. Father 
Doherty was very interested and also very successful in the 
formation of various organizations connected with the church. 
In 1912, another change occurred. Father Doherty being assigned 
to the Church of the Holy Rosary in South Boston, and his place 
taken by Rev. Father Edward C. Mitchell, who came from Maiden. 
In August, 1915, the Rev. Father Henry L. Scott of Cochituate 
became curate. 



710 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Father Schofield died on Sunday, September 10, 1916, and 
was succeeded by Rev. Charles P. Heaney, of Roxbury, who was 
transferred from the Church of St. Gregory, Dorchester, Mass. 
This is Father Heaney's first charge as pastor. 

One of the societies connected with the church is the St. 
John's Total Abstinence Society, organized some thirty years 
ago with about twenty members. William J. Quigley was its 
first president. The society now receives the assistance of a 
ladies' auxiliary in its various social activities. The Holy Name 
and Ladies' Sodality are also very active organizations. Another 
flourishing society is the local Court of the Massachusetts Catholic 
Order of Foresters, known as Court Wannalancit, No. 171, with 
a membership of about 150. 

The establishment of a private school is also connected with 
the history of St. John's parish. This was conducted in the 
basement of the church some forty-five years ago, with an attend- 
ance of about twenty-five pupils, but for some reason it was 
discontinued after a three months' experiment under the tuition 
of Miss Bridget O'Donnell. 

CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 

The earliest known record of Members of the Church of 
England in Chelmsford is found in the following extracts from 
the diary of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge. 

1757. July 21. Went to Dracut. Dined at Rev. Mr. 
Parker's with Mr. Brown, Junr., Episcopal minister — &c. 

Nov. 27. Lord's Day.— Stopp'd Chh after Service P M and 
read a letter fm some ye Inhabitants of Lyndeborough Inviting 
us to assist in Ordaining Mr. Jno. Rand, 7 Dec. next. Chh voted 
to gratify their request. Voted also yt brothr Zachh Emery be 
ye delegate. 

— Dec. 13 received a short Visit fm Rev. Mr. Rand (ordained 

last week at Lyndeborough) in his way to Charlestown. 

17 Rev. Mr. Rand of Lyndeborough came to see me 

in his way fm Charlestown & lodged with me. 

18. Lord's Day. Rev. Mr. Rand preached all day for me 

frm Luk. 11 : 28 — a very great snow storm fm last even'g to this — 

19. Justice Fletcher and Mr. Rand dined wth me — we 

Spent evening at ye Justice's. Mr. Rand lodged with me again. 
20. Mr. Rand went homeward 

1760. Sept. 27. Wrote serm: but could not finish — had a Visit 
fm Rev. Mr. Brown Junr. a Minister of ye Chh of England (sine 
cure) In his way from Boston to Dunstable, & fm Mr. Farrar a 
preachr. in his way fm Concord to Dracut. 

1761. June 16, P. M. received a visit from the Rev. Mr. Brown, 
Itinerant missionary of ye Chh of England. 

1763. Oct. 5. Received a visit (P M) fm Mr. Rand late minister 
of Lyndeboro, now a Conformist to ye Chh of England. 



RELIGIO US ORG A NIZA TIONS 71 1 

1765. Dec. 11. Mr. Brown, commonly called Domine, dined 
with me. 

Mr. Rand was born in Charlestown, 1727; H. U., 1748; 
married Sarah Goffe. 

He was town clerk and selectman of Bedford, N. H. in 1783 
and was Justice of the Peace under George III. He represented 
Bedford in the Convention which formed the Constitution of 
New Hampshire in 1805. He was not altogether in accord with 
his people. One who knew him wrote, "Perhaps his ideas were a 
little in advance of the time." 

After conforming to the Church of England he occasionally 
officiated as a layman in one or two congregations of Church 
people, but did not receive Episcopal ordination. 

"Rev. Mr. Brown, Jimr.," was, no doubt, the Rev. Marma- 
duke Browne, son of the Rev. Arthur Browne, who was rector 
of St. John's, Portsmouth, from 1736 until his death in 1773, and 
is mentioned in Longfellow's "Tales of a Wayside Inn." The 
father was bom at Drogheda, Ireland, 1699; M. A., Trinity, 
Dublin, 1729. "An accurate scholar, a keen controversialist, a 
profound thinker, and an able and excellent preacher." The son 
spent his ministry chiefly in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, 
and died before his father. He was a man of eminent abilities, 
learning and piety; and his ministry was both happy and 
successful. [Sprague's Annals.] 

ST. anne's church. 

The first Episcopal Church in Chelmsford was St. Anne's, 
built by the Merrimack Manufacturing Company for the benefit 
of the new population brought together by the Mills in East 
Chelmsford. $9,000 was the amount appropriated for that 
purpose. The first stone was laid in May, 1824, and the building 
was consecrated by Bishop Griswold, March 16, 1825. The first 
services in the village were performed by the Rev. Theodore 
Edson, who had been invited by the Company to come for a few 
Sundays. March 7, 1824 was the date of the first service. Dr. 
Edson in his diary says: 

1824. March 6. Saturday. Came up to Chelmsford the 
first time for the purpose of supplying the people in the Merrimack 
Manufacturing Corporation with preaching and divine service. 
Rode up with Mr. Boott and was hospitably entertained at his 
house. 

Sunday — preached . 

Monday. Returned to Boston in stage. 

The next Sunday he came again and was invited to remain. 

These services, until the church was built, were held in the 
upper room of a new schoolhouse, which stood on the site of the 
later building called the Green School. The Old Residents' 



712 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Contributions, Vol. 3, contains a list of 278 members of the 
Merrimack Religious Society, and a list of members of the Beeth- 
oven Musical Society, organized vSept. 15, 1824, (seventy-five 
gentlemen and fifty-three ladies) which performed the musical 
parts of the service of Conservation of St. Anne's. This service 
with the ordination of Messrs. Edson and Cutler, occupied four 
hours, from ten until two o'clock. 

Dr. Edson was bom in Bridgewater, August 24, 1793, and 
was ordained deacon by Bishop Griswold, Sept. 11, 1823, and 
priest by the same Bishop on the same day that St. Anne's was 
consecrated. He died June 25, 1883, having been rector of St. 
Anne's almost sixty years. 

The church was built between Kirk and Anne streets, named 
for Kirk Boott and his wife. 

At the time of Dr. Edson's coming to Chelmsford, there were 
more than one thousand persons dwelling upon Chelmsford Neck, 
the greater part of whom were employed by the Merrimack 
Company. There was no place of religious worship within the 
Town limits nearer than the meeting house in the centre of the 
Town, four miles away. The first organization formed was 
called "The Merrimack Religions Society." In 1831, the name 
was changed to "The Congregation of St. Anne's Church." 



ALL SAINTS CHURCH. 



Towards the middle of the last century, about 1850, the 
religious life of the Town was in an enfeebled condition. Miss 
Anna Eliza Hunt, an intellectual and refined lady reared among 
the aristocracy of Charlestown, coming to live in Chelmsford, 
was impressed with the need of some agency to interest the 
young, for whose religious training practically nothing was 
provided, and to arouse the older people. Her persistent efforts 
resulted in the establishment of a Sunday School, which was well 
attended. It met sometimes at the house of Thomas P. Proctor, 
Esq., at the South Village, and in the parlor of Mrs. Eliza Fiske 
at the Centre. The clergy of Lowell were soon interested and 
Dr. Edson, who had preached by invitation in the meeting house 
on Fast Day, April 5, 1860, came on Sunday, July 15 of that 
year, and held a service in the brick schoolhouse in Forefathers' 
Cemeter>', where the Sunday School met. 

The services were continued with good regularity, by various 
clergymen, among them the Rev. Andrew Croswell, the Rev. 
N. G. Allen (son of the Rev. Wilkes Allen), and Dr. Nicholas 
Hoppin. 

On May 20, 1867, the parish of St. Anne was organized. 
(The name was changed to All Saints, Feb. 28, 1888, b}'^ act of the 
General Court.) 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 713 

At the time of the above meeting, which took place in the 
basement of the meeting house, a service was held by the Rev. 
Dr. Edson of St. Anne's and the Rev. Charles L. Hutchins of 
St. John's, Lowell. 

The officers elected were: Samuel C. Hunt, senior warden; 
Albert C. Harris, junior warden; John H. Hunt, clerk and treas- 
urer; vestrymen, George A. Howard, George W. Gaymonds, 
Samuel L. Byam, Everett E. Lapham and Thomas M. Gerrish. 
These names, with those of Adams Chamberlain and Lafayette 
Ward, were on the application for the meeting. The warrant 
had been issued on May 13, by Benjamin Walker, Esq., justice 
of the peace. 

On June 17, 1867, the Rt. Rev. Thomas March Clark, D. D., 
Bishop of Rhode Island, held a confirmation, the candidates being 
presented by Dr. Hutchins. 

In 1868, the property on which the church now stands, 
at the comer of Lowell and Billerica streets, a house and five 
acres, was purchased of Mrs. Lydia S. Morse, wife of the Rev. 
Horace W. Morse, the Unitarian minister. It had been their 
home. In this house a chapel was neatly arranged, and called 
Emmanuel Chapel, where services were held by clergymen and 
lay-readers from Lowell and elsewhere, until the church was built, 
the cornerstone of which was laid November 5, 1879. The church 
was consecrated December 20, 1882, by the Rt. Rev. Benjamin F. 
Paddock, D. D. The tower was completed in 1888, in memory 
of Dr. Edson. Among those who have made valuable gifts to 
the church are Mrs. E. V. Pierce, Miss E. M. Edson, F. F. Ayer, 
Esq., Judge Josiah Gardner Abbott, and Mr. Thomas A. Forsyth. 
The fine toned organ was built in 1899, the gift of Mr. F. F. Ayer. 
There is a carved oak rood screen in memory of George H. Tryder. 
The families of Charles D. Clark and Alexander B. Paasche were 
for many years faithful workers in the parish. The Misses Htmt 
were also efficient workers from the beginning. 

The rectors of All Saints' have been: 

Rev. Benjamin F. Cooley 1875-1880, with an interval of a 

few months in 1876 
Rev. J. J. Cressy 1881-1887 

Rev. A. Q. Davis 1888-1892 

Rev. Wilson Waters 1892- 

The rector's historical address at the fortieth anniversary 
in 1900 was printed. 

The present officers are: Frank Hindle, senior warden; 
Edgar G. Fay, junior warden; Henrik A. Paasche, clerk; John J. 
Middleton, treasurer; vestrymen, J. C. Wetmore, William Clin- 
ton, Alfred B. Paasche, William Reid. Alfred B. Paasche was 
clerk for more than thirty years. 



714 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

THE CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 

A number of Congregationalists met at the home of the 
Misses Winn in the Centre Village on Monday, January 26, 1876, 
and resolved "that after careful thought and consideration, we, 
who are shut out of certain church privileges, do now deem it 
expedient to send for letters of dismission and recommendation 
to the several churches of which we are now members, for the 
purpose of forming ourselves into a church to be called the Central 
Congregational Church of Chelmsford." Mr. George P. Winn 
was secretary. On request, the Baptists "cheerfully granted" 
their place of worship for the use of the Congregationalists, when 
not occupied by themselves, on payment of expenses and two 
dollars each Sunday afternoon. On February 12, at the residence 
of Mrs. Edward Tufts, the organization was effected and articles 
of Faith and Covenant adopted. There were present Rev. C. D. 
Barrows, moderator, Mr. and Mrs. Sewall Parkhurst, Mr. and 
Mrs. M. L. Metcalf, F. W. Robinson, Captain Amos Adams 
Byam, Mary J. Winn, Eliza F. Winn, Martha Calhoun and Mrs. 
Tufts. Rev. Mr. Barrows, of Lowell, preached on Feb. 13, to 
about two hiuidred persons. Other Lowell ministers continued 
the preaching on Sunday afternoons. April 16, twenty people 
were recognized as forming the church. 

An arrangement was made with the Congregationalists of 
Carlisle for the support of a minister, and the church was admitted 
to the Andover Conference on October 10. 

By a new arrangement, the services began to be held in the 
First Congregational Church on December 3, when Rev. Frank M. 
Sprague preached. He became the first pastor of the two churches, 
as above mentioned, and on January 1, 1877, began his duties. 
Prayer meetings were held for a time in the schoolhouse in Chelms- 
ford. May 31, 1879, the union with Carlisle was dissolved, and 
a return was made to the Baptist Church as the place of meeting. 
In September, 1883, the meetings began to be held in the Town 
Hall. 

The Act of Incorporation is dated May 28, 1886. Shortly 
before this date, the Misses Winn and their brother had presented 
the Society with a lot of land in North Row (Centre street), near 
their home, on which to build a house of worship. A communion 
service was presented by Mr. M. B. Mason of Boston, in memory 
of his wife. A bible was given by Philip Doddridge and Thomas 
Scott Edwards of East Chelmsford. The church was dedicated 
May 9, 1888. In 1893 the building was enlarged and a new 
organ was procured. 



RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 



716 



PASTORS. 



Rev. F. M. Sprague . 

Rev. C. C. Torrey 

Rev. J. N. Vincent 

Rev. W. A. Anderson . 

Rev. Charles B. Wathen . 

Rev. Frank E. Ramsdell 

Rev. A. Lincoln Shear 

Rev. Joshua Foster Tucker 

Rev. E. C. Bartlett 

Rev. J. M. Greene, D. D., of Lowell 

Rev. Albert F. Eamshaw . 

Rev. Tilton C. H. Bouton . 

Rev. Earl A. Roadman 

Rev. Edward A. Robinson . 



1877-1879 
1880-1883 
1883-1887 
1887-1888 
1888-1890 
1890-1891 

1891 June to December 
1893-1894 
1894-1903 
supplied during the winter. 
1904-1908 
1908-1910 
1910-1913 
1913- 



ST. ALBAN S EPISCOPAL MISSION, NORTH CHELMSFORD. 

On December 30, 1911, Archdeacon Babcock, now Suffragan 
Bishop, held a service in the Town Hall, North Chelmsford, and 
baptized several children. Monthly services were at once begun 
by the Rev. Wilson Waters, rector of All Saints', Chelmsford 
Centre, and in January, 1915, in a hall rented and fitted up with 
altar and other furniture. Services have since been held regularly 
each Sunday evening. 

THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN. 

This denomination have a neat little building of their own 
in North Chelmsford, where their representatives began to preach 
about three years ago. 

The mission was conducted for a time by Mr. Kirby S. Taylor, 
a lay preacher. It has recently been formed into a "church 
assembly." 



CHAPTER XVIL 

BURYING GROUNDS. 

FOREFATHERS' BURYING GROUND, CHELMSFORD CENTRE. 

IT was probably some years after the settlement of the Town 
before there was any established burial place. The first grave 
is said to have been upon the land of Thomas Henchman, later 
owned by Mr. E. H. Warren. A few uninscribed stones of rough 
surface appear to mark the earliest graves in Forefathers' burying 
groimd, but the year 1690 is the date of the first stone bearing an 
inscription. In 1702, a "rough fence," and in 1708, a "board 
fence" was placed around the burying ground. This was replaced 
in 1717 by a stone wall, and in 1790 one of more permanent 
character was built; this was repaired in 1793. 

May 25, 1778, the Town appointed a committee to consider 
making some addition to the burying ground. 

In 1813, and the three succeeding years, the tombs were 
built at the top of the rising ground. 

In 1817, a piece of land owned by Moses Hale, on the southerly 
side of the burying ground, was added to it. This new part is 
said, in the records, to include the graves of Rev. John Fiske and 
two of his family. Hale was to build a good substantial stone 
wall four and one-half feet above the surface of the earth. He 
had a bam, between which and the burying ground he reserved 
a passageway. Hale received $27. 

In 1830, the burying ground was "repaired," and in 1838, 
an addition was made on the west side, a parcel of land being 
purchased of David Dickinson for $100. 

In 1839, the stone steps were built on the slope near the 
centre of the old part of the burying ground. The upper flight 
of steps was built about 1853, when the upper row of tombs was 
built. 

In 1871, a receiving tomb was built in this burying ground. 

A triangular strip of land next to Littleton street was 
annexed at this time. See Plate No. 40. 

In accordance with ancient custom, the bodies in the older 
part of the cemetery are buried with their faces toward the east, 
as though looking for the promised coming of Christ and the 
resurrection of the dead. 



BURYING GROUNDS 717 

The following are some of the oldest epitaphs in Forefathers' 
Burying Ground: 

HERE LYES Ye BODY OF GRACE 
LIUERMOAR WIFE TO lOHN 
LIUERMOAR AGED 75 YEARS 
DIED THE 14 OF lANUARY 
1690 



MARY THE WIFE 
OF THOMAS 
CHAMBERLAINE 
AGED 88 DIED 
FEBRUARY 8 
1692 



RICHARD 
HILDRETH 
AGED 88 YEARS 
DIED FEBRUARY 
23 1693 



He was one of the original settlers of the Town, and his name appears 
among the petitioners for the grant of the Town May 19, 1653. He lived on 
Robin's hill. The present road was laid out through his yard in 1663. 



HERE LYES Ye BODY OF 
CAPt IOSIAS 

RICHARDSON AGED 

61 YEARS DIED THE 

22 OF lULY 1695 



HERE LYES Ye BODY 

OF EZEKIEL 
RICHARDSON AGED 

29 YEARS DIED 
NOUEMBER 27 

1696 



HERE LYES Ye BODY OF 
SAMUEL FLETCHER 

AGED 65 YEARS 
DIED DECEMBER 9 
1697 



HERE LYES Ye BODY OF 
Deacon CORNELIUS WALDO 

AGED 75 YEARS 
DIED JANr 3 1700 

The Memory of 
the just is blessed. 



Deacon Waldo was a man of distinguished usefulness. 



718 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

HERE LYES Ye BODY OF 
DEACON SAMUEL 
FOSTER AGED 83 
YEARS DIED lULY Ye 
10 1702 



HERE LYETH 
Ye BODY OF MAJOR 
THOMAS HINCHMAN 
AGED 74 YEARS 
DECd. JULY Ye 17 
1703 
A foot-stone to the grave beside it bears the name 

Mis ELIZABETH 
HINKSMAN 



HERE LYES THE 
BODY OF LIEUT. 
EDWARD SPOLDIN 
AGED 73 YEARS 
WHO DECEASED 
JANry. Ye 10th 1707 18 



Edward Spaulding was one of the original settlers, having been chosen 
into office at the first Town Meeting, in 1654. He settled where Mr. Thos. 
Moore lately lived. He grew the first apple orchard, mention of which was 
made in 1664. 



HERE LYES Ye BODY 
OF . Mrs . LUCIA , 
TYNG WIFE TO . CAPx 
WILLIAM TYNG 
AGED , 28 . YEARS 
& 4 . MONTHS , WHO 
DEPARTED THIS LIFE 
APRIL . Ye . 25th . 1708 



Her husband, William Tyng, is buried in Concord, having been wounded 
by the Indians between Groton and Lancaster, and carried to Concord, where 
he died Aug. 16, 1710. 

This stone recalls one of the past industries of Chelmsford which flourished 
at the time of the old Middlesex canal: 

SA CRED 
To the memory of 
John J. Stickelmire, 
a Native of GERMANY, and late foreman of 
the Chelmsford Glass Manufactory, 
Died March 31st 1814 
Aged 48 years. 
This verse reminds the heedless as they pass 
That life's a fragile drop of unnealed glass. 
The slightest wound ensures a fatal burst 
And the frail fabric shivers into dust. 
So he whom in his art could none surpass, 
Is now himself reduced to broken glass. 
But from the grave, the fining pot of man. 
From scandiver and galss (sic) galls purged again, 
New mixed and fashioned by almighty power, 
Shall rise a firmer fabric than before. 



BURYING GROUNDS 



719 



Sepulchram indicat hic Lapis 

Stephani Scales, A. M. 

Collegii harvardini olim Alumni 

et cjusdem nuper Tutoris 

Ingenii cujiis Acumen 

Virtutes eximiae 

et Diligentia pariter singularis 

Famam ejus et Honorem 

pluspluscj: in dies amplificarunt 

Juris prudentiae studio dicatus 

toto Animo incubuit 

et multum profecit 

Rubiolis dum laboravit 

E Vivis derepente correptus est 

Quinto Novembris 

Anno Salutis humanae 1772 

iEtatis 31. 

O mi amice 

Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam 

Jam te premit Nox. 

TRANSLATION. 

This stone marks the grave of Stephen Scales, A. M., late Alumnus of 
Harvard College and recently tutor of the same, whose discnmmatmg genius, 
distinguished virtues, and equally remarkable diligence, daily increased his 
honor and reputation more and more. Devoted to the study of Jurisprudence, 
he applied himself with his whole soul, and accomplished much. Whjle he 
labored in the flush of youth, he was suddenly snatched away from the living, 
November 5, in the year of human salvation, 1772; of his age 31. 

O my friend, the brief span of life forbids us to enter upon far-reachmg 
hope. ' So' night overtakes thee. [This quotation is from Horace; Odes, I, iv.] 

SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLXJTION BURIED IN CHELMSFORD CEMETERIES. 

forefathers' burying ground. 



Numbers refer to Plan No. 21. 



Adams, Abel, Capt 21 

Adams, Joseph 11 

Adams, Salatheel, Capt. ... 3 

Adams, William 28 

Chamberlin, Benjamin, Fifer . 18 

Chamberlain, Isaac, Capt. . . 40 

Davis, Samuel 37 

Dunn, James, Jr 24 

Emerson, Joseph, Capt.* 

Farrar, Peter 36 

Fletcher, Josiah 20 

Fletcher, William 16 

Foster, Isaiah, Jr 2.5 

Foster, Noah 32 

Gould, Ebenezer ..... 6 
Harwood, Jonathan, Lieut. f 

Hodgman, Asa 27 

Howard, Jacob 33 

Howard, Samuel 4 

Howard, Willard 10 

Mar-shall, James . . . . .29 

Parker, Benjamin, Lieut. 34 

Parker, Jonathan 39 

♦His grave is located just above that of the 

{20 ft. north of Ilinchman's grave. 
Immediately south of No. 18. 



Parker, Willard, Sergt. 
Parkhurst, Benjamin . 
Parkhurst, Josiah . 
Parkhurst, Samuel 
Perham, Samuel . 
Pierce, Jonas, Sergt. . 
Pierce, Silas, Corp. 
Pierce, Stephen 
Proctor, Azariah, Corp 
Proctor, Daniel, Lieut. 
Richardson, Josiah 
Richardson, Oliver 
Richardson, Robert . 
Spalding, Azariah 
Spalding, Job . 
Spalding, Jonas 
Spalding, Joseph . 
Spaulding, Henry, Jr., Cornet 
Spaulding, Simeon, Col. 
Shed, Ebenezer, Capt. 
Stephens, Samuel, Lieut. 
Warren, Joseph, Capt. J . 

Rev. E. Bridge on Plan No. 21. 



7 

26 
31 
19 
12 

1 

9 
14 

8 
42 
23 
15 
17 
13 
30 
35 

5 
41 
38 

2 
22 



720 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

HEART POND CEMETERY. 

Adams, Samuel, Lieut. Adams, Timothy Brown, Samuel 

Markers of the Sons of the American Revolution were placed at the 
graves of these soldiers in the Town of Chelmsford, in 1901, at the expense 
of the Town, Rev. Wilson Waters, Henr^' S. Perham and Daniel P. Byam 
being the committee. 

SCHOOL STREET CEMETERY (nO. 1), LOWELL. 

Butterfield, Benjamin Dutton, Stephen Fletcher, Levi Melvin, Benjamin 

Parker, Simon 

HEART POND CEMETERY, SOUTH CHELMSFORD. 

In 1774, this burying ground was given to the Town by Dr. 
John Betty. In 1792, the Town built a wall around it, and this 
was repaired in 1836. In 1813, John Adams was allowed to build 
a tomb here. The burying ground was enlarged in 1852, and 
again in 1870 and 1892. In 1874, the receiving tomb was built. 

SCHOOL STREET CEMETERY (nO. 1), LOWELL. 

In 1810, a burying place "in the North part of the Town" 
was bought of Joel Spalding. This was laid out in 1814 "near 
Pawtucket falls," and in 1816, tombs were built in this cemetery. 

RIVERSIDE CEMETERY, NORTH CHELMSFORD. 

In 1841, a committee of the Town was chosen to select a 
piece of ground for a burying place in the north part of the Town. 
The land was purchased of Benjamin Blood and Samuel F. Wood, 
"between North Chelmsford and Middlesex Village." This 
cemetery was enlarged in 1890. 

WEST CHELMSFORD CEMETERY. 

In 1852, a burying ground for West Chelmsford was bought 
of John Farrar. The receiving tomb was built in 1875. 

PINE RIDGE CEMETERY, NEAR THE CENTRE VILLAGE. 

Land for this cemetery was laid out in 1888, being part of 
the Town Farm land, owned by the Town. An enlargement was 
made in 1899. 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY. 

In 1894, the Oblate Fathers were granted permission to use 
a lot in the eastern part of the Town as a burying ground. This 
is known as St. Joseph's cemetery. 




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BURYING GROUNDS 721 

LIST OF INTERMENTS IN FOREFATHERS* BURYING GROUND. 

At least foiir lists have been made: one by John Rowland 
Parkhurst, one by "Shawshin," in the Boston Transcript, one by 
P. Hildreth Parker, and the deaths printed in "Chelmsford Vital 
Records." The first, third and last of these have been compared, 
with the following result. 

The list is arranged alphabetically, and at the same time 
chronologically, except in a few instances, where all the names on 
a family tomb are placed together. 

With a few exceptions, the full inscription is not given, 
only the name, date of death, and age. 

J. Rowland Parkhurst has for many years been in charge of 
the cemeteries of Chelmsford Centre. 

The names of persons buried in some of the family tombs are 
not known. Variations in the spelling of names has been retained. 



Capt. Joseph Adams, Jan. 22, 1717-18. Age, 45. 

Samuel Adams, son of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Mary Adams, Dec. 5, 1738. 

Age, 3 yrs., 11 mos., 25 d. 
Samuel Adams, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Esther Adams, Nov. 4, 1745. 

Age, 10 yrs., 1 mo., 30 d. 
Mrs. Esther Adams, wife of Mr. Samuel Adams, Nov. 4, 1745. Age, 32 yrs., 

9 mos., 16 d. 
Ms. Lydia Adams, dau. Mr. Pelatiah and Mrs. Lydia Adams, Dec. 30, 1745. 

Age, 29 yrs., 7 mos., 4 d. 
Mr. Pelatiah Adams, July 15, 1746. Age, 63 yrs., 7 mos., 29 d. 
Sarah Adams, dafter of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Ester Adams, Sept. 25, 1754. 

Age, 3 mos., 23 d. 
Mr. Benjamin Adams, Jr., son to Mr. Benjamin Adams and Mrs. Olive Adams, 

Dec. 18, 1755. Age, 27 yrs., 9 mos., 2 d. 
Mr. Abijah Adams, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Olive Adams, Sept. 14, 

1757. Age, 23 yrs., 5 mos., 8 d. 
Ester Adams, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Ester Adams, Oct. 4, 1759. Age, 

22. 
Mr. William Adams, Oct. 20, 1760. Age, 34 yrs., 4 mos., 12 d. 
Deacon Benjamin Adams, Aug. 13, 1762. Age, 83 yrs., 2 mos., 4 d. 
Hannah Adams, dau. of Mr. Oliver Adams and Mrs. Rachel, his wife, Aug. 20, 

1766. Age, 2 yrs., 4 mos., 14 d. 
Mr. Joseph Adams, June 7, 1772. Age, 73 yrs., 11 mos., 12 d. 
Miss Olive Adams, dau. of Mr. Oliver Adams and Mrs. Rachel, his wife, May 

31, 1773. Age, 13 yrs., 8 mos., 3 d. 
Jonas Adams, son of Mr. Abel Adams and Mrs. Olive, his wife, Sept. 6, 1778. 

Age 6 yrs., 6 d. 
Mr. Salatheel Adams, son of Mr. Jonas Adams and Mrs. Rebeckah Adams, 

Oct. 7, 1778. Age, 25 yrs. 
Mrs. Rebeckah Adams, wife of Jonas Adams, March 3, 1781. Age, 58 yrs. 

6 mos., 2 d. 
Mrs. Lucy Adams, dau. of Deacon Benj. Adams and Mrs. Abigail Adams, 

May 24, 1782. Age, 56 yrs. 
Bettey Adams, dau. of Mr. Joseph Adams and Mrs. Abigail Adams'of Fitch- 
burg, June 19, 1782. Age, 8 yrs., 3 mos., 14 d. 
Mrs. Mary Adams, wife of Mr. Benjamin Adams, Sept. 18, 1785. Age, 42 

yrs., 7 mos. 
Miss Rebeckah Adams, dau. of Mr. Joseph Adams and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, 

Aug. 23, 1789. Age, 23 yrs. 



722 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Miss Thankful Adams, dau. of Mr. Joseph Adams and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, 
June 14, 1790. Age, 36 yrs. 

Mr. Jonas Adams, Jan. 18, 1792. Age, 81 yrs. 

Capt. Abel Adams, Feb. 21, 1792. Age, 46 yrs. S. A. R. 

Mr. Joseph Adams, Sept. 17, 1796. Age, 71 yrs. 

Simeon Adams, son of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Lucy Adams, May 24, 1797. 
Age, 1 yr., 2 d. 

Mrs. Lydia Adams, wife of Mr. Joseph Adams, July 18, 1799. Age, 76 yrs. 

Mrs. Lucy Adams, wife of Mr. Joseph Adams, Oct. 12, 1803. Age, 42 yrs. 

Jonas Adams, July 28, 1806, age, 17 yrs., son of Capt. Abel Adams. 

Mrs. Susanna Adams, Dec. 21, 1806, age, 26 yrs., the wife of Mr. Salathiel 
Adams. 

Mrs. Betsy Adams, wife of Mr. Samuel Adams, April 6, 1807. Age, 22 yrs. 

Abel Adams, March 10, 1809, age, 8 weeks, son of Mr. Salathiel Adams and 
Mrs. Sarah Adams. 

Sarah Adams, dau. of Salathiel and Sarah Adams, Nov. 14, 1812. Age, 6 
weeks. 

William Adams, Esq., born April 13, 1762, died Dec. 25, 1843. Mary, his 
wife, born Oct. 30, 1764, died July 3, 1849. Elizabeth Adams, wife of 
Otis Spaulding, born Dec. 8, 1794, died Jan. S, 1868. Mary E., their 
dau., born May 10, 1823, died July 5, 1867. L. Abby, their dau., born 
July 2, 1820, died March 22, 1874. Tomb built A. D. 1814. 

Norris Adams, Feb. 1, 1818, age, 6 weeks, son of Capt. Salathiel and Mrs. 
Sarah Adams. 

Family tomb of Mr. Joseph Adams and Lt. Joseph Parker, built A. D. 1819. 

Mrs. Olive Adams, relict of Capt. Abel Adams, Oct. 5, 1819. Age, 77. 

Miss Mercv Maria R. Abbott, Aug. 21, 1825. Age, 17 yrs. 

Mrs. Mercy F. Abbott, Feb. S, 1834. Age, 51 vrs. 

John T. K. Adams, Jan. 27, 1867. Age, 39 yrs. Charles E. Adams, Feb. 27, 
1833. Age, 21 yrs. John H. Adams, June 26, 1826. Age, 4 yrs. Henry 
K. Adams, Sept. 17, 1820. Age, 20 yrs. Sons of Joel and Catherine M. 
Adams of Chelmsford. 

Eunice Cole Adams, July 27, 1827, age, 20 yrs., wife of Wm. H. Adams. 

William H. Adams, May 22, 1829, age, 28 yrs., at Burlington, Vt. 

John Clarke Allen, son of Rev. Wilkes Allen and Mary, his wife. Born 
Nov. 15, 1812; graduated Harvard University, 1833; died June 26, 1834. 
Age, 22 yrs. 

Children of the Rev. Wilkes and Mrs. Mary Allen — Israel Allen, Jan. 16, 1815. 
Age, 7 weeks. Mary Allen, Sept. 9, 1821. Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos. Sarah 
Allen, Sept. 17, 1821. Age, 18 mos. They were lovely and pleasant 
in their lives, and in their deaths they were not divided. 

Rev. Wilkes Allen, ordained Nov. 16, 1803, retired Nov. 16, 1832; died, 
North Andover, Dec. 2, 1845. Age, 70 yrs. 

Caleb Abbott, born Nov. 10, 1779, died Dec. 4, 1846. Mercy, his wife, born 
Oct. 29, 1782, died Feb. 8, 1834. Mercy Maria R. Abbott, born Jan. 24, 
1808, died Aug. 21, 1826. Lucy Ann L. Abbott, born Sept. 16, 1809, 
died Aug. 1, 1861. Evelina Maria Antoinette Abbott, born Sept. 14, 
1817, died April 30, 1897. William Stackpole Abbott, grandson of Caleb 
and Mercy Abbott, May 6, 1846. Age, 17 mos. 

Alvin Adams, Nov. 6, 1848, age, 8 mos., child of Chas. and Mary Sweetser. 

Eben Adams, Sept. 8, 1856. Age, 81 yrs. 

Waldo, son of G. W. and S. L. Adams, Dec. 14, 1857. Age, 3 mos., 23 d. 

Martha Prentice Adams, wife of Eben Adams, Oct. 21, 1860. Age, 94 yrs. 

Calvin Allen, Aug. 14, 1863. Age, 31 yrs., 7 mos. 

Joel Adams, son of Timothy and Joanna (Keyes) Adams, and a descendant 
of Henry Adams, who came from Devonshire, England; born in Chelms- 
ford, Nov., 1783, graduated from H. U., in 1805, died Nov. 21, 1864. 

Mrs. Mary Allen, wife of Rev. Wilkes Allen, Jan. 5, 1864. Age, 85 yrs. 

Martha P., adopted dau. of Eben and Martha P. Adams, died in Medford, 
Mass., June 29, 1873. Age, 57 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 723 

Abigail O. Adams, wife of Dea. Otis Adams, June 1, 1872. Age, 71 yrs., 6 d. 
Catherine Mary, wife of Joel Adams, born in Lunenburg, July 27, 1786, died 

May 1, 1874. 
Nancy P. Worthen, wife of Isaac Adams, July 23, 1878. Age, 73 yrs. 
Leonard Andrews, June 23, 1880. Age, 63 yrs., 20 d. 
Dea. Otis Adams, Jan. 26, 1881. Age, 82 yrs., 7 mos., 21 d. 
William, son of Otis and Caroline Adams, July 17, 1881. Age, 22 yrs., 8 mos., 

17 d. 
Charles Adams, April 20, 1883. Age, 83 yrs., 9 d. 

Nancy (Robbins), wife of Charles Adams, July 27, 1878. Age, 74 yrs., 10 mos. 
Sarah C, dau. of Charles and Nancy, died March 22, 1846. Age, 16 mos. 
Chas. Henry, son of Charles and Nancy, died Jan. 24, 1878. Age, 50 yrs., 

9 mos., 21 d. 
Emma J., dau. of Charles Henry and Ann R. Clouston, March 12, 1859. 

Age, 1 yr., 8 mos. 
Clara L. Clouston, dau. of Charles Henry and Ann R., July 19, 1885. Age 

31 yrs., 7 mos., 23 d. 
Annie L., dau. of William and Clara L. Clouston, June 6, 1886. Age, 15 yrs., 

3 mos., 15 d. 

Juliette E., dau. of Leonard and Rebecca Andrews, July 15, 1887. Age, 34 

yrs., 11 mos., 20 d. 
Leonora A., dau. of Leonard and Rebecca Andrews, Sept. 3, 1901. Age, 

51 yrs., 8 mos. 
Viola R., dau. of Leonard and Rebecca Andrews, March 22, 1878. Age, 19 

yrs., 9 mos., 7 d. 
Isaac Adams, Dec. 31, 1892. Age, 84 yrs. 
Thomas M. Adams, April 25, 1895. Age, 84 yrs. 
Clara, wife of H. M. Arnold, born Sept. 17, 1852, died March 24, 1893. 
Frank F. Abbott, 1843-1897. Melintha L. Abbott, 1844-1892. Royal C, 

son of Frank F. and Melintha L. Abbott, Oct. 25, 1883. Age, 11 yrs., 

29 d. 
James Ashworth, native of Rochdale, England, April 24, 1839, July 2, 1899. 
Leighton M., son of Amos B. and Hettie E. Adams, Sept. 24, 1902, Feb. 27, 

1904. 
Rebecca Andrews, Sept. 21, 1906. Age, 80 yrs., 8 mos., 3 d. 
Christina Ashworth, Dec. 13, 1912. Age, 66 yrs., 21 d. 
Amos Byam Adams, April 8, 1908. Age, 54 yrs., 8 mos., 21 d. 
Grace Pearl Adams, Dec. 24, 1909. Age, 30 yrs., 11 mos., 29 d. 
Otis Adams, March 12, 1904. Age, 78 yrs., 2 mos., 6 d. 
Frances Adelaide Adams, Feb. 23, 1913. Age, 71 yrs., 4 mos., 19 d. 

B 

Nathanel Blodget, Oct. 12, 1710. Age, 40 yrs. 

Jerathmel Bowers, son of Jonathan and Hannah, May 7, 1713. Age, 15 yrs., 

4 mos. 

Sergt. Benjamin Butterfield, March 31, 1715. Age, 35 yrs., 1 mo., 2 weeks. 
Mrs. Sarah Barrit, wife to Mr. Jonathan Barrit, May 23, 1716. Age, 25 yrs. 
Capt. Moses Barron, Sept. 16, 1719. Age, about 50 yrs. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Bowers, wife to Capt. Jerathmell Bowers, March 4, 1721. 

Age, 76 yrs. 
Mr. John Bates, Sen., April 17, 1722. Age, about 80 yrs. 
Mr. John Bates, May 1, 1722. Age, 53 yrs., 4 mos., 9 d. 
John Bates, son of Mr. John and Mrs. Deborah Bates, May 22, 1724. Age, 17. 
Nathaniel Bowers, son of Mr. Jerathmel and Mrs. Sarah Bowers, Feb. 27, 

1726. Age, 4 yrs., 11 mos. 
Ebenezer Blodget, son of Lieut. William and Mrs. Elizabeth Blodget, Jan. 1, 

1733. Age, 4 yrs., 5 mos., 14 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Butterfield, wife to Mr. Nathaniel Butterfield, June 19, 1734. 

Age, 55 yrs. 
Sarah Bowers, wife to Jerahmeel Bowers, Oct., 1735. Age, 47 yrs. 
Lydia Barret, dau. of Mr. Jonathan and Mrs. Lydia Barret, Feb. 12, 1736. 

Age, 18 yrs. 



724 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Sarah Butterfield, dau. of Mr. John and Mrs. Anna Butterfield, April 28, 

1738. Age, 12 yrs., 7 mos., 2 d. 
Mr. Isaac Barron, Sept. 16, 1739. Age, 67 yrs., 9 mos. 
Mrs. Mercy Butterfield, wife of Mr. Jonathan Butterfield, April 25, 1743. 

Age, 75 yrs. 
Mr. John Burg, son of Mr. John and Mrs. Mary Burg, March 12, 1741. Age, 

21 yrs., 7 mos., 19 d. 
Willard Blood, only son of Mr. Ephraim and Mrs. Sarah Blood, Jan. 9, 1747/8. 

Age, 4 yrs., 7 mos. 
Lieut. Jonathan Barron, Aug. 20, 1748. Age, 51 yrs. 
Katherine Bridge, dau. of the Rev. Ebenezer and Madame Sarah Bridge, 

March 27, 1750. Age, 1 yr., 1 mo;, 7 d. 
Reuben Blodget, son of Lieut. William and Mrs. Elizabeth Blodget, Sept. 22, 

1749. Age, 12 yrs., 3 mos., 28 d. 
Ruth Blodget, dau. of Lieut. William and Mrs. Elizabeth Blodget, Oct. 15, 

1749. Age, 14 yrs., 7 mos., 10 d. 
Olive Blodget, dau. of Lieut. William and Mrs. Elizabeth Blodget, Sept. 24, 

1749. Age, 7 yrs., 2 mos., 27 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Butterfield, April 17, 1750. Age, 67 yrs. 
Mr. Ebenezer Barrit, son of Mr. Jonathan and Mrs. Lydia Barrit, Feb. 23, 

1752. Age, 16 yrs., 11 mos., 23 d. 
Elizabeth Bridge, dau. of the Rev. Ebenezer and Madame Sarah Bridge, 

March 31, 1756. Age, 7 yrs., 8 mos., 20 d. 
Lieut. Jonathan Bowers, Sept. 26, 1756. Age, 35 yrs. 
Hannah Barret, dafter of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Rachel Barret, March 17, 

1759. Age, 28 yrs., 11 mos. 

Mrs. Olive Barron, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Sarah Barron, Nov. 15, 

1760. Age, 19 yrs. 

Cornet Daniel Blodget, April 14, 1761. Age, 72 yrs. 

Mr. Thomas Barret, July 9, 1761. Age, 72 yrs., 4 mos. 

Mr. John Burg, Sept. 9, 1761. Age, 73 yrs., 10 mos., 10 d. 

Abigail Barron, dau. of Capt. Oliver Barron and Abigail, his wife, June 6, 

1763. Age, 4 yrs., 4 mos., 25 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Bates, May 28, 1764. Age, 57 yrs. 
Capt. John Butterfield. Tan. 8, 1766. Age, 67 yrs., 11 mos., 26 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Blodget, wife of Lieut. William Blodget, Sept. 11, 1769. Age, 

67 yrs., 2 mos., 23 d. 
Mrs. Betty Blood, wife of Ephraim Blood, Dec. 28, 1771. Age, 58 yrs., 7 mos., 

12 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Barrett, Oct. 9, 1773. Age, 86 yrs., 11 mos., 14 d. 
Mr. Ephraim Blood, March 16, 1775. Age, 72 yrs., 9 mos., 2 d. 
Three children of Mr. Benjamin Butterfield and Mrs. Olive, his wife — Reuben, 

Oct. 3, 1775. Age, 11 yrs., 7 mos., 23 d. Anna, Sept. 26, 1775. Age, 

4 yrs., 8 mos., 1 d. Silous, Sept. 30, 1775. Age, 2 yrs., 5 mos., 1 d. 
Mr. Ephraim Butterfield, son of Capt. John Butterfield and Mrs. Anna, his 

wife, June 7, 1777. Age, 36 yrs., 10 d. 
Miss Hannah Blodget, dau. of Mr. Simeon Blodget and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, 

Feb. 23, 1778. Age, 20 yrs., 2 mos., 13 d. 
Two children of Mr. Simeon and Mrs. Lydia Blodget — Ephraim, March 9, 

1778. Age, 8 yrs., 4 mos., 4 d. Betty Blodget, March 21, 1778. Age, 

10 yrs., 9 mos., 16 d. 
Lieut. William Blodgett, May 30, 1779. Age, 82 yrs., 2 mos., 17 d. 
Madam Sarah Bridge, the amiable consort of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, died 

April 9, 1783. Age, 64 yrs. She was ye third dau. of the Rev. Sampson 

Stoddard, the third pastor of the church in this town, who died August, 

1740. 
Mrs. Rachel Barrett, wife of Mr. Thomas Barrett, April 29, 1785. Age, 93 yrs. 
Mrs. Lydia Barrett, relict of Mr. Jonathan Barrett, Nov. 16, 1789. Age, 90 

yrs. 
Mr. Robert Bates, May 21, 1791. Age, 81 yrs. 



■#^^ 



BURYING GROUNDS 725 

The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge. 

By the Church of Christ in Chelmsford, in testimony of their esteem and 

Veneration this sepulchral stone was erected to stand as a sacred Memorial 

of their late Worthy Pastor the Reverend Ebenezer Bridge who after 

having officiated among them in the service of the Sanctuary for more 

than a year above half a century the strength of nature being exhausted 

sunk under the burden of age and joined the Congregation of the Dead. 

Oct. 1, 1792. Age, 78 yrs. 
Amos Byam, Oct. 22, 1792. Age, 38 yrs. 
Mr. Andrew Bettey, April 26, 1786. Age, 74 yrs. 
Mrs. Molley Bettey, wife of Mr. Andrew Bettey and four of their children, 

all of whom died in 1757. 
Miss PoUey Bateman, dau. of Lieut. John and Mrs. Hannah Bateman, March 

13, 1798. Age, 12 yrs. 
John Frye Bowers, son of Mr. Phillip and Mrs. Cloey Bowers, July 18, 1799. 

Age, 2 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mrs. Lydia Blodgett, wife of Mr. Simeon Blodgett, Oct. 7, 1801. Age, 69 yrs. 
Tomb of Blodgett. [See Hodgman.] 
John Bateman, son of Lieut. John Bateman and Mrs. Hannah, his wife, Nov. 

7, 1803. Age, 2 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mr. Simeon Blodget, Nov. 10, 1804. Age, 78 yrs. 
Samuel Butterfield, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Hannah Butterfield, Jan. 18, 

1805. Age, 5 yrs. 
Mrs. Lydia Bates, wife of Mr. Robert Bates, July 6, 1806. Age, 88 yrs. 
Joseph, son of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Martha Bailey, April 26, 1808. Age, 16 

mos., 12 d. 
Miss Olive Bates, Dec. 28, 1810. Age, 59 yrs. 
Mrs. Rebeckah Byam, wife of Ens. Benjamin Byam, May 18, 1811. Age, 

42 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Bettey, Jan. 28, 1813. Age, 93 yrs. 
Family tomb of Capt. John Butterfield, built A. D. 1813. No. 5. 
Family tomb of Capt. Joseph Bowers and Miel Moors, built A. D. 1813. No. 

3. 
Family tomb of Simeon and William Byam and Benj. Parkhurst, built A. D. 

1814. 
Charles, son of Mr. Joseph Bailey and Mrs. Martha, his wife, Feb. 14, 1816. 

Age, 15 mos. 
Mary, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Hannah Butterfield, Oct. 4, 1821. Age, 

13 yrs. 

Family tomb of Nathan Buttrick — Ichabod Kimball and Stephen Pierce. 

Buih, 1827. 
North Side — Margaret, relict of Barnabus Bradt, June 25, 1848. Age, 78 yrs. 
East Side — Barnabus Bradt, May 1, 1828. Age, 56 yrs. 
South Side— Henry Bradt, Sept. 30, 1830. Age, 32 yrs. 

Miss Lucinda Bryant, late of Hillsborough, N. H., Dec. 14, 1830. Age, 21 yrs. 
Emeline, dau. of Samuel and Hannah Butterfield, March 20, 1833. Age, 13 

yrs. 
Mrs. Louisa Bannister, wife of Mr. J. Y. Smith, June 3, 1837. Age, 21 yrs. 
Lucretia Caroline, wife of William Barry, Sept. 10, 1843. Age, 24 yrs. 
William Barry, Aug. 9, 1854. Age, 36 yrs. 
William B. Burgess, May 22, 1846. Age, 35 yrs. 
William Lott, son of Wm. B. and Sarah P. Burgess, Aug. 25, 1844. Age, 7 

weeks. 
Sarah W., wife of Amos Boardman, June 13, 1848. Age, 42 yrs. 
Joseph Bailey, Aug. 21, 1852. Age, 77 yrs. 
Susan B., wife of B. F. Barrett, Dec. 23, 1854. Age, 55 yrs. 
Otis Byam, Nov. 5, 1857. Age, 57 yrs. 
Mary Byam, wife of Willard Byam, Jan. 7, 1860. Age, 77 yrs., 4 mos. 

Willard Byam, Sept. 2, 1854. Age, 76 yrs., 7 mos. 
Lovina, wife of Otis Byam, Sept. 21, 1868. Age, 65 yrs., 10 mos. 



726 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Dr. John Call Bartlett, born Oct. 5, 1808, died Jan. 13, 1878. Maria J., his 
wife, born March 15, 1810, died Dec. 9, 1882. Charles E. A. Bartlett, 
born Sept. 5, 1836, died April 4, 1900, Capt. Co. K, 6th Reg. Mass. Vols. 
Harriet M., his wife, March 11, 1903. 

Eliza H., widow of the late Dea. Amos Byam, April 20, 1884. Age, 85 yrs., 
4 mos., 14 d. 

S. Jennie, wife of John Byfield, born Oct. 26, 1848, died Jan. 16, 1889. Our 
babe, A. M. B. 

Relief Spaulding, wife of Henry Byam, March 4, 1802, Oct. 23, 1891. 

William F. Bowers, June 24, 1827, Dec. 7, 1894. Hannah R. F. Bowers, 
Jan. 14, 1826, July 12, 1897. Josiah Fletcher, son of Wm. F. and Hannah 
R. F. Bowers, May 13, 1863. Age, 6 yrs., 11 mos., 15 d. George Roby, 
2d son of Wm. F. and Hannah R. F. Bowers, Feb. 23, 1864. Age, 6 yrs., 
1 mo., 14 d. 

Lydia M., wife of I. Woodard Brown, April 8, 1830, died July 2, 1897. 

George H. Byam, 1829-1897. Ellen M. Richardson, his wife, 1830-1901. 

Jacob P. Brown, 1824-1903. 

Faustina A. Brown, 1862-1884. 

Mary J. Byam, June 14, 1911. Age, 74 yrs., 6 mos., 8 d. 

Susan Kittredge Brown, June 26, 1910. Age, 86 yrs. 

Edith M. Byam, March 28, 1901. 

William Brenner, Jan. 24, 1900. Age, 63 yrs., 11 mos., 1 d. 

George Adams Byam, June 24, 1912. Age, 68 yrs., 7 mos., 25 d. 

Benard Haines Byam, June 8, 1910. Age, 30 yrs., 7 mos., 20 d. 

Revere Colby Byam, Dec. 7, 1908. Age, 7 mos., 18 d. 

Mildred Armstrong Byfield, Sept. 18, 1891. Age, 17 yrs., 15 d. 

Charles Bent, April 22, 1906. Age, 84 yrs., 7 mos., 5 d. 

Frances E. Brown, Aug. 8, 1901. Age, 63 yrs., 7 mos., 15 d. 

Charies W. Byam, 1832—1915. 

Mary Jane Proctor, his wife, 1836 — 1911. 



Mary, wife of Thomas Chamberlain, Feb. 8, 1692. Age, 88 yrs. 

Mrs. Mary Clark, Dec. 3, 1700. Age, 53 yrs. 

Rev. Thomas Clark, Dec. 7, 1704. Age, 52 yrs. [See page 71.] 

Susanna Chamberlin, wife to Joseph Chamberiin, Dec. 2, 1717. Age, 26 yrs. 

Mrs. Anna Chamberlin, wife to Mr. Samuel Chamberlin, April 21, 1720. 

Age, 29 yrs. 
Mr. Samuel Chamberiin, Feb. 16, 1723. Age, 30 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mr. Matthias Cowdry, Oct. 15, 1739. Age, 41 yrs., 9 d. 
Mr. Samuel Chamberiin, Feb. 16, 1745. Age, 30 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mrs. Abigail Chamberlain, wife of Capt. Samuel Chamberlain, May 16, 1760. 

Age, 76 yrs., 4 mos., 10 d. 
Ensign Benjamin Chamberlain, April 30, 1763. Age, 69 yrs. 
Capt. Samuel Chamberlain, April 12, 1767. Age, 87 yrs., 2 mos., 21 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Clark, wife of Jonas Clark, Esq., April 27, 1767. Age, 74 yrs. 
Col. Jonas Clark, April 28, 1770. Age, 86 yrs. 
Rebecka Chamberiin, dau. of Mr. Phinehas and Mrs. Rebecka Chamberlin, 

Jan. 9, 1773. Age, 2 yrs., 4 mos., 11 d. 
Mrs. Lydia Chamberlin, wife of Mr. Jacob Chamberlin, May 31, 1775. Age, 

46 yrs., 2 d. 
Mrs. Rebeckah Chamberlin, wife of Mr. Phinehas Chamberlin, Aug. 12, 1775. 

Age, 30 yrs. 
Rebeckah Chamberlin, ye 2d. dau. of Mr. Phinehas Chamberlin and Mrs. 

Rebeckah, his wife, Aug. 31, 1775. Age, 2 mos., 7 d. 
Mr. Timothy Clark, April 15, 1790. Age, 64 yrs. 
Mrs. Bettey Chamberlin, wife of Mr. Isaac Chamberlin, July 12, 1795. Age, 

40 yrs. 
Mr. Jacob Chamberiin, Feb. 9, 1800. Age, 73 yrs. 
Mrs. Judeath Chamberlin, wife of Mr. Jacob Chamberlin, July 8, 1801. Age, 

26 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 727 

Ichabut Chamberlin, son of Capt. Isaac and Mrs. Sarah Chamberlin, April 4, 

1807. Age, 3 mos. 
Mr. Benjamin Chamberlin, Dec. 26, 1812. Age, 79 yrs. Also Mrs. Susanna 

Chamberlin, his consort, Oct. 7, 1801. Age, 63 yrs. 
Mr. Phineas Chamberlin, July 4, 1813. Age, 67 yrs. 
Mrs. Letitia Caldwell, wife of Mr. John Caldwell, Aug. 21, 1819. Age, 79 yrs. 
Harriet M. Chamberlain, May 22, 1821. Age, 4 yrs., 23 d. 
Moriah J. Chamberlain, dau. of Mr. Isaac and Mrs. Olive Chamberlain, 

Nov. 27, 1821. Age, 2 yrs., 3 d. 
[See also Manning tomb.] 
Mrs. Susannah and Mrs. Dorothy, wives of Mr. David Carlton. The former, 

Oct. 4, 1823. Age, 20 yrs. The latter, Nov. 30, 1825. Age, 23 yrs. 
Abigail Ann, dau. of Mr. Roger and Mrs. Lydia Chandler, Oct. 9, 1825. 

Age, 8 j'rs. 
Capt. Isaac Chamberlain, Dec. 18, 1827. Age, 72 yrs. 
Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, Dec. 19, 1830. Age, 57 yrs. 
Mr. Isaac Chamberlain, March 28, 1834. Age, 46 yrs. 
Mrs. Dorcas, relict of Doct. Charles Coffin, Nov. 16, 1836. Age, 57 yrs. 
Sarah, wife of Capt. Isaac Chamberlin, Jan. 12, 1840. Age, 71 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mrs. Mary, wife of Joseph Chamberlain, Oct. 20, 1845. Age, 78 yrs. 
John Carlton, Sept. 15, 1846. Age, 85 yrs. Also Sarah, his wife, Oct. 25, 

1825. Age, 55 yrs. 
David Carlton, May 14, 1848. Age, 58 yrs. 
Sarah, his wife, Sept. 14, 1845. Age, 41 yrs. 
Mary J., their dau., June 17, 1849. Age, 16 yrs., 4 mos. 
John G. Clogston, Oct. 13, 1868. Age, 65 yrs., 4 mos. 
Mary B., his wife, Jan. 18, 1891. Age, 84 yrs., 4 mos., 4 d. 
William Carlton, May 8, 1864. Age, 33 yrs. 
David Carlton, Sept. 26, 1864. Age, 39 yrs. 
Susan Carhon, July 18, 1870. Age, 42 yrs. 
See also Warren and Carlton Tomb. 
Mrs. Olive Chamberlin, Feb. 2, 1864. Age, 72 yrs. 
Nelson O. Cook, of Co. H., 10th Regt. Vt. Infantry, was killed in battle at 

Cold Harbor, Va., June 7, 1864. Age, 40 yrs. 
Clement H., son of Nelson O. and Sarah Cook, Aug. 26, 1871. Age, 20 yrs., 

11 mos. 
George Corey, Feb. 16, 1865. Age, 40 yrs., 1 mo., 4 d. 
Harriet L., wife of George Corev, April 10, 1886. Age, 60 yrs., 8 mos., 23 d. 
Joseph W. Clark, Aug. 28, 1805, Dec. 26, 1882. 
Elizabeth A. Prescott, wife of J. W. Clark, born March 31, 1809, died June 6, 

1881. 
Sarah C. Carlton, Sept. 18, 1884. Age, 63 yrs. 
Electa M. Carlton, April 3, 1901. Age, 72 yrs. 
Clouston. [See A, 1885.] 

Charles Danforth Clark, Dec. 19, 1907. Age, 75 yrs., 1 mo., 6 d. 
Charlotte A. Clark, Aug. 1, 1896. Age, 61 yrs., 2 mos., 29 d. 
David B. Copeland, May 14, 1906. Age, 65 yrs., 8 mos., 5 d. 
Leroy A. Cheney, May 21, 1910. Age, 22 yrs., 7 mos. 
Charles R. Cook, Dec. 17, 1905. Age, 58 yrs., 1 mo. 
Asenath Manning Chamberlain, Feb. 28, 1909. Age, 80 yrs., 8 mos., 20 d. 

D 

Mrs. Mary Dutton, wife to Mr. James Dutton, Feb. 9, 1724. Age, 53 yrs. 
Jonas Dunn, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Phebe Dunn, Dec. 31, 1773. 

Age, 5 yrs., 11 mos., 10 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Dunn, wife of Mr. James Dunn, July 18, 1774. Age, 58 yrs., 

8 mos., 4 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, 2d wife of Mr. Jonathan Davis, Sept. 11, 1775. Age, 30 

yrs., 4 mos., 7 d. 
Elisha Davis, son of Mr. Moses Davis and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, Sept. 18, 

1775. Age, 1 yr., 4 mos., 7 d. 



728 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Betty Dunn, dau. of Mr. Joseph Dunn and Mrs. Mary, his wife, Aug. 23, 

1778. Age, 7 yrs., 9 d. 
Mr. Joseph Dunn, Dec. 21, 1778. Age, 41 yrs., 7 mos., 10 d. 
Mr. Thomas Davis, Jan. 12, 1788. Age, 40 yrs. 
Mr. Joshua Davis, Feb. 11, 1792. Age, 49 yrs. 
Mrs. Betty Davis, wife of Mr. Joshua Davis, Dec. 3, 1769. Age, 22 yrs., 8 

mos., 15 d. 
The only dau. of Mr. Ephraim and Mrs. Betty Blood. 
Mr. James Dunn, April 18, 1803. Age, 88 yrs. 
Mr. Joshua Davis, Feb. 3, 1805. Age, 34 yrs. 
Mr. Moses Davis, June 21, 1806. Died at 65 yrs. 
Family tomb of Mr. James Dunn and Charity L. Dunn, built 1819. 
Tomb of Samuel Dunn. [See Hodgman.] 
Johnson Davis, Oct. 7, 1826. Age, 56 yrs. 
Betsy, wife of Johnson Davis, Nov. 26, 1861. Age, 84 yrs. 
Mrs. Phebe, wife of Samuel Davis, Esq., Sept. 18, 1828. Age, 53 yrs. 
Bridgett, wife of Seth Ditson, July 31, 1837. Age, 79 yrs. 
Elizabeth J. B., wife of H. P. Dutton, Dec. 15, 1841. Age, 26 yrs. 
Also an infant child in same grave. 
Children of William Dearden — Simon Dearden, born 1780, died 1845. Martha, 

his wife, born 1782, died 1848. Sarah F., wife of William Dearden, born 

July 29, 1818, died April 5, 1856. William Ferriday, born 1843, died 

1845. Martha S., born 1856, died 1856. Sarah Elizabeth, born 1859, 

died 1860. 
Cyrus, son of William and Maria Durant, Jan. 25, 1847. Age, 7 yrs., 12 d. 
Augustine M., son of David and Martha Dickinson, Nov. 28, 1850. Age, 

21 yrs., 8 mos. 
Amos W. Dutton, April 12, 1851. Age, 45 yrs. 
David Dutton, Feb. 7, 1850. Age, 83 yrs. 
Hannah, wife of David Dutton, March 13, 1846. Age, 70 yrs. 
Samuel Davis, Esq., Aug. 14, 1855. Age, 90 yrs., 4 mos. 
Julia M., dau. of C. H. and L. Dupee, July 30, 1852. Age, 1 yr., 11 mos. 
Georgiana, dau. of C. H. and L. Dupee, Feb. 28, 1858. Age, 1 yr., 10 mos. 
Hildreth P. Dutton, Oct. 27, 1859. Age, 45 yrs., 10 mos. 
Abigail, widow of Hildreth P. Dutton, June 4, 1867. Age, 44 yrs., 2 mos., 10 d. 
Almira R., dau. of Hildreth P. and Abigail Dutton, born Oct. 5, 1851, died 

Aug. 7, 1854. 
David Dickinson, Feb. 6, 1860. Age, 68 yrs. 
Sabia Dunn, Nov. 18, 1861. Age, 63 yrs. 

Jerusha Dustin, wife of Nathan'l Dustin, June 21, 1861. Age, 84 yrs., 7 mos. 
Nath'l Dustin, April 11, 1851. Age, 69 yrs. 
Dea. John Day, Dec. 2, 1864. Age, 70 yrs., 9 mos. 
Martha, wife of Dea. John Day, Oct. 13, 1867. Age, 66 yrs., 8 mos. 
Elijah N., son of J. and M. Day, June 26, 1864. Age, 25 yrs., 3 mos. 
Mary E. Perham, wife of Charles Dutton, 1840-1869. Little Charley, 1868. 
Darius Dutton, June 10, 1868. Age, 65 yrs. 
Abigail, wife of Darius Dutton, Nov. 15, 1877. Age, 63 yrs. 
Elbridge Dutton, June 4, 1810, Nov. 18, 1879. 
Laura M., his wife, died Dec. 12, 1883. Age, 66 yrs. 
Edwin E. Dutton, Aug. 2, 1841, Jime 4, 1901. 

Grace S., dau. of S. L. and S. P. Dutton, June 21, 1868, Dec. 28, 1880. 
Abigail P. Dadman, Oct. 1, 1880. Age, 91 yrs. 
Nathan P. Dadman, Oct. 5, 1880. Age, 62 yrs. 
Martha L. Dadman, Dec. 26, 1893. Age, 74 yrs. 
Belle A. Dadman, born Dec. 28, 1844, died Aug. 7, 1896. 
Nathan Clifton, son of Nathan P. and Martha L. Dadman, Oct. 1, 1858. 

Age, 7 yrs., 5 mos., 11 d. 
Martha Ellen Dadmun, Oct. 27, 1847— Jan. 2, 1916. 
Luella A. Davis, born Nov. 21, 1867, died Aug. 24, 1886. 
Caroline A. Parkhurst, wife of Charles Dutton, 1843-1889. Little Carl, 1872. 
Eliza T. Dean, Dec. 31, 1811, March 17, 1894. 
Alfred Day, April 10, 1826, June 21, 1894, member of Co. C, 6 Reg. M. V. M. 



BURYING GROUNDS 729 

Lewis M. Dutton, born Jan. 17, 1849, died May 12, 1895. 

Lizanna Perham, his wife, Dec. 7, 1854, Feb. 20, 1899. 

Persis M. Griffin, wife of Henry P. Davis, May 5, 1831, Nov. 17, 1905. 

Barny Prescott Dickenson. 

Elvira Stanley Dickenson, July 10, 1911. Age, 78 yrs. 

Edward E. Dutton, June 4, 1901. Age, 59 yrs., 10 mos., 2 d. 

Henry Prescott Davis, Feb. 27, 1909. Age, 80 yrs., 3 mos., 27 d. 

Persis M. Davis, Nov. 17, 1905. Age, 74 yrs., 6 mos., 12 d. 

Horace Comstock Dean, Nov. 21, 1908. Age, 100 yrs., 1 mo., 3 d. 

Susan A. Dutton, Jan. 19, 1897. Age, 30 yrs., 4 mos., 6 d. 

Samuel Lane Dutton, May 27, 1910. Age, 74 yrs., 10 mos., 12 d. 

Surviah Parkhurst (Stevens) Dutton, Jan. 16, 1914. Age, 75 yrs., 10 mos., 11 d. 

Bertha Hutchinson Dutton, Oct. 24, 1915. Age, 45 yrs., 6 mos., 21 d. 

E 
John Emerson, son of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Elizabeth Emerson, July ID, 1772. 

Age, 5 mos., 3 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Emerson, wife of Mr. Joseph Emerson, Oct. 23, 1773. Age, 

23 yrs., 11 mos., 13 d. 
Mr. Zechariah Emery, Aug. 30, 1776. Age, 86 yrs. 
Elizabeth Emerson, dau. of Mr. Joseph Emerson and Mrs. Ruth Emerson, 

Nov. 19, 1782. Age, 4 yrs. 
Mrs. Thankful Emery, wife of Mr. Zachariah Emery, Aug. 31, 1785. Age, 

75 yrs. 
Capt. Joseph Emerson, Nov. 22, 1792. Age, 46 yrs., 2 d, 
Ruth Emerson, Feb. 7, 1804. Age, 59 yrs. 
Bryant Emerson, Nov. 5, 1846. Age, 45 yrs. 
Hannah A. Bradford, his wife, Oct. 2, 1884. Age, 79 yrs. 
Children of Bryant and Hannah A. B. Emerson — John Bryant, 1852. Age, 

21 yrs. Died on passage to California. Hannah Eliza, Aug. 31, 1837. 

Age, 1 yr., 2 mos., 22 d. Mary E. Emerson, Aug. 16, 1867. Age, 11 

mos., 9 d. 
John N. Esty, Oct. 5, 1862. Age, 56 yrs. 
Sarah B., his wife, July 27, 1872. Age, 65 yrs. 
Children of John N. and Sarah B. Esty — John Minot, died in the service of his 

country, Aug. 14, 1864. Age, 21 yrs. Sarah Jane, died Dec. 10, 1864. 

Age, 17 yrs. Mary Abigail, died April 30, 1847. Age, 3 yrs. 
Owen Emerson, Oct. 24, 1796, May 2, 1873. 
Louisa B., his wife. May 24, 1803, Feb. 1, 1851. 
Rachel, wife of Owen Emerson, April 15, 1810, Dec. 18, 1886. 
Children of Owen and Louisa B. Emerson — John O., July 7, 1826, Nov. 23, 

1846. Joseph L., Aug. 4, 1824, Sept. 7, 1825. Mary R., Jan. 7, 1828, 

Jan. 5, 1840. 
John B. Emerson, Jan. 1, 1873. Age, 2 yrs., 11 mos., 20 d. 
Agnes B. Emerson, 1873. Age, 4 yrs. 

Emma, dau. of Jasper and Caroline A., died May 6, 1874. Age, 21 yrs. 
Jonathan Emerson, June 9, 1868. Age, 87 yrs., 6 mos., 1 d. 
Martha Bailey, his wife, Aug. 8, 1879. Age, 92 yrs., 8 mos., 7 d. 
Louis F. Emerson, Aug. 9, 1858, Sept. 16, 1876. 
Helen M. Emerson, March 9, 1879. Age, 1 yr., 8 mos., 9 d. 
Levander Emerson, died at Port of Spain, Trinidad, B. W. I., April 8, 1880. 

Age, 34 yrs., 3 mos., 5 d. 
Rhoda A., wife of Burt Emerson, Jan. 25, 1880. Age, 41 yrs., 8 mos., 20 d. 
Martha L., dau. of Burt and Rhoda A. Emerson, Sept. 12, 1885. Age, 14 

yrs., 6 mos., 29 d. 
Mero Chapman, son of Burt and Rhoda A. Emerson, March 27, 1888. Age, 

20 yrs. 
Robert M., son of John P. and Ella G. Eaton, Aug. 6, 1881. Age, 17 mos. 
Joseph B. Emerson, 1886. Age, 53 yrs. 
Rebecca Kittredge Emerson, 1817-1884. 

Addie L., wife of W. B. Emerson, Jan. 10, 1887. Age, 20 yrs. 
Adams Emerson, Feb. 5, 1890. Age, 50 yrs., 9 mos., 13 d. 



730 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Dudley B. Emerson, March 27, 1878. Age, 69 yrs., 7 mos., 1 d. 

Lucy A., his wife, Nov. 7, 1888. Age, 71 yrs., 1 mo., 6 d. 

James A., son of James P. and Addie E. Emerson, Oct. 2, 1893. Age, 19 yrs. 

Rufus Francis Emerson, Sept. 19, 1835, Dec. 16, 1899. 

Ephraim Elliott, born July 1, 1832, died Feb. 27, 1900. 

Harry Bryant, son of Jas. P. and Addie E. Emerson, Jan. 15, 1901. Age, 

35 yrs. 
Sarah P. Byam, wife of Joseph B. Emerson, 1902. Age, 68 yrs. 
George Edgar Emerson, Feb. 5, 1913. Age, 75 yrs., 2 mos., 3 d. 
Addie E. Emerson, Feb. 11, 1907. Age, 64 yrs., 3 mos., 19 d. 
Hannah Bradford Emerson, Oct. 12, 1884. Age, 79 yrs., 2 d. 
Eliza Jane Emerson, June 29, 1912. Age, 73 yrs., 2 mos., 24 d. 
Henry Herbert Emerson, Oct. 22, 1904. Age, 62 yrs., 9 mos., 6 d. 
Joseph Elliott, Dec. 30, 1910. Age, 84 yrs., 8 mos., 28 d. 

F 

The Rev. John Fiske. 

This cenotaph is erected by the Fiske family of Chelmsford to the memory 
of the Rev. John Fiske, first pastor of Chelmsford, who was born at 
South Elmham, Suffolk Co., England, about the year 1601. In 1637, 
he came to New England. In 1644, he gathered a church at Wenham, 
Mass., and continued as its pastor until 1656 [1655], when he removed 
with the greater part of his church to Chelmsford, where he ministered, 
both as pastor and physician, greatly respected and beloved until his 
death, January 14, 1676, at the age of 76 years. Fiske. Erected in 1899. 

[See also tomb of Moses Hale and Benjamin Fiske, 1815]. 

Samuel, son of Samuel and Mary Fletcher, Feb. 1, 1697. Age, 11 d. 

Samuel Fletcher, Dec. 9, 1697. Age, 65 yrs. 

Thomas, son of Samuel and Mary Fletcher, April 3, 1698. Age, 4 yrs., 10 mos. 

Esther Foster, wife to Samuel Foster, April 16, 1702. Age, 70 yrs. 

Deacon Samuel Foster, July 10, 1702. Age, 83 yrs. 

Samuel Fletcher, Jan. 24, 1704/5. Age, 40 yrs., 6 mos. 

Mary Fletcher, wife of Samuel Fletcher, Jan. 30, 1704. Age, 28 yrs. 

Mrs. Joanna Fletcher, wife of Josiah Fletcher, Oct. 3, 1768. Age, 79 yrs. 

Lieut. William Fletcher, May 23, 1712. Age, 35 yrs., 4 mos. 

Edward Foster, Feb. 22, 1715/16. Age, about 39 yrs. 

Mrs. Sarah Fletcher, wife to Mr. Samuel Fletcher, Jan. 27, 1718. Age, 63 yrs. 

Joanna, dau. of Josiah and Joanna Fletcher, April 13, 1718. Age, 2 yrs., 7 mos. 

Mrs. Mary Fletcher, wife to William Fletcher, Dec. 13, 1721. Age, 39 years. 

Mrs. Rebeckah Foster, wife to Mr. Edward Foster, Oct. 30, 1722. Age, about 
62 yrs. 

Samson Fletcher, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Mary Fletcher, March, 1725. 
Age, 2 yrs., 1 mo. 

Simeon Foster, son of Mr. Ebenezer and Mrs. Lydia Foster, Feb. 6, 1726. 
Age, 2 mos., 4 d. 

Mr. Joshua Fletcher, Sept. 15, 1727. Age, 26 yrs., 4 mos., 15 d. 

Mrs. Lydia Foster, wife to Mr. Ebenezer Foster, March 19, 1737. Age, 38 
yrs., 6 mos. 

Esther Fletcher, dau. of Mr. Joshua and Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, Oct. 27, 
1737. Age, 11 yrs., 1 mo., 13 d. 

Joshua Fletcher, son of Mr. Joshua and Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, Nov. 5, 1737. 
Age, 13 yrs., 3 mos., 26 d. 

Jonathan Fletcher, son of Lieut. William and Mrs. Mary Fletcher, Nov. 14, 
1739. Age, 18 yrs., 3 mos., 22 d. 

Lieut. Edward Foster, July 12, 1741. Age, 51 yrs., 5 mos., 13 d. 

William Fletcher, Jan. 27, 1742. Age, 52 yrs. 

Mrs. Tabitha Fletcher, wife of Mr. William Fletcher, Feb. 6, 1742. Age, 
52 yrs. 

Lieut. William Fletcher, March 21, 1744. Age, 71 yrs. 

Lydia Foster, dau. of Mr. Ebenezer and Mrs. Lydia Foster, Nov. 8, 1745. 
Age, 22 yrs., 11 mos., 22 d. 



BURYING GROUNDS 731 

Mrs. Lydia Fletcher, wife of Mr. Andrew Fletcher, Feb. 9, 1746. Age, 24 

yrs., 4 d. 
William Foster, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Hannah Foster, Feb. 20, 1749. 

Age, 4 yrs., 5 mos., 8 d. 
Aaron Foster, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Hannah Foster, Nov. 4, 1753. 

Age, 2 yrs., 9 mos., 8 d. 
Mr. Ebenezer Foster, May 13, 1756. Age, 65 yrs. 
William Foster, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Hannah Foster, July 3, 1756. 

Age, 1 yr., 2 mos., 5 d. 
Sarah Fletcher, dau. of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Fletcher, Aug. 20, 1758. 

Age, 1 mo., 24 d. 
Mr. Andrew Fletcher, son of Mr. Josiah and Mrs. Joanna Fletcher, April 23, 

1759. Age, 37 yrs., 6 mos., 24 d. 
Mr. Josiah Fletcher, Jan. 30, 1760. Age, 73 yrs. 
Ephraim Fletcher, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Deborah Fletcher, Nov. 7, 

1763. Age, 3 mos. 

Mr. Henrey Fletcher, June 1, 1764. Age, 35 yrs., 16 d. 

Thomas Fletcher, son of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Fletcher, July 4, 1764. 

Age, 3 yrs., 4 mos., 29 d. 
Benjamin Fletcher, son of Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, July 25, 

1764. Age, 4 yrs., 8 mos., 26 d. 

Elizabeth Fletcher, dau. of Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, July 30, 

1764. Age, 11 yrs., 4 mos., 6 d. 
Jonathan Fletcher, son of Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, Aug. 9, 

1764. Age, 8 yrs., 10 mos., 9 d. 
Mrs. Mary Fletcher, wife of Lieut. William Fletcher, Feb. 23, 1768. Age, 

85 yrs. 
Mrs. Joanna Fletcher, wife of Mr. Josiah Fletcher, Oct. 1, 1768. Age, 70 yrs. 
Lydia Fletcher, dau. of Mr. Thomas Fletcher and Mrs. Mary, his wife. 
[Buried Nov 30, 1770.] Age, 5 yrs., 4 mos., 13 d. 
Mr. Thomas Fletcher, Aug. 7, 1771. Age, 61 yrs. 
Oliver Fletcher, Esq., Nov. 30, 1771. Age, 63 yrs. 
Mr. Benjamin Fletcher, Dec. 23, 1772. Age, 57 yrs. 
Mr. Isaiah Foster, Dec. 25, 1776. Age, 27 yrs. 
Mr. Noah Foster, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Hannah Foster, died at 

Stillwater in the service of his country, Oct. 7, 1777. Age, 20 yrs. 
Mrs. Remembrance Fletcher, wife of Mr. Robert Fletcher, Feb. 13, 1778. s 

Age, 59 yrs. 
Mrs. Hannah Fletcher, wife of Lieut. Benj. Fletcher, Sept. 26, 1778. Age, 

30 yrs. Also four of their children — Rebeckah Fletcher, Sept. 24, 1778. 

Age, — . Jeptha Fletcher, Sept. 26, 1778. Age, 4 yrs. Mary Fletcher, 

Oct. 3, 1778. Age, 9 yrs. Sarah Fletcher, Oct. 5, 1778. Age, 6 yrs. 
Mrs. Lydia Fletcher, wife of Mr. William Fletcher, Jan. 18, 1779. Age, 28 

yrs., 8 mos., 16 d. 
Jemima Fletcher, dau. of Mr. William Fletcher and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, 

Sept. 24, 1779. Age, 3 yrs., 10 mos. 
Mr. Robert Fletcher, March 5, 1781. Age, 68 yrs. 
Susa Fletcher, dau. of Mr. William Fletcher and Mrs. Lucy, his wife, Feb. 

10, 1785. Age, 6 yrs., 5 mos., 19 d. 
Mary, wife of Josiah Fletcher, June 9, 1781. Age, 58 yrs. 
Mr. William Foster, March 11, 1786. Age, 70 yrs. 

Mrs. Anna Foster, the wife of Mr. Isaiah Foster, May 25, 1786. Age, 63 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Fletcher, wife to Mr. William Fletcher, Dec. 13, 1791. Age, 39 

yrs. 
Mr. John Freeland, Jan. 17, 1801. Age, 61 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Foster, relict of Mr. Eben Foster, June 23, 1787. Age, 88 yrs., 

2 weeks. 
Mrs. Hannah Foster, wife of Mr. William Foster, July 3, 1795. Age, 71 yrs. 
Mr. Joseph Farrar, April 20, 1797. Age, 79 yrs. 
Mr. Aaron Fletcher, July 20, 1801. Age, 22 yrs. 
Mr. Peter Farrer, March 5, 1804. Age, 36 yrs. 
Mr. Jonas Farrer, June 5, 1806. Age, 45 yrs. 



732 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mrs. Mirriam Fletcher, wife of Mr. Henry Fletcher, Obt., June 19, 1806. 

Age, 31 yrs. 
Mrs. Deborah Farrer, wife of Mr. Joseph Farrer, June 30, 1808. Age, 81 yrs. 
Benjamin Fletcher, son of Mr. Aaron and Mrs. Sally Fletcher, Sept. 29, 1810. 

Age, 3 yrs., 8 d. 
Mrs. Betsy Fletcher, wife of Mr. Adams Fletcher, Dec. 4, 1811. Age, 28 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary, relict of Mr. John Freeland, Sept. 9, 1826. Age, 76 yrs. 
Mr. John Farrar, Jan. 22, 1830. Age, 62 yrs. 
Josiah Fletcher, Dec. 28, 1869. Age, 84 yrs., 9 mos. 
Hannah Fletcher, wife of Josiah Fletcher, June 9, 1836. Age, 41 yrs., 9 mos. 

Family tomb of William and S. Josiah Fletcher, who descended from Wm. 

Fletcher, who came from England and settled in Chelmsford. Built, 

1813. No. 7. 
Mary, wife of Josiah Fletcher, died June 9, 1781. Age, 58 yrs. 
Josiah Fletcher, died July 18, 1803. Age, 83 yrs. 
Lucy, wife of William Fletcher, died Dec. 19, 1814. Age, 61 yrs. 
Dr. Ezekiel H. Fletcher, son of William Fletcher, died Aug. 15, 1817. Age, 

31 yrs. 
Marcy M. R. Abbott, dau. of Caleb A., Esq., and Marcy, his wife, died Aug. 

21, 1825. Age, 17 yrs. [Mary Maria: so given in the church record.] 
Mary C. Pulsifer, wife of Capt. David P., of Salem, and dau. of Josiah Fletcher 

and Zilpha, his wife, died April 7, 1826. Age, 20 yrs. 

John Farrar, Jan. 22, 1830. Age, 62 yrs. 

Elizabeth, wife of John Farrar, March 5, 1844. Age, 70 yrs. 

Joseph E., son of Oliver and Mary Farmer, Oct. 29, 1851. Age, 19 yrs. 

Josiah Fletcher, Dec. 28, 1869. Age, 84 yrs., 9 mos. 

Hannah, his wife, June 9, 1836. Age, 41 yrs., 9 mos. 

Mary Kate Fletcher, Aug. 13, 1866. Age, 17 yrs. 

Gardner Fletcher, June 13, 1871. Age, 79 yrs. 

Frances G., his wife, June 26, 1871. Age, 75 yrs. 

Charles F., son of Wm. and Diantha E. Fletcher, Sept. 27, 1874. Age, 28 yrs. 

Angle A., wife of Charles F. Fletcher, Sept. 13, 1877. Age, 28 yrs. 

M. Katie, dau. of Charles F. and Angle A. Fletcher, Aug. 12, 1870. Age, 

1 yr., 3 mos. 
Mrs. Mary Farmer, April 20, 1798. Dec. 22, 1880. 
William Fletcher, June 22, 1893. Age, 73 yrs. 
Diantha E., wife of Wm. Fletcher, Sept. 9, 1866. Age, 50 yrs. 
Eliza A. Warren, wife of William Fletcher, Feb. 15, 1903. Age, 75 yrs. 
Daughters of Wm. and Diantha E. Fletcher— Mary K., Aug. 13, 1866. Age, 

17 yrs. D. Elizabeth, Jan. 27, 1874. Age, 19 yrs. 
Josiah Richardson Fletcher, Nov. 29, 1911. Age, 89 yrs., 8 mos., 10 d. 
Eliza E. Streeter, wife of Josiah R. Fletcher, Dec. 3, 1832— Feb. — , 1886. 
Howard Brooks Flemings, Jan. 9, 1912. Age, 21 d. 
Everett Richardson Files, Aug. 12, 1909. Age, 26 yrs., 28 d. 
William Rufus Fowle, Oct. 22, 1909. Age, 64 yrs., 3 mos., 5 d. 
Harriet A. Fletcher, Jan. 30, 1912. Age, 77 yrs., 8 mos., 12 d. 
Joseph Merrill Fletcher, Feb. 19, 1915. Age, 86 yrs., 4 mos., 19 d. 

G 

Mary Goold, dau. of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Sarah Goold, Nov. 8, 1736. 

Age, 3 yrs., 9 mos., 26 d. 
Benjamin Gould, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Sarah Gould, March 18, 

1741. Age, 18 yrs., 7 mos., 11 d. 
Rachel Goold, dau. of Ebenezer Goold and Olive, his wife, Dec. 4, 1754. Age, 

1 yr., 1 mo., 4 d. 
Mr. Benjamin Goold, Dec. 28, 1765. Age, 70 yrs., 2 mos., 15 d. 
Mrs. Mary Goold, Aug. 5, 1769. Age, 77 yrs., 7 mos. 
Miss Ruth Goold, dau. of Deacon Ebenezer and Mrs. Olive Goold, April 18, 

1785. Age, 22 yrs., 6 mos., 14 d. 
Mrs. Olive Goold, wife of Deacon Ebenezer Goold, Oct. 6, 1790. Age, 59 

yrs., 3 mos., 13 d. 



BURYING GROUNDS 733 

Miss Olive Goold, dau. of Deacon Eben Goold and Mrs. Olive, his wife, 

March 5, 1792. Age, 40 yrs., 4 mos., 3 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Graves, relict of Mr. Moses Graves and formerly of Mr. Benj. 

Goold, April 4, 1798. Age, 90 yrs. 
Joseph Philips Goold, son of Mr. Reuben Goold and Mrs. M., Feb. 21, 1795. 

Age, 6 mos., 6 d. 
Doctor Ichabod Gibson, May 10, 1810. Age, 43 yrs. 
Mr. Benjamin Gould, Feb. 14, 1813. Age, 56 yrs., and his wife, Mrs. Sarah 

Gould, Feb. 11, 1813. Age, 57 yrs. 
Miss Nancy Gould, dau. of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Sarah Gould, Sept. 5, 

1815. Age, 17 yrs. 
Dea. Ebenezer Gould, April 6, 1816. Age, 90 yrs. Officiated as a Deacon 

in the church, 35 years. Taught the first singing school in town. 
Mrs. Catherine Grav, wife of Mr. Peter Gray, Sept. 20, 1822. Age, 41 yrs. 
Miss Mary Gould, Aug. 20, 1825. Age, 29 yrs. 
Miss Ruth Gould, March 23, 1831. Age, 39 yrs. 
Louisa, wife of Amos Green, March 16, 1847. Age, 40 yrs. 
Amos Green, born May 22, 1796, died Jan. 25, 1849. 
Julia A., wife of Leonard O. Grover, July 27, 1853. Age, 25 yrs. 
Mary, widow of Doct. I. Gibson, Nov. 27, 1853. Age, 90 yrs. 
George Green, May 17, 1858. Age, 28 yrs. 

Benj. A. Greene, son of Alonzo and Julia A., Nov. 3, 1862., Nov. 15, 1862. 
M. Adelaide Russell, wife of Henry Greenwood, Nov. 3, 1864. Age, 27 yrs., 

4 mos. 
Julia C., wife of Charles E. Gale, May 13, 1855— Sept. 5, 1877. 
Amos Green, Jan. 10, 1896. Age, 63 yrs., 10 mos. 

Abbie A., wife of Lyman S. Gale, April 18, 1887. Age, 41 yrs., 2 mos., 13 d. 
Alice May, dau. of Alonzo G. and Julia A. Greene, March 13, 1869, Sept. 9, 

1896. 
Alice Gertrude Adams, wife of Harry C. Greene, March 20, 1862, Oct. 28, 1904. 
Walter G. Goucher, April 1, 1910. Age, 82 yrs., 11 mos., 25 d. 
Sarah L Goucher, Aug. 2, 1909. Age, 82 yrs., 4 mos., 26 d. 
Alonzo Gardner Greene, Oct. 21, 1910. Age, 73 yrs., 1 mo., 11 d. 

H 

Richard Hildreth, Feb. 23, 1693. Age, 88 yrs. 

Corronet Nathaniel Hill, May 14, 1706. Age, 64 yrs. 

Major Thomas Hinchman, July 17, 1703. Age, 74 yrs. 

He was not mighty with the sword, but through his skillful management, the 

barbarities of the savages were averted. 

Peace hath her victories no less renowned than War. — Milton. 
Mr. Nathaniel Howard, Sen., Jan. 21, 1709/10. Age, about 67 yrs. 
Jonathan Hill, March 24, 1710. Age, 36 yrs. 
Jean Hill, Nov. 15, 1711. Age, 30 yrs. 

John Hildreth, son of Joseph and Abigail, March 17, 1714/15. Age, 17 yrs. 
Elizabeth Hildreth, dau. of Joseph and Abigail, Sept. 4, 1716. Age, 14 yrs. 
John Hildreth, son of Mr. Richard and Mrs. Dorcas Hildreth, March 10, 

1724. Age, 21 yrs. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Hildreth, wife to Mr. James Hildreth, Feb. 18, 1727. Age, 

21 yrs. 
Mrs. Dorcas Hildreth, wife to Mr. Richard Hildreth, May 10, 1727. Age, 

48 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah Hildreth, wife to Mr. Richard Hildreth, April 5, 1735. Age, 58 

yrs. 
Mrs. Joanna Harwood, May 10, 1737. Age, 25 yrs. 
Mrs. Hannah Hildreth, wife to Mr. Jonathan Hildreth, May 16, 1737. Age, 

27 yrs., 4 mos., 9 d. 
Widow Sarah Howard, relict of Mr. Nathan Howard, Sept. 28, 1739. Age, 

85 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Howard, wife of Mr. Benjamin Howard, Jan. 27, 1741. Age, 

47 vrs. 



734 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Nathaniel Howard, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Mary Howard, Jan. 29, 

1741/2. Age, 22 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary How, relict of Thomas How, Esq., of Marlborough, May 7, 1741. 

Age, 73 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah Hildreth, wife of Mr. Jonas Hildreth, Nov. 11, 1746. Age, 24 

yrs., 9 d. 
Mr. Benjamin Howard, son to Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Mary Howard, May 

16, 1754. Age, 30 yrs., 3 mos., 10 d. 
Mrs. Mary Harwood, wife of Mr. Jonathan Harwood, Dec. 27, 1754. Age, 

37 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Hildreth, wife of Mr. Jonas Hildreth, Sept. 25, 1757. Age, 33 

5'rs., 1 mo., 9 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Howard, Sept. 14, 1758. Age, 77 or 78 yrs. 
Sarah Howard, wife of Mr. Jona. Howard, Oct. 6, 1736. Age, 54 yrs. 
Mr. Benjamin Howard, Jan. 19, 1760. Age, 68 yrs., 9 mos. 
Ensign Richard Hildreth, April 26, 1760. Age, 83 yrs. 
Joanna Howard, dau. of Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Rachel Howard, Aug. 3, 1764. 

Age, 9 yrs., 8 mos., 7 d. 
Mary Howard, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Mary Howard, Oct. 21, 1764. 

Age, 3 yrs., 4 mos., 16 d. 
Abigail Howard, dau. of Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Rachel Howard, Aug. 5, 1764. 

Age, 7 yrs., 1 mo., 8 d. 
Lydia Howard, dau. of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Martha Howard, Aug. 15, 

1764. Age, 10 yrs., 4 mos., 17 d. 
Samuel Howard, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Mary Howard, Sept. 15, 1764. 

Age, 1 yr., 4 mos., 19 d. 
Mary Howard, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Mary Howard, Oct. 21, 1764. 

Age, 3 yrs., 4 mos., 6 d. 
Mrs. Judith Harwood, wife of Lieut. Jonathan Harwood, Sept. 15, 1766. 

Age, 46 yrs., 6 mos., 15 d. 
Mrs. Lucy Harwood, wife of Lieut. Jonathan Harwood, June 14, 1774. Age, 

65 yrs. 
Lieut. Jonathan Harwood, June 17, 1783. Age, 74 yrs. 
Miss Lucy Hodgman, dau. of Mr. Josiah and Mrs. Dorothy Hodgman, March 

26, 1785. Age, 21 yrs., 7 mos., 1 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Herrick, wife of Mr. Abner Herrick, Nov. 4, 1789. Age, 44 

yrs., 7 mos., 4 d. 
Mr. Samuel Howard of Tyngsborough, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Mary 

Howard, March 14, 1790. Age, 22 yrs., 11 mos., 14 d. 
Mrs. Martha Howard, relict of Mr. Benjamin Howard, April 27, 1793. Age, 

79 yrs., 11 mos. Erected by Mr. Jonathan Manning. 
Patty Herrick, dau. of Mr. Abner Herrick and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife, April 

29, 1796. Age, 13 yrs., 3 d. 
Mr. Nathaniel Howard, July 30, 1796. Age, 36 yrs. 
Mr. Jacob Howard, March 26, 1798. Age, 78 yrs., 5 mos. 
Mr. Josiah Hodgman, Feb. 23, 1801. Age, 81 yrs. 
Timothy Harrington, M. D., Feb. 26, 1802. Age, 49 yrs. 
Samuel Howard, son of Lieut. Nathaniel Howard and Mrs. Hannah, his wife, 

Sept. 21, 1803. Age, 1 yr., 2 mos., 2 d. 
Daniel Flagg Hayden, son of Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Sarah Hayden, Nov. 6, 

1803. Age, 7 mos. 
Hannah Howard, dau. of Lieut. Nathaniel Howard and Mrs. Hannah, his 

wife, Sept. 26, 1803. Age, 4 yrs., 6 mos., 26 d. 
Salley M. Hayden, dau. of Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Sarah Hayden, Jan. 22, 1806. 

Age, 17 mos. 
Grenville C. Hayden, son of Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Sarah Hayden, March 21, 

1806. Age, 5 yrs. 
Mrs. Dorothy Hodgman, wife of Mr. Josiah Hodgman, May 13, 1811. Age, 

91 yrs. 
Samuel Howard and Elijah Richardson, built A. D. 1813. No. 4. 
Mrs. Rachel Howard, wife of Mr. Jacob Howard, July 21, 1814. Age, 90 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 735 

The family tomb of Moses Hale and Benjamin Fiske, built A. D. 1815. 
John Minot Fiske, born July 15, 1798, died Aug. 16, 1841. 
Eliza Winn, his wife, born June 30, 1800, died Dec. 17, 1878. 
Benjamin Minot Fiske, born Jan. 29, 1826, died May 9, 1901. 
Joseph Winn Fiske, born May 22, 1832, died Oct. 20, 1903. 
Harriet Locke, wife of Frederick A. P. Fiske, born March 25, 1862, died Sept. 
16, 1903. 

Family tomb of Mr. Asa Hodgman, Mr. Simeon Blodgett and Samuel Dunn, 

built A. D. 1819. 
The family tomb of Nathaniel Hurd Henchman of Boston, who died May 

29, 1826. Age, 48 vrs. 
Mrs. Rachel Howard, Oct. 22, 1818. Age, 73 yrs. 
Joseph Hirsch, Aug. 27, 1823. Age, 42 yrs. 
Elizabeth, his wife, Oct. 17, 1871. Age, 87 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary, wife of Mr. Daniel Hollis, July 4, 1826. Age, 72 yrs. 
Mr. Elijah Farmer, died Feb. 3, 1826. Age, 50 yrs. 
Mrs. Charlotte, wife of Mr. Elijah Farmer, July 27, 1826. Age, 45 yrs. 
Mr. James Hay, March 26, 1826. Age, 52 yrs. 

Mrs. Sarah, wife of Mr. John Harwood, March 4, 1827. Age, 74 yrs. 
John Horatio, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Permelia Hosmer, July 17, 1827. 

Age, 19 mos. 
William Wallace, son of Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Permelia Hosmer, Jan. 8, 

1829. Age, 22 mos. 
Mr. Francis G. Hirsch, Oct. 23, 1829. Age, 45 yrs. 
Lewis Hirsch, March 6, 1830. Age, 18 yrs., 20 d. 
Mrs. Hannah Hay, April 12, 1830. Age, 55 yrs. 
Mr. John Harwood, April 16, 1830. Age, 77 yrs. 
Mr. David Hollis, Dec. 31, 1831. Age, 77 yrs. 
Israel D., son of John and Sarah Harper, Dec. 19, 1832. Age, 22 yrs., 2 mos. 

Formerly of New Hampton, N. H. 
Willard Howard, Jan. 1, 1837. Age, 90 yrs. 
Warren Hamelton, son of John R. and Lydia Pratt, Oct. 25, 1838. Age, 

4 yrs., 6 mos. 
Susan, wife of William Hildreth, Nov. 4, 1841. Age, 44 yrs. 
Benj. F. Hodges, Aug. 26, 1812, June 16, 1895. 
Julia A. Hodges, Aug. 6, 1815, June 1, 1906. 
Children of B. F. and J. A. Hodges— Hannah A. Hodges, Sept. 25, 1844. 

Sept. 25, 1845. Charles H. Hodges, Oct. 1, 1846, Oct. 5, 1846. Benj. F. 

Hodges, Jr., Dec. 22, 1837, Jan. 31, 1847. 
Joshua Hunt, April 27, 1843. Age, 72 yrs. 
Francis G. Hirsch, Feb. 13, 1847. ^ Age, 28 yrs., 9 mos., 4 d. 
Darius L. Hall, June 6, 1885. Age, 81 yrs. 
Sarah A., his wife, April 1, 1891. Age, 76 yrs. 

Albert E., son of Darius and Sarah A. Hall, Sept. 3, 1851. Age, 17 mos., 16 d. 
John A., son of Darius and Sarah A. Hall, Jan. 10, 1843. Age, 4 mos. 
Esther A., dau. of Darius and Sarah A. Hall, May 3, 1847. Age, 3 yrs. 
Charles H. C, son of Darius and Sarah A. Hall, April 3, 1891. Age, 59 yrs. 
Sophia F., dau. of Thomas and Lucy F. Howe, Oct. 15, 1853. Age, 17 yrs., 

7 mos., 20 d. 
Lucy F., widow of Thomas Howe, and wife of Joseph Fiske, 2d, May 8, 1882. 

Age, 82 yrs. 
Thomas Howe, Sept. 6, 1865. Age, 64 yrs. 

Betsey W., wife of Ivory H. Howe, March 30, 1855. Age, 36 yrs. 
Mary, wife of William Hunter, Oct. 2, 1856. Age, 35 yrs., 2 mos. 
Robert Collier Hunter, died Sept. 4, 1849. Age, 9 d. 
John Collier Hunter, died March 31, 1857. Age, 6 mos., 7 d. 
William Hunter, died Oct. 19, 1883. Age, 64 yrs. 
Jane S., his wife, died Sept. 22, 1846. Age, 22 yrs. 
Olive (Chamberlain), wife of Joshua Hunt, born Aug. 10, 1768, died Oct. 7, 

1857. 
Emma, dau. of John A. and Sarah Hallett, Aug. 22, 1860. Age, 1 yr., 5 mos. 



736 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Moses Hale, Jan. 7, 1861. Age, 47 yrs., 5 mos. 

Children of S. C. and S. K. Hunt— Annie Warren, April 11, 1861. Age, 7 yrs., 

4 mos. Wm. Barron, Feb. 19, 1854. Age, 4 yrs., 3 mos. 
John Hildreth, Nov. 26, 1872. Age, 71 yrs., 8 mos. 
Lavinia Duchemin, wife of Edward P. Hildreth, July 13, 1876. Age, 47 yrs., 

7 mos., 17 d. 
Moses P. Hildreth, March 12, 1878. Age, 77 yrs., 8 mos. 
Eliza A. Murdock, his wife, March 6, 1892. Age, 82 yrs., 7 mos. 
Samuel Chamberlain Hunt, Obt., Sept. 29, 1878. Age, 81 yrs., 3 mos. 
Elizabeth Abbott Warren, his wife, Obt., Dec. 18, 1893. Age, 90 yrs., 3 mos. 
Alva L. Hildreth, Aug. 5, 1883. Age, 24 yrs., 5 mos. 
Phebe, wife of Oliver Hutchins, Sept. 7, 1817, Feb. 14, 1883. 
Hannah, wife of Oliver Hutchins, March 1, 1855. Age, 55 yrs. 
Oliver Hutchins, Jan. 17, 1862. Age, 61 yrs., 9 mos. 
Levi Howard, M. D., Jan. 23, 1885. Age, 64 yrs., 7 mos., 28 d. 
Lydia Jane, wife of Levi Howard, M. D., born May 16, 1827, died April 11, 

1893. 
George Levi, son of Dr. L. and L. J. Howard, Jan. 29, 1875. Age, 22 yrs., 

1 mo., 11 d. 
Sarah Elizabeth, dau. of Dr. L. and L. J. Howard, Sept. 17, 1849. Age, 1 yr., 

6 mos., 20 d. 
Pascal Hatch, born Sept. 24, 1806, died Aug. 23, 1885. 
Minerva Hatch, his wife, April 4, 1816, Jan. 31, 1887. 
George W. Howe, Nov. 9, 1886. Age, 52 yrs. 
David P., son of Lewis K. and Carrie R. Howard, Jan. 18, 1887. Age, 18 yrs., 

29 d. 
Marj', dau. of Lewis K. and Carrie R. Howard, Aug. 20, 1872. Age, 3 mos., 

21 d. 
Rufus G. Hildreth, Dec. 7, 1888. Age, 54 yrs. 
Sanford Hazen, Feb. 27, 1892. Age, 81 yrs. 
Charles W. Hutchins, March 28, 1892. Age, 23 yrs., 4 mos. 
William H. Hoyt, Sept. 8, 1899. Age, 78 yrs., 11 mos. 
Leon S., son of A. W. and S. R. Holt, Oct. 20, 1887, Oct. 6, 1903. 
Martha Woodard, wife of Samuel Holt, Nov. 17, 1818, Jan. 12, 1904. 
Olive Chamberlain Hunt, May 18, 1906. Age, 74 yrs., 2 mos., 29 d. 
Susan Barron Hunt, Dec. 7, 1907. Age, 69 yrs., 3 mos., 4 d. 
Anna Eliza Hunt, Jan. 11, 1912. Age, 83 yrs., 8 mos., 13 d. 
Faustina E. Handley, 1907. Age, 56 yrs. 

Emeline Woodward Hartford, Jan. 1, 1905. Age, 64 yrs., 8 mos., 7 d. 
Amanda J. Howe, Dec. 4, 1908. Age, 81 yrs., 6 mos. 
Rhoda J. Hoyt, Jan. 31, 1907. Age, 83 yrs., 9 d. 
John C. Hobbs, March 30, 1912. Age, 75 yrs., 29 d. 
Melbourne F. Hutchins, Sept. 3, 1912. Age, 75 yrs., 2 mos., 17 d. 
Julia M. Hutchins, April 8, 1909. Age, 70 yrs. 
Sara Parkhurst Hallet, May 11, 1911. Age, 86 yrs., 2 mos., 28 d. 
Arthur A. Harmon, Nov. 8, 1910. Age, 32 yrs. 
Sarah W. Hazen, April 4, 1906. Age, 87 yrs., 7 mos., 21 d. 
James Henry Hazen, April 6, 1900. Age, 59 yrs., 24 d. 

J 

Mr. Thomas Jones, Obt., April 5, 1805. Age, 27 yrs. 

Andrew E. Johnson, Dec. 17, 1903. Age, 88 yrs., 10 mos. 

Mary S., wife of A. E. Johnson, Jan. 14, 1891. Age, 73 yrs., 4 mos., 19 d. 

Mabel Jackson, Aug. 13, 1903. Age, 30 yrs. 

K 

Two infant children, daughters of Paul and Rebbecca Kittredge, Feb. 20, 1821. 
Forest us Darwin, son of Paul and Rebbecca Kittredge, April 29, 1828. Age, 
14 yrs., 2 mos., 27 d. 




MODEL OF THE MEETING HOUSE IN CHELMSFORD CENTRE, BURNED IN 1842 




A'o. 44 SOME CENTURY-OLD COSTUMES PRESERVED AT THE FISKE HOUSE 



BURYING GROUNDS 737 

Two children of Mr. John R. and Mrs. Harriet Knecttle — Daniel B., Aug. 1, 
1831. Age, 2 yrs. Ann P., Aug. 10, 1831. Age, 7 mos. 

Hannah Kimball, March 9, 1841. Age, 45 yrs. 

[See also Buttrick tomb.] 

Children of F. M. and A. M. Kittredge — Dorcas Melvina Kittredge, Sept. 
12, 1840. Age, 3 yrs. Henry Mead Kittredge, Feb. 8, 1843. Age, 
8d. 

Dr. Paul Kittredge, Aug. 9, 1845. Age, 61 yrs. 

Rebecca, his wife, Nov. 17, 1869. Age, 82 yrs. 

George P. Kittredge, 1822-1856. 

Maria Heald, his wife, 1823-1894. 

Dr. Paul C. Kittredge, died at Culpepper, Va., Feb. 28, 1864. Age, 55 yrs. 

Cullen F. Kittredge, Jan. 2, 1845. Age, 33 yrs. 

Amy Hull, his widow, July 20, 1852. Age, 43 yrs. Buried at Weston, Vt. 

Marv Kimball, June 17, 1866. Age, 93 yrs. 

Clarisa, her dau., March 22, 1870. Age, 69 yrs. 

Cullena F. Kittredge, May 8, 1874. Age, 29 yrs., 6 mos. 

Joel C. Kittredge, March 21, 1875. Age, 57 yrs. 

William Adams Kneeland, Sept. 28, 1904. Age, 65 yrs., 29 d. 



Grace LIvermoar, wife to John Livermoar, Jan. 14, 1690. Age, 76 yrs. 
Mr. Seth Livingston, May 23, 1809. Age, 56 yrs. 
Mrs. Abigail, wife of Mr. Seth Livingston, Nov. 24, 1819. Age, 64 yrs. 
Loring Loker, born Jan. 20, 1811, died April 28, 1905. Co. E, 57th Regt., 

M. V. M. Age, 94 yrs., 3 mos., 8 d. 
Hannah Loker, born Feb. 12, 1812, died March 4, 1902. Age, 90 yrs., 20 d. 
Andrew J. Loker, born Feb. 20, 1842, died Sept. 25, 1864. Co. E, 34th Regt., 

M. V. M. 
Alice B. Loker, Feb. 20, 1850, died Sept. 29, 1867. 
Mrs. Abigail, \vife of Mr. Sprake Livingston, Feb. 12, 1830. Age, 38 yrs. 

Also their infant child at the same time. 
Mr. John Miles Larey, son of Capt. John and Mrs. Joanna Larey, of Lincoln, 

Sept. 18, 1831. Age, 21 yrs. 
Sears C. Laws, 1793-1852. 
Mary B. Laws, 1795-1852. 
Susan Laws, 1835-1894. 
George B. Lamphere, wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Oct. 19. Died 

at Winchester Hosp., Va., Oct. 27, 1864. Age, 29 yrs., 8 mos. A member 

of Comp. D, 30th Regt. Mass. Vol. 
Henry Lovering, June 4, 1872. Age, 41 yrs. 
Jonathan Larcom, born Aug 3, 1818, died Oct. 24, 1895. 
Frank H. Larcom, died July 4, 1878. Age, 30 yrs., 7 mos., 10 d. 
Benj. F., son of Jona. and Harriet O. Larcom, April 23, 1846. Age, 5 mos. 
Albion J. Lamphere, Nov. 15, 1898. Age, 58 yrs. 
Mary J., his wife) July 14, 1897. Age, 54 yrs. 
Frank Lamphere, May 12, 1898. Age, 22 yrs. 
Levi Lamphere, Jr., Co. E, 26th Mass. Inf. 
William L. Loker, Oct. 23, 1912. Age, 77 yrs. 

Mary Spalding Lovering, Feb. 7, 1910. Age, 77 yrs., 4 mos., 11 d. 
Felix Lovely, March 29, 1910. Age, 89 yrs., 7 mos. 

M 

Lieut. Jonathan Minot, July 23, 1770. Age, 82 yrs. 

Hannah Marchall, wife of Thomas Marchall, Dec. 9, 1770. Age, 38 yrs. 

John Marchall, June 20, 1771. Age, 2 yrs. 

Thomas Marchall, May 25, 1799. Age, 70 yrs. 

Lydia Marchall, wife of Thomas Marchall, May 25, 1801. Age, 66 yrs. 

Ruth Marchall, Sept. 27, 1801. Age, 20 yrs. 



738 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mrs. Elizabeth MInot, widow of Lieut. Jonathan Minot, May 7, 1772. Age, 

80 yrs. 
Mrs. Esther Moors, wife of Lieut. Joseph Moors, Nov. 17, 1773. Age, 69 

yrs., 11 mos., 25 d. 
Lieut. Joseph Moors, July 5, 1775. Age, 71 yrs., 4 mos., 1 d. 
Capt. Joseph Mottey, June 13, 1777. Age, 52 j^rs. 
Lydia Meeds, dau. of Mr. John Meeds and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, April 5, 1778. 

Age, 1 yr., 9 mos., 21 d. 
Charles, son of Capt. Joseph and Mrs. Mehetabel Mottey, Oct. 2, 1778. Age, 

9 yrs. 
Simeon Moors, son of Lieut. Joseph Moors, Dec. 19, 1781. Age, 49 yrs., 22 d. 
Mary Manning, Dec. 23, 1787. Age, 5 yrs. 
Benjamin Manning, son of Mr. Jonathan Manning and Mrs. Martha, his wife, 

Sept. 2, 1793. Age, 15 yrs., 6 d. 
Mrs. Martha Manning, wife of Mr. Jonathan Manning, Nov. 10, 1809. Age, 

59 yrs., 4 inos., 12 d. 
Asa Manning, March 27, 1845. Age, 64 yrs. 
Nath'l Manning, Sept. 19, 1814. Age, 30 yrs. 
Miss Mary Marshall, dau. of Mr. James Marshall and Mrs. Joanna, his wife, 

Feb. 11, 1816. Age, 24 yrs. Also an infant son of the above James and 

Joanna Marshall. 
Levi, age 26, and Nathaniel, age 23, sons of Mr. James and Mrs. Joanna 

Marshall, whose deaths, together with those of Sherburne Chase of 

Litchfield, N. H., and John Ives of Sudbury, were occasioned by the 

explosion of the powder mill in Chelmsford, Dec. 5, 1820. 

They were pleasant in their lives. 

And in their deaths they were not divided. 

My age's hope my youthful boast 
My souls chief blessing and my pride, 
In one sad moment all were lost 
When Levi and Nathaniel died. 

Levi Marshall and John Ives were instantly killed, Sherburne Chase and 
Nathaniel Marshall survived, the former 44, the latter 24 hours. 

Mr. James Marshall, Sept. 6, 1826. Age, 66 yrs. 

Peter Marshall, April 3, 1828. Age, 55 yrs. Mary, his wife, Oct. 7, 1852. 
Age, 79 yrs. 

Lydia C, their dau., Dec. 26, 1809. Age, 3 yrs. 

Family Tomb of Joseph Manning and Benj. Chamberlain. 

Caroline Chamberlain, March 10, 1825. Age, 5 weeks. 

Jonathan Manning, April 8, 1828. Age, 78 yrs. 

Asenath, wife of Benj. Chamberlain, June 23, 1828. Age, 37 yrs. 

Salathiel Manning, Oct. 7, 1S2S._ Age, 48 yrs. 

George J., son of Joseph and Julia Manning, Sept. 18, 1836. Age, 8 mos. 

Lydia Manning, May 4, 1841. Age, 59 yrs. 

Mrs. Anna McOuesten, Sept. 3, 1825. Age, 77 yrs. Formerly the wife of 

Mr. Philip Parker. 
Joseph A. Marshall, April 24, 1833. Age, 29 yrs. 

Family tomb of Aaron Mansur and Jesse Smith, 1835. 

1764, Rebecca Spalding, 1848, wife of Joseph Warren. 

1776, Aaron Mansur, 1859. Rebecca Warren, his wife, 1786-1872. 

1828, Mary Frances Mansur, 1834. 

1781, Jesse Smith, 1848. Fanny Warren, his wife, 1791-1874. 

1816, Mary Woodbury Smith, 1835. 

1823, Rebecca Smith, 1826. 

1819, John Henry Smith, 1851. 



BURYING GROUNDS 739 

Mrs. Mary, wife of Mr. Timothy Manning, Feb. 27, 1836. Age, 87 yra. 

Mr. Timothy Manning, March 11, 1836. Age, 84 yrs. 

Mary N., wife of Thomas Marshall, March 25, 1837. Age, 29 yrs. 

Otis Marshall, Aug. 29, 1837. Age, 30 yrs. 

Mary Ann, dan. of Thomas and Ann F. Marshall, Sept. 15, 1846. Age, 8 

weeks. 
Laura, wife of Thomas Moore, Feb. 22, 1842. Age, 45 yrs. Also their son, 

George Henry, April 1, 1841. Age, 14 mos. 
Loring Marshall, April 23, 1845, at Lowell. Age, 37 yrs. 
Children of Darius G. and Eliza E. Merriam — Nehemiah Flint, Nov. 26, 

1853. Age, 4 yrs., 4 mos., 28 d. Amelia Augusta, Jan. 22, 1854. Age, 

8 mos., 25 d. 
Sarah B. Moors, May 3, 1854. Age, 88 yrs. 
Joanna Marshall, Feb. 12, 1855. Age, 90 yrs., 10 mos. 
Ann F., wife of Thomas Marshall, June 25, 1856. Age, 48 yrs. 
Joseph Marshall, Jan. 4, 1856. Age, 53 yrs. 
Miss Mary Manning, June 21, 1857. Age, 66 yrs. 
Thomas Marshall, April 13, 1860. Age, 58 yrs., 7 mos. 
Timothy Manning, Feb. 7, 1861. Age, 83 yrs., 9 mos. 
Esther Manning, Sept. 22, 1863. Age, 76 yrs. 

Lucy E., wife of John Morris, Nov. 5, 1867. Age, 25 yrs., 11 mos., 8 d. 
Children of John and Lucy Morris— Lillie H., Oct. 22, 1866. Age, 2 mos, 

Minnie A., Jan. 23, 1868. Age, 3 mos. 
Maj. Joseph Manning, Aug. 5, 1876. Age, 81 yrs., 3 mos., 16 d. 
Julia M., wife of Maj. Joseph Manning, Jan. 4, 1869. Age, 61 yrs., 8 moa,, 

25 d. 
Joanna Marshall, June 13, 1869. Age, 83 yrs. 
Duncan McDonald, May 24, 1881. Age, 35 yrs., 5 mos. 
Martin L. Metcalf, June 4, 1881. Age, 69 yrs., 5 mos., 13 d. 
Atwood E., son of F. A. and S. E. Marshall, June 6, 1883. Age, 7 mos., 12 d. 
George Marshall, Julv 7, 1883. Age, 75 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mary MacDonald, born April 21, 1844, died June 20, 1884. 
Eben H. Marshall, born July 12, 1819, Oct. 3, 1885. 
Phebe R. Marshall, born June 20, 1817, Oct. 27, 1890. 
Joseph Warren Mansur, Feb. 8, 1891. Age, 83 yrs. 
B. Parker Marshall, Nov. 12, 1892. Age, 82 yrs. 
Ann E. Marshall, Nov. 6, 1894. Age, 61 yrs., 11 mos. 
Myra Marshall, Nov. 13, 1895. Age, 81 yrs. 
Fred R. Marshall, born Sept. 7, 1873, Sept. 2, 1896. 
Lucy Elizabeth Marshall, May 6, 1908. Age, 61 yrs., 6 mos., 14 d. 
Nancy M. Metcalf, Dec. 14, 1907. Age, 78 yrs., 8 mos., 12 d. 
Dorothy Hope Metcalf, Dec. 21, 1906. Age, 9 mos., 5 d. 
Elizabeth Thompson McGee, July 2, 1907. Age, 84 yrs., 3 mos., 12 d. 
Curtis Manchester, June 30, 1903. Age, 72 yrs., 5 mos., 26 d. 
John McKinley, Oct. 19, 1911. Age, 49 yrs., 2 mos., 10 d. 
Eliza Elvira Merriam, Feb. 24, 1907. 

N 

Mr. Daniel Nichols, Nov. 20, 1768. Age, 61 yrs., 3 mos., 10 d. 

Mrs. Susanna Nichols, wife of Mr. Daniel Nichols, Oct. 11, 1806. Age, 94 yrs. 

Arthur D., son of F. E. and F. E. Nason, July 5, 1890. Age, 8 yrs., 7 mos., 9d. 

John H. Nichols, born April 7, 1828, died Dec. 9, 1898. Co. B, 2d N. H. Vols. 

Hannah, his wife, born April 10, 1845, died Sept. 21, 1888. 

Timon Nason, Nov. 3, 1906. Age, 77 yrs., 2 mos., 8 d. 

Mary F. Needham, April 29, 1904. Age, 88 yrs., 3 mos., 20 d. 

o 

Mrs. Harriet H., wife of Benjamin Obear, June 21, 1830. Age, 38 yrs. 
Mrs. Abigail, widow of Mr. Samuel Osborn, Jan. 29, 1838. Age, 83 yrs. 
Charles T., son of T. W. and Emily Obear, Oct. 3, 1848. Age, 4 yrs. 
Alice Adella Osgood, Jan. 21, 1893. Age, 37 yrs. 



740 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Elizabeth Parker, wife to John Parker, Sept. 23, 1709. Age, 33 yrs. 

Mrs. I.ydia Perham, wife to Mr. John Perham, June 26, 1710. Age, 67 yrs. 

Mr. Ger»hom Procter, Nov. 8, 1714. Age, 66 yrs., 6 mos. 

Mr. John Perham, Jan. 21, 1721. Age, 88 yrs. 

Cornet Benoni Perham, March 14, 1724. Age, 48 yrs. 

Jonathan Perham, son of Mr. Benoni and Mrs. Sarah Perham, April 7, 1724. 

Age, 13 yrs. 
Rebeckah Parker, dau. of Mr. John and Mrs. Rebeckah Parker, Dec. 12, 1724. 

Age, 5 yrs., 6 mos. 
Sarah Parker, dau. of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Rebeckah Parker, Feb. 14, 1729. 

Age, 7 vrs., 10 mos., 8 d. 
Mr. Gershom Procter, Feb. 7, 1730. Age, 27 yrs., 10 mos., 8 d. 
Mr. Stephen Pierce, June 10, 1733. Age, 82 yrs. 
[See Buttrick Tomb.] 
Rebeckah Parker, dau. of Mr. John and Mrs. Hannah Parker, Jan. 17, 1736. 

Age, 14 mos. 
Hannah Perham, dau. of Mr. Benoni and Mrs. Sarah Perham, August, 1736. 

Age, 19 yrs. 
Children of James and Abigail Parkhurst — Abigail Parkhurst, Feb. 17, 1737. 

Age, 2 yrs., 2 mos., 12 d. Benjamin Parkhurst, Feb. 17, 1737, Age, 

4 yrs., 3 mos., 11 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Parkhurst, March 25, 1737. Age, 35 yrs., 3 mos., 23 d. 
Capt. Joseph Parker, April 22, 1738. Age, 44 yrs., 1 mo., 3 d. 
William Procter, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Luccy Procter, Sept. 10, 1738. 

Age, 3 yrs., 10 mos., 11 d. 
Mr. Samuel Procter, April 12, 1740. Age, 74 yrs., 6 mos., 27 d. 
Rachel Parker, dau. of Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Rachel Parker, Sept. 10, 1740. 

Age, 4 yrs., 5 mos., 6 d. 
Mr. John Parker, Feb. 20, 1741. Age, 60 yrs. 

Mrs. Rebekah Parker, wife of Mr. John Parker, Feb. 21, 1741. Age, 63 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah Perham, widow of Mr. Benoni Perham, Feb. 22, 1741. Age, 65 yrs. 
John Parker, son of Mr. John and Mrs. Hannah Parker, Sept. 2, 1744. Age, 

7 mos., 7 d. 
Ebenezer Parcker, son of Capt. Ebenezer and Mrs. Elizabeth Parcker, Nov. 

29, 1745. Age, 25 yrs. 
Deacon Stephen Peirce, Sept. 9, 1749. Age, 70 yrs. 
Gershom Procter, Jun., Feb. 7, 1750. Age, 27 yrs., — mos., 8 d. 
Andrew Parkhurst, son of Mr. James and Mrs. Abigail Parkhurst, Nov. 10, 

1753. Age, 10 yrs., 6 mos., 19 d. 
Mr. Israel Procter, June 9, 1755. Age, 46 yrs., 8 mos., 5 d. 
Levi Procter, son of Mr. William and Mrs. Lucy Procter, Nov. 19, 1755. Age, 

15 yrs., 2 mos., 19 d. 
Lucy Procter, dafter of Mr. William and Mrs. Lucy Procter, Nov. 21, 1755, 

Age, 7 yrs., 8 mos., 24 d. 
Mrs. Mary Pierce, wife of Mr. Robert Pierce, June 5, 1761. Age, 52 yrs., 

3 mos., 22 d. 
Mrs. Lydia Patten, wife of Mr. Isaac Patten, Feb. 3, 1763. Age, 24 yrs. 
Lieut. John Parker, March 17, 1763. Age, 51 yrs., 2 mos., 5 d. 
Oliver Patten, son of Mr. Isaac and Mrs. Lydia Patten, May 12, 1763. Age, 

3 mos., 18 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Parker, wife of Mr. Benjamin Parker, Dec. 19, 1765. Age, 

69 yrs., 1 mo., 10 d. 
Mr. William Procter, Oct. 13, 1767. Age, 63 yrs., 1 mo., 30 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Perham, wife of Mr. Samuel Perham, April 28, 1767. Age, 47 

yrs., 6 mos., 16 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Parker, Nov. 14, 1769. Age, 60 vrs., 3 mos., 12 d. 
Lieut. Benjamin Parker, May 23, 1771. Age, 72 yrs., 8 mos., 11 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Parker, dau. of Lieut. Benjamin and Mrs. Elizabeth Parker, April 

29, 1771. Age, 35 yrs., 7 mos., 6 d. 



BURYING GROUNDS 741 

Mrs. Abigail Parkhurst, wife of Mr. James Parkhurst, July 29, 1772. Age, 

60 yrs., 10 d. 
Mrs. Mary Procter, wife of Mr. Daniel Procter, Junr., March 3, 1773. Age, 

31 yrs. 
Mr. Benony Perham, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Sarah Perham, Feb. 10, 1774. 

Age, 23 yrs., 10 mos., 27 d. 
Mr. Gershom Procter, Senr., Oct. 17, 1774. Age, 81 yrs., 5 mos., 23 d. 
Capt. Daniel Procter, Jan. 28, 1775. Age, 69 yrs., 1 mo., 17 d. 
Hannah Parker, dau. of Lieut. Isaac Parker and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife, 

Aug. 28, 1775. Age, 1 yr., 9 d. 
Elizabeth Parker, dau. of Lieat. Isaac Parker and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife, 

Aug. 30, 1775. Age, 4 yrs., 8 mos., 5 d. 
Moly Procter, dau. of Mr. Azariah Procter and Mrs. Azubah, his wife, Aug. 

30, 1775. Age, 1 yr., 9 mos., 2d. 
Bradley Peirce, son of Mr. William Pierce and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife, Aug. 

30, 1775. Age, 3 yrs., 3 mos., 25 d. 
Hiram Procter, son of Mr. Azariah Procter and Mrs. Azubah, his wife, Sept. 

8, 1775. Age, 3 yrs., 5 mos., 8 d. 
Anna Parker, dau. of Mr. Philip Parker and Mrs. Anna, his wife, Sept. 17, 

1775. Age, 5 yrs., 6 mos., 14 d. 
Dorcas Parker, dau. of Mr. Philip Parker and Mrs. Anna, his wife, Sept. 

27, 1775. Age, 1 yr., 24 d. 
Miss Susze Peirce, Dec. 11, 1775. Age, 21 yrs., 1 mo. 
Hannah Perham, dau. of Mr. Benoni and Mrs. Sarah Perham, Aug. — , 1776. 

Age, 19 yrs. 
Mrs. Rebeckah Proctor, wife of Mr. Gershom Parker, April 16, 1776. Age, 

79 yrs., 1 mo., 16 d. 
Mrs. Hannah Parkhurst, wife of Mr. James Parkhurst, formerly wife of 

Lieut. John Parker, Feb. 5, 1781. Age, 66 yrs., 5 mos., 4 d. 
Reuben Parker, son of Mr. Willard Parker and Mrs. Anna Parker, Sept. 7, 

1783. Age, 3 yrs., 4 mos., 7 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Parker, wife of Mr. Jonathan Parker, May 19, 1784. Age, 31 yrs. 
Miss Abigail Parkhurst, dau. of Deacon Benjamin Parkhurst and Mrs. 

Ehzabeth Parkhurst, Nov. 10, 1784. Age, 19 yrs., 11 mos., 20 d. 
Mr. Jonathan Putnam, Dec. 9, 1784. Age, 58 yrs. 
Mr. Silas Pierce, April 14, 1828. Age, 84 yrs. 
Mrs. PoUey Putnam, dau. of Mr. Jonathan Putnam and Mrs. Hannah, his 

wife, June 29, 1785. Age, 16 yrs., 1 mo., 1 d. 
Mrs. Susannah Proctor, relict of Capt. Daniel Proctor, Nov. 26, 1785. No 

year of age given. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Parker, wife of Mr. Benjamin Parker, April 17, 1787. Age, 

64 yrs., 6 mos., 13 d. 
Miss Elizabeth Parkhurst, dau. of Deacon Benjamin Parkhurst and Mrs. 

Elizabeth, his wife, Dec. 6, 1787. Age, IS yrs., 9 mos., 6 d. 
Willard Parker, son of Mr. Willard Parker and Mrs. Anna, his wife, May 20, 

1788. Age, 15 yrs., 10 mos., 29 d. 
Miss Anna Parker, dau. of Mr. Willard Parker and Mrs. Anna, his wife, 

Sept. 7, 1788. Age, 22 yrs., 3 mos., 15 d. 
Samuel Perham, March 2, 1788. Age, 31 yrs., 6 mos., 8 d. 
Rebeckah Peirce, dau. of Mr. Oliver and Mrs. Deborah Peirce, Nov. 18, 1789. 

Age, 9 yrs., 10 mos., 8 d. 
Mr. Philip Parker, June 25, 1790. Age, 58 yrs. 
Mr. Jonathan Putnam, son of Mr. Jonathan Putnam and Mrs. Hannah, his 

wife, June 4, 1790. Age, 27 yrs., 2 d. 
Mrs. Hannah Parker, consort of Mr. Ebenezer Parker, who died Oct. 22, 

1790. Age, 23 yrs., 11 mos, 4 d. 
Mrs. Rebeckah Parker, relict of Capt. Joseph Parker, Jan. 1, 1791, Age, 88 

yrs. 
Mr. Peter Proctor, June 15, 1792. Age, 55 yrs., 4 mos. 
Susanna Parkhurst, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Betty Parkhurst, June 25, 

1794. Age, 3 yrs., 3 mos. 
Mr. Samuel Perham, May 20, 1794. Age, 79 yrs. 



742 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Jeduthan Parker, son of Mr. Jeduthan Parker and Phebe Parker, April 6, 

1795. Age, 1 yr., 3 mos. 
Mr. James Parkhurst, Jan. 18, 1796. Age, 88 yrs., 2 mos., 12 d. 
Mr. Joseph Perce, June 14, 1796. Age, 74 yrs. 

Mrs. Rachel Parker, wife of Jonathan Parker, April 5, 1797. Age, 88 yrs. 
Mr. Benjamin Parker, Feb. 17, 1801. Age, 78 yrs. 
Mr. Israel Putnam, Feb. 23, 1800. Age, 77 yrs. [See tomb, under S.] 
Rachel Parkhurst, dau. of Mr. Josiah and Mrs. Rachel Parkhurst, Sept. 20, 

1801. Age, 2 yrs., 7 mos., 15 d. 

Samuel Parkhurst, son of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Betty Parkhurst, Jan. 16, 

1802. Age, 2 yrs., 8 mos. 

Clarice Parker, dau. of Mr. Ebenezer and Mrs. Rebecca Parker, Jan. 16, 1803. 

Age, 3 yrs., 2 mos., 16 d. 
Reuben Parker, Jan. 31, 1850. Age, 74 yrs. Mary, his wife, Sept. 5, 1803. 

Age, 28 yrs. 
Charlotte M., wife of E. K. Parkhurst, died Dec. 13, 1851. Age, 23 yrs., 7 mos. 
Lieut. Daniel Proctor, Dec. 4, 1803. Age, 59 yrs. 
Ruth Parkhurst, wife of John Parkhurst, Dec. 30, 1803. Age, 30 yrs. 
Charlott Parker, dau. of Mr. Ebenezer and Mrs. Rebeca Parker, Nov. 28, 

1804. Age, 2 yrs., 10 mos. 
Mrs. Bridget Peirce, the fifth wife of Mr. Silas Peirce, June 12, 1805. Age, 

59 yrs. 
Clarise Parker, dau. of Mr. Ebenezer Parker and Mrs. Rebecca, his wife, 

Sept. 15, 1806. Age, 2 yrs., 5 mos., 7 d. 
Mrs. Anna Perham, wife of Mr. Samuel Perham, Oct. 29, 1807. Age, 22 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Peirce, wife of Mr. Joseph Peirce, Nov. 5, 1807. Age, 85 yrs. 
Mr. Willard Parker, April 4, 1808. Age, 65 yrs. 
Silas Parkhurst, son or Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Betsy Parkhurst, Sept. 19, 

1810. Age, 2 yrs., 6 d. 

Mr. Philip Parkhurst, Dec. 14, 1810. Age, 66 yrs. 

Mr. David Parker, Jan. 11, 1811. Age, 80 yrs. 

Eldad Proctor, May 22, 1811. Age, 42 yrs. And Rachel, his wife, Feb. 20, 

1855. Age, 85 yrs. 
Miss Betty Parkhurst, dau. of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Betty Parkhurst, Oct. 13, 

1811. Age, 15 yrs. 

Mr. Samuel Perham, Jan. 13, 1812. Age, 32 yrs. 

Dea. Benjamin Parkhurst, June 21, 1812. Age, 71 yrs. 

Family tomb of Ebenezer Parker, built A. D. 1813. No. 1. 

Jeptha Parker, July 25, 1843. Age, 53 yrs., 1 mo., 17 d. 

Only children of Jeptha and Mary Amanda Parker — Clifton Parker, July?, 

1848. Age, 1 yr., 8 mos., 11 d. Clifford Parker, March 30, 1853. Age, 

4 yrs., 9 mos., 19 d. 
Family tomb of Jonathan Perham. [See under S., 1813]. 
Family tomb supposed to be of James Pitts. 

Family tomb of James Pitts, Samuel Stevens, Ephriam Spalding. 
Capt. James Pitts, died Dec. 19, 1843. Age, 66 yrs. [For others of the name, 

see "Chelmsford Vital Records."] 
Ann Mari, dau. of Mr. Jonathan Parker, 3d, and Mrs. Hannah, his wife, 

April 2, 1814. Age, 9 mos. 
Family tomb of Dea. Josiah Parkhurst, Dea. Owen Emerson, Capt. Sherebiah 

Spaulding, built A. D. 1815. 
Family tomb of Corp. Jonas Pierce, built A. D. 1815. 
John, son of Mr. Samuel Perham and Mrs. Sarah, his wife, Sept. 16, 1815. 

Age, 4 yrs., 6 mos. 
Mrs. Betty, wife of Mr. Samuel Parkhurst, Jan. 29, 1817. Age, 57 yra. 
Mr. Jonathan Parker, May 20, 1818. Age, 69 yrs. 
Dea. Josiah Parkhurst, Dec. 31, 1818. Age, 56 yrs. 
Rachel Stevens, his wife, April 11, 1860. Age, 87 yrs. 
Oliver Parkhurst, a brother, Sept. 5, 1835. Age, 68 yrs. 
Sibel M. Procter, dau. of Mr. Jonas R. and Mrs. Sibel Procter, Feb. 27, 1819. 

Age, 18 mos. 



BURYING GROUNDS 743 

Mr. Oliver Pierce, Jan. 21, 1821. Age, 79 yrs. 

Mrs. Elizabeth, relict of Dea. Benjamin Parkhurst, May 20, 1822. Age, 81 yrs. 

Mrs. Mary, wife of Mr. Phillip Parkhurst, March 6, 1826. Age, 77 yrs. 

WEST SIDE. 

Stephen Pierce, April 16, 1826. Age, 72 yrs. 
Hannah, wife of Stephen Pierce, Sept. 27, 1825. Age, 70 yrs. 
Jesse, son of Stephen and Hannah Pierce, June 20, 1820. Age, 30 yrs. 
John, son of Stephen and Hannah Pierce, 1824. Age, 41 yrs. 

EAST SIDE. 

Jonathan, son of Stephen and Hannah Pierce, Oct. 8, 1873. Age, 82 yrs. 
Hannah, wife of Jonathan Pierce, and formerly widow of Jesse Pierce, Nov. 

27, 1867. Age, 75 yrs. 
Henry C, son of Jonathan and Hannah Pierce, Feb. 2, 1834. Age, 5 mos. 

Mrs. Hannah, wife of Mr. Jonathan Putnam, Mav 15, 1826. Age, 95 yrs. 

Miss Mary Pierce, Oct. 28, 182G. Age, 71 yrs. ' 

Mrs. Asubah, wife of Capt. Asariah Proctor, Dec. 29, 1826. Age, 77 yrs. 

Mr. Silas Peirce, April 14, 1828. Age, 84 yrs. 

Mrs. Lucy, wife of Mr. David Parker, Oct. 23, 1829. Age, 91 yrs. 

John Parkhurst, Aug. 28, 1830. Age, 55 yrs., 3 mos. His wife, Ruth P., 

Dec. 30, 1803. Age, 30 yrs. Surviah M., 2nd wife, July 3, 1873. Age, 

89 yrs., 8 mos. 
Mrs. Remembrance, wife of Mr. Jonathan Parker, April 17, 1831. Age, 78 yrs. 
Mr. Micajah Parkhurst, Jan. 8, 1832. Age, 38 yrs. 
Elizabeth B. Parker, wife of Eli Parker, Jan. 16, 1832. Age, 61 yrs. 
Mrs. Anna, wife of Mr. Willard Parker, Sept. 7, 1832. Age, 88 yrs. 
Capt. Azariah Proctor, Nov. 11, 1832. Age, 83 yrs. 

Edwin, son of Azariah and Lucy Proctor, March 12, 1833. Age, 2 yrs., 6 mos. 
Benjamin Prescott, May 22, 1833. Age, 64 yrs. 
Amey, his wife, Aug. 24, 1858. Age, 90 yrs. 
Two of their grandsons — Henry Ware Dickinson, March 7, 1839. Age, 9J 

mos. Adrian Clark, May, 1839. Age, 9 mos. 
William Packard, son of Rev. Hez. Packard, and member of the Junior Class 

in Bowdoin College, Jan. 28, 1834. Age, 18 yrs. (Be ye also ready.) 
Andrew Parkhurst, July 26, 1834. Age, 63 yrs. 

Mrs. Hannah, relict of Lieut. Daniel Procter, April 11, 1837. Age, 92 yrs. 
Deborah, wife of Oliver Pierce, Oct. 27, 1837. Age, 92 yrs., 6 mos. 
Azariah Proctor, Nov. 21, 1838. Age, 57 yrs. 
Children of George and Ruhamah W. Pierce — George D., May 13, 1839. 

Age, 10 mos., 6 d. George D., Aug 28, 1847. Age, 5 mos., 16 d. 
Genett W., wife of Charles Proctor, Oct. 25, 1840 Age, 23 yrs. 
Mr. Abram Parkhurst, Aug. 31, 1840. Age, 27 yrs. 
Joel, son of Joel and Hannah Parkhurst, Oct. 6, 1841, Age, 1 yr. 
Jonas R. Procter, July 2, 1843. Age, 57 yrs. 

Milo J., son of Jonas and S. H. Procter, March 12, 1834. Age, 2 yrs., 5 mos. 
Amos Parkhurst, Oct. 11, 1848. Age, 36 yrs. 
Benjamin Parker, Nov. 30, 1848. Age, 74 yrs. 

Samuel Parkhurst, born Nov. 4, 1759, died Jan. 15, 1849. Age, 90 yrs. 
Simeon B. Proctor, Dec. 2, 1816, Jan. 25, 1850. 

Mary L., dau. of S. B. and A. J. H. P. Proctor, Sept. 20, 1845, Dec. 20, 1846. 
Harriet E., wife of Alfred Proctor, June 19, 1850. Age, 27 yrs. 
Benjamin S., their son, Oct. 7, 1850. Age, 7 mos. 
Horace M. Page, Sept. 6, 1852. Age, 22 yrs. 
Elotia D. Proctor, Sept. 30, 1856. Age, 18 yrs., 2 d. 
David Parker, April 12, 1850. Age, 81 yrs. 

Arthur, son of Milo and Maria D. Pierce, Feb. 16, 1851. Age, 3 mos. 
Minnie, infant dau. of Milo and Maria D. Pierce, — . 
Betsey, wife of Daniel Proctor, Oct. 6, 1852. Age, 54 yrs., 2 mos. 
Mathew, their son, Aug. 31, 1835. Age, 2 yrs. 



744 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Daniel Proctor, Oct 23, 1864. Age, 69 yrs., 11 mos. 

Emily H., wife of Daniel Proctor, Jr., Sept. 6, 1856. Age, 22 yrs., 7 mos. 

Clifford, their son, Oct. 25, 1856. Age, 4 rnos., 19 d. 

Sarah, wife of Oii\er Parkhurst, formerly wife of Amos Byam, Aug. 4, 1858. 

Age, 98 yrs., 7 mos., 4 d. 
Jonas R. Proctor, Aug. 20, 1859. Age, 50 vrs. 

Sibel H., wife of Jonas R. Proctor, Aug. 6, 1860. Age, 72 yrs., 3 mos., 2 d. 
Sewall Parkhurst, May 3, 1860. Age, 49 yrs. 
Jonathan Parker, Aug. 6, 1860. Age, 89 yrs., 7 mos. 
Charles Parkhurst, Oct. 25, 1861. Age, 36 yrs. 

Harriet S. W., wife of Rufus Proctor, Oct. 18, 1864. Age, 43 yrs., 2 mos. 
Harriet M., their dau., Jan. 4, 1854. Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos., 7 d. 
Maria D., wife of Milo Pierce, Dec. 13, 1864. Age, 39 yrs. 
Marv A., wife of Milo Pierce, Jan. 28, 1849. Age, 25 yrs. 
Alice L., wife of Wm. I. Preston, Feb. 19, 1868. Age, 31 yrs., 10 mos. 
Maria A., wife of Wm. I. Preston, 1845-1891. 
Herbert I and Albert P., infant sons. 
Jonathan Parker, 3d, April 15, 1862. Age, 81 yrs. 
Betsey Marshall, his wife, Feb. 3, 1853. Age, 72 vrs. 
Sophronia W., wife of Andrew H. Park, July 12, 1862. Age, 35 yrs. 
Olive Pierce, Aug. 19, 1863. Age, 80 yrs. 

Samuel, son of Samuel and Sarah Perham, June 9, 1866. Age, 57 yrs. 
Emma R., dau. of Eli P. and Nancy B. Parker, Sept. 24, 1867. Age, 16 yrs., 

5 mos., 28 d. 
Edgar S. Parkhurst, born April 1, 1834, died Feb. 29, 1868. 
Hattie, dau. of John and Elizabeth R. Parkhurst, May 11, 1871. Age, 18 yra. 
Daniel Parker, April 20, 1872. Age, 81 yrs., 5 mos., 29 d. 
Abigail, wife of Daniel Parker, Nov. 29, 1857. Age, 68 yrs., 10 mos., 18 d. 
Nancy, wife of Daniel Parker, Aug. 14, 1870. Age, 77 yrs., lid. 
Abby, dau. of Daniel and Abigail Parker, Sept. 27, 1849. Age, 32 yrs., 10 

mos., 17 d. 
Daniel A., son of Daniel and Abigail Parker, Oct., 1867. Age, 49 yrs. 
Mary R., wife of Francis B. Parker, April 20, 1869. Age, 59 yrs. 
Francis B. Parker, Oct. 30, 1882. Age, 73 yrs., 10 mos., 9 d. 
Sophronia, dau. of Andrew H. and Sarah T. Park, Jan. 10, 1873. Age, 3 mos. 

Eunice, wife of Emerson Parker, May 9, 1873. Age, 96 yrs. 

G. W. K. Parkhurst, Oct. 26, 1873. Age, 26 yrs. 

Samuel S. Parkhurst, May 21, 1875. Age, 68 yrs. 

Nancy, wife of Eli P. Parker, Oct. 22, 1875. Age, 59 yrs. 

Sarah R., wife of E. F. Parker, died Feb. 18, 1875. Age, 33 yrs., 10 mos. 

Frank R., son of Edward F. and Sarah R. Parker, died Nov. 15, 1886. Age, 
23 yrs. 

Mary R., dau. of Edward F. and Sarah R. Parker, died Dec. 24, 1878. Age, 
9 yrs., 9 mos. 

Eli Parker, Sept. 14, 1877. Age, 90 yrs., 4 mos., 22 d. 

Geo. A. Parker, Nov. 23, 1872. Age, 30 yrs. 

Mary Hortense, his wife, June 1, 1872. Age, 25 yrs. 

Willard Parker, March 2, 1880. Age, 53 yrs., 10 mos., 13 d. 

Phoebe P., his wife, Feb. 12, 1883. Age, 57 yrs., 7 mos., 8 d. 

Ella J., youngest dau. of Perley P. and Emeline A. Perham, March 2, 1882. 
Age, 24 yrs., 1 mo., 17 d. 

Sewall Parkhurst, July 6, 1887. Age, 86 yrs. 

Sarah Fletcher, his wife, Aug. 10, 1860. 

M. E. Battles, his wife, 1819-1902. 

Olive A. Gray Perham, Aug. 13, 1884. Age, 56 yrs. 

Eleutheria W., wife of David Perham, born April 28, 1810, died June 5, 1888. 

John Parkhurst, Dec. 25, 1888. Age, 81 yrs., 5 mos. 

Sybil M. Proctor, April 13, 1887. Age, 66 yrs. 

Charles Parker, May 3, 1888. Age, 91 yrs. 

Ella P., wife of Edwin C. Perham, P>b. 15, 1890. Age, 28 yrs., 9 mos 

Solomon Parkhurst, born July 12, 1804, died Aug. 18, 1890. 



BURYING GROUNDS 745 

Lucina M. Adams, wife of Solomon Parkhurst, born Jan. 26, 1811, died Sept. 

27, 1890. 
David Perham, son of David Perham and Rebecca Spalding, born Dec. 16, 

1813, died Feb. 21, 1895. 
Andrew H. Park, Feb. 22, 1897. Age, 78 yrs. 
D. Clinton Perham, born Nov. 16, 1830, died Nov. 23, 1903. 
Maria A., wife of D. Clinton Perham, born Oct. 19, 1833, died Sept. 28, 1901. 
George A. Parkhurst, born Aug. 11, 1833, died Feb. 3, 1904. 

Tomb of D. and S. P. Perham. 



David Perham, May 23, 1841. Age, 57 yrs. 

Rebecca S., wife of David Perham, July 30, 1847, Age, 57 yrs. 

Joel, son of David and Rebecca S. Perham, Jan. 9, 1839. Age, 18 yrs., 8 raos., 

8d. 
Susan L. Waite, born in Weston, Vt., died Nov. 3, 1846. Age, 24 yrs., 6 mos., 

10 d. 

WEST SIDE. 

Charles F. Parker, 1864-1890. 

NORTH SIDE. 

Samuel P. Perham, Dec. 5, 1815, Jan. 29, 1899. 

Rebecca, wife of Samuel P. Perham, Jan. 9, 1844. Age, 26 yrs., 4 mos., 1 d. 

Asenath, wife of Samuel P. Perham, May 29, 1867. Age, 48 yrs., 3 mos., 28 d. 

SOUTH SIDE. 

Edwin P., son of Samuel and Rebecca Perham, Dec. 1, 1843. Age, 1 yr., 3 

mos , 10 d. 
Eliza B., dau. of Samuel P. and Asenath Perham, March 30, 1858. Age, 11 

yrs., 2 mos., 13 d. 

Charles Proctor, Sept. 29, 1880. Age, 65 yrs., 3 mos., 20 d. 

Harriet P. Proctor, June 24, 1883. Age 61 yrs., 9 mos., 22 d. 

Fannie E., dau. of Eli P. and Nancy B. Parker, May 27, 1884. Age, 36 yrs. 

Henry Powers, May 5, 1889. Age, 24 yrs. 

Franklin F. Pearl, March 9, 1891. Age, 78 yrs., 8 mos., 5 d. 

Caroline H., his wife, Dec. 6, 1888. Age, 81 yrs., 8 mos., 9 d, 

Lucinda Parkhurst, Nov. 10, 1892. Age, 70 yrs. 

Fanny Thurlow, wife of Jonas R. Proctor, June 18, 1893. Age, 80 yrs. 

Edwin King Parkhurst, Feb. 28, 1828, Sept. 12, 1898. 

Eli P. Parker, Jan. 29, 1898. Age, 86 yrs. 

Lt. Joseph Parker. [See A, 1819.] 

Albert Proctor Perham, 1849—1899. 

Henry B. Proctor, Oct. 18, 1901. Age, 82 yrs., 6 mos., 16 d. 

Fiske King Parkhurst, Nov. 23, 1904. Age, 2 d. 

William J. Preston, Dec. 30, 1908. Age, 77 yrs., 10 mos., 21 d. 

Mary Elizabeth Parkhurst, Sept. 2, 1902. Age, 83 yrs., 6 mos., 10 d. 

William Sullivan Parker, May 20, 1910. Age, 51 yrs., 6 mos., 1 d. 

Martha Jones Parkhurst, June 13, 1912. Age, 73 yrs., 10 mos., 26 d. 

Henry Spaulding Perham, Feb. 25, 1906. Age, 62 yrs., 3 mos., 9 d. 

Elizabeth Rider (Johnson) Parkhurst, Dec. 16, 1908. Age, 91 yrs., 3 mos., 

20 d. 
Jerome Manning Parkhurst, Feb. 16, 1908. Age, 60 yrs., 2 mos., 22 d. 
Harry Osgood Parkhurst, Aug. — , 1879. Age, 3 mos. 
Willard S. Parker, Nov. 19, 1858— May 20, 1910. 
Emeline Agusta Perham, July 4, 1911. Age, 88 yrs., 8 mos., 19 d. 
Perly Perkins Perham, March 16, 1911. Age, 87 yrs., 6 mos., 1 d. 
Edward Francis Parker, Aug. 24, 1912. Age, 73 yrs., 11 mos., 5 d. 



746 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

George W. Proctor, Nov. 7, 1898. Age, 40 yrs. 

Sarah Elizabeth Proctor, March 28, 1892. Age, 65 yrs. 

Allen Pickard, April 16, 1905. Age, 11 mos., 20 d. 

Carl M. Pickard, Aug. 8, 1900. Age, 1 yr., 5 mos., 24 d. 

Hannah Fairbanks Perham, Dec. 30, 1911. Age, 62 yrs., 4 mos., 19 d. 

R 

Capt. Josias Richardson, July 22, 1695. Age, 61 yrs. 

Ezekiel Richardson, Nov. 27, 1696. Age, 29 yrs. 

Thomas Richardson, son of Ezekiel and Mary, May 6, 1698. Age, about 8 

yrs. 
Lieut. Josiah Richardson, Oct. 17, 1711. Age, 47 yrs. 
Mrs. Remembrance Richardson, wife to Capt. Josiah Richardson, Feb. 20, 

1718/9. Age, 79 yrs. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson, wife to Capt. Jonathan Richardson, May 9, 1722. 

Age, 51 yrs. 
Samuel Richardson, son of Mr. Saml. and Mrs. Rachel Richardson, Feb. 18, 

1727. Age, about 19 yrs. 
Mrs. Rachel Richardson, wife to Mr. Samuel Richardson, Feb. 26, 1727. Age, 

about 45 yrs. 
Marcy Richardson, dau. of Capt. Zechariah and Mrs. Sarah Richardson, 

Jan. 19, 1746. Age, 22 yrs. 
Mrs. Hannah Richardson, wife to Mr. Zachariah Richardson, March 10, 

1754. Age, 77 yrs., 1 mo., 20 d. 
Mr. Samuel Richardson, April 23, 1754. Age 82 yrs., 1 mo., 19 d. 
Rachel Richardson, dau. of Mr. Eleazer and Mrs. Lydia Richardson, Oct. 21, 

1760. Age, 9 yrs., 4 mos., 7 d. 
Mr. John Richardson, Aug. 28, 1764. Age, 52 yrs., 9 mos., 27 d. 
Mrs. Hannah Reading, formerly the wife of Mr. Jonathan Parkhurst, Sept. 

24, 1768. Age, 64 yrs., 4 mos., 17 d. 
Mr. Zachariah Richardson, son of Mr. Zachariah Richardson and Mrs. 

Hannah, his wife, Sept. 7, 1775. Age, 21 yrs., 6 mos., 16 d. 
Mr. Zachariah Richardson, May 20, 1773. Age, 61 yrs., 2 mos., 18 d. 
Joseph Robbins, son of Ensn. Jonas Robbins and Mrs. Mary, his wife, Feb. 

18, 1778. Age, 18 yrs., 9 mos., 2 d. 
Ensign Jonas Robbins, Feb. 25, 1775. Age, 61 yrs., 7 mos., 22 d. 
Hannah Richardson dau. of Mr. Robert Richardson and Mrs. Jane, his wife, 

June 28, 1775. Age, 11 yrs., 1 mo., 15 d. 
Two children of Mr. Jonathan Robins and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife — Isaac, 
Aug. 28, 1775. Age, 3 yrs., 9 mos., 28 d. Betty, Sept. 1, 1775. Age, 
1 yr., 8 mos., 12 d. 
Mr. John Robins, Sept. 5, 1775. Age, 65 yrs., 5 mos., 22 d. 
Mrs. Susannah Robins, wife of Mr. John Robins, Aug. 28, 1775. Age, 63 yrs. 
Capt. Zechariah Richardson, March 22, 1776. Age, 81 yrs. 
Mr. Eleazer Richardson, Aug. 15, 1776. Age, 58 yrs. 
Miss Hannah Richardson, Feb. 19, 1784. Age, 19 yrs. 
Miss Sarah Richardson, April 9, 1784. Age, 21 yrs. 
Miss Sibbel Richardson, Dec. 12, 1798. Age, 29 yrs. 

Three daughters of Mr. Zachariah Richardson and Mrs. Sarah Richardson. 
Mrs. Sarah Richardson, relict of Mr. Zachariah Richardson, Juner, July 3, 

1785. Age 52 yrs. 
Esther Richardson, dau. of Mr Josiah and Mrs. Lydia Richardson, Jan. 25, 

1788. Age, 16 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah Richardson, wife of Cap. Zachariah Richardson, Aug. 11, 1788. 

Age, 78 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Richardson, relict of Mr. Amos Richardson, of Pelham, April 1, 

1791. Age, 76 yrs. 
Mrs. Lydia Richardson, relict of Mr. Eleazer Richardson, Feb. 21, 1797. 

Age, 74 yrs. S. A. R. 
Mr. Robert Richardson, Nov. 4, 1799. Age, 44 yrs. 
Mr. Josiah Richardson, April 15, 1801. Age, 67 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 747 

Chloe Richardson, wife of Oliver Richardson, Jan. 17, 1807. Age, 38 yrs. 
Alva H. Richardson, son of Mr. Elijah and Mrs. Molly Richardson, Aug. 26, 

1810. Age, 5 yrs., 7 mos., 19 d. 
Oliver Richardson, May 17, 1816. Age, 58 yrs. 
Josiah Richardson, May 8, 1822. Age, 55 yrs. 

Mrs. Lydia, widow of Mr. Josiah Richardson, Oct. 15, 1822. Age, 84 yra. 
Miss Abby Ann, dau. of Capt. Sylvester Richmond, Aug. 25, 1824. Age, 

9 yrs., 1 mo., 9 d. 

Mr. Alois Rush, Feb. 19, 1825. Age, 23 yrs. 

Mrs. Sybil, widow of Mr. Josiah Richardson, June 20, 1827. Age, 54 yrs. 

Ann P., dau. of Mr. Frederic and Mrs. Nancy Remme, Aug. 30, 1829. Age, 

10 mos. 

Sybil Richardson, May 21, 1831. Age, 31 yrs., 7 mos., 21 d. 

Mr. James Robbins, May 15, 1835. Age, 56 yrs. 

Mr. Zaccheus W. Robbins, Sept. 17, 1837. Age, 30 yrs. 

Family tomb of Frances and Robert Richardson, 1840-1890. 

Jonathan M. Reed, born Jan. 20, 1804, died May 15, 1869. 

Sarah Elizabeth, his wife, born Sept. 17, 1809, died June 2, 1889. 

Frederic Tilton Reed, born Dec. 26, 1879, died July 14, 1906. 

Anna R. Reed, born Sept. 14, 1847, died June 16, 1902. 

Edith Minot, dau. of Fred M. and Anna R. Reed, died Jan. 14, 1879. Age, 

6 mos. 
Willard Reed, born Feb. 18, 1777, died Oct. 12, 1850. 
Miranda, his wife, born April 17, 1776, died Nov. 29, 1846. 

REED MONUMENT. 
NORTH SIDE. 

Joseph Reed, Sept. 28, 1883. Age, 77 yrs., 2 mos. 
Leonora, wife of Joseph Reed, June 13, 1835. Age, 26 yrs. 
Maria E., 2nd wife, Feb. 20, 1874. Age, 61 yrs., 6 mos. 

EAST SIDE. 

Children of Joseph and Maria Reed: 

Katie A. Reed, Jan. 11, 1860. Age, 13 yrs., 3 mos. 

George E. Reed, Aug. 1, 1862, age, 24 yrs., at Baton Rouge, La. A member 

of Co. C, 30th Reg. Mass. Vols. 
Lucien H. Reed, Aug. 2, 1842, Jan. 30, 1893. 



WEST SIDE. 

Leonora S., Feb. 20, 1832. Age, 2 mos. Child of Joseph and Leonora Reed. 

Children of Joseph and Maria Reed — Lucy E., Aug. 25, 1841. Age, 3 mos. 
Caroline A., Feb. 26, 1843. Age, 3 yrs., 3 mos. Andrew J., Sept. 25, 
1844. Age, 6 mos. Mortimer, Sept. 2, 1845. Age, 1 mo. Zackery F., 
Aug. 26, 1848. Age, 7 mos. Adelaide, Sept. 19, 1850. Age, 6 mos. 

Almah Richardson, March 4, 1844. Age, 28 yrs. 

Phena, wife of James Robbins, Aug. 25, 1852. Age, 73 yrs. 

Asa Edwin, son of George and Asenath Richardson, March 10, 1846. Age, 

9 yrs., 9 mos. 
Asenath C, wife of George Richardson, Dec. 13, 1852. Age, 47 yrs., 9 mos. 
George Richardson, Sept. 1, 1853. Age, 56 yrs. 
1810, Abbott Russell, 1892. 
1808, Martha Truel, his wife, 1846. 
1823, Statira Garland, his wife, 1895. 
1861, Edwin Lincoln Russell, April 2, 1899. 
Children— 1842, Nelson Abbott, 1846. 1850, Charles Abbott, 1852. 1856. 

Belle Hayden, 1865. 



748 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Elijah Richardson, July 11, 1862. Age, 57 yrs. 

Elisabeth, his wife, Feb. 13, 1873. Age, 64 yrs. 

Emerson, infant son. 

Frederick Remme, Nov. 20, 1866. Age, 74 yrs. 

Nancy, his wife, Jan. 20, 1868. Age, 77 yrs. 

Henrietta Richardson, born April 5, 1839, died Jan. 9, 1881. 

Dora Elizabeth, dau. of E. H. and M. D. Russell, May 31, 1899. Age, 6 yrs., 

7 mos. 
Charles S. Reed, born April 29, 1835, died April 16, 1898. 
Lilla A. Rice, April 6, 1891. Age, 24 yrs., 3 mos., 3 d. 
A. Howard Richardson, served his country in Co. B, 6th Regt., M. V. M., in 

1864; born Sept. 4, 1833, died March 16, 1903. 
Martin Robbins, April 25, 1906. Age, 53 yrs., 6 mos., lid. 
Emily E. Reed, May 5, 1909. Age, 71 yrs., 10 mos., 26 d. 
Maria L. Reed, Aug. 27, 1909. Age, 71 yrs., 10 mos., 6 d. 



Lieut. Edward Spaiditig, Jan. 10, 1707. Age, 73 yrs. 

Deacon Andrew Spolding, May 5, 1713. Age, 59 yrs., 5 mos. 

Mr. Henry Spaulding, April 5, 1718. Age, 38 yrs., 3 mos., 3 d. 

Mr. Richard Stratton, April 8, 1724. Age, about 60 yrs. 

Mr. Joseph Spaulding, March 12, 1728. Age, 54 yrs. 

Mrs. Hannah Spaulding, wife of Deacon Andrew Spaulding, Jan. 21, 1730. 

Age, 77 yrs. 
Mary Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Henry and Mrs. Mary Spaulding, Aug. 5, 1733. 

Age, 10 yrs. 
Benjamin Spaulding, son of Dea. Andrew and Mrs. Abigail Spaulding, Dec. 

13, 1737. Age, 18 yrs. 
Henery Spaulding, only son of Mr. Henery and Mrs. Mary Spaulding, Jan. 23, 

1738. Age, 8 yrs. 
Rev. Sampson Stoddard, 3rd pastor, ordained 1706, Aug. 23, 1740. 
Mrs. Lucia Spaulding, June 11, 1742. Age, 33 yrs., 10 mos., 2 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Stoddard, wife of Sampson Stoddard, Esq., July 26, 1743. 

Age, 27 yrs. 
John Vryling Stoddard, son of Sampson Stoddard, Esq., and Mrs. Margaret, 

his wife, Nov. 10, 1745. Age, 2 mos., 13 d. 
Mrs. Sarah Spaulding, wife of Mr. Simeon Spaulding, Nov. 14, 1746. Age, 

29 yrs., 1 mo., 7 d. 
Joanah Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Simeon and Mrs. Sarah Spaulding, Aug. 24, 

1747. Age, 3 yrs., 20 d. 
Sibyl Spaulding, dau. of Dea. Ephraim and Mrs. Lydia Spaulding, Sept. 9, 

1747. Age, 8 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Spaulding, wife of Mr. Henry Spaulding, Oct. 2, 1747. Age, 47 

yrs. 
Elizabeth Stoddard, dau. of Col. Sampson and Mrs. Elizabeth Stoddard, 

Oct. 10, 1749. Age, 7 yrs., 8 mos. 
William Stoddard, son of Col. Sampson and Mrs. Elizabeth Stoddard, April 1, 

1750. Age, 11 mos., 21 d. 
Mrs. Phebe Spaulding, with her child, wife and child of Lieut. John Spaulding, 

Nov. 11, 1752. Age, 45 yrs., 10 mos., 20 d. 
Deacon Andrew Spaulding, Nov. 7, 1753. Age, 75 yrs. 
Ruth Spaulding, dau. to Lieut. John and Mrs. Pheby Spaulding, April 6, 

1754. Age, 21 yrs., 7 mos. 
Mr. Henry Spaulding, Oct. 2, 1754. Age, 52 yrs. 
Mr. Henery Spaulding, son of Cornet Henery Spaulding and Mrs. Lucey, his 

wife, Feb. 3, 1760. Age, 23 yrs., 5 mos., 16 d. 
Mr. Edward Spalding, Nov. 25, 1761. Age, 88 yrs. 
Mrs. Joanna Stevens, wife of Mr. Simeon Stevens, Nov. 9, 1762. Age, 23 

yrs., 10 mos., 12 d. 
Mrs. Abigail Spaulding, wife of Deacon Andrew Spaulding, May 12, 1768. 

Age, 86 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 749 

Mr. Robert Spaulding, son of Mr. David Spaulding and Mrs. Phebe, his wife, 

Jan. 26, 1771. Age, 21 yrs. 
Mr. Stephen Scales, Nov. 5, 1772. Age, 31 yrs. 
Mr. Noah Shed, son of Mr. Zachariah Shed and Mrs. Hannah, his wife, Sept. 

10, 1772. Age, 24 yrs., 2 mos., 10 d. 
Miss Lydia Shed, dau. of Mr. Zechariah Shed and Mrs. Hannah, his wife, 

Dec. 28, 1775. Age, 24 yrs. 
Miss Sarah Snow, twin with her sister. Thankful, dau. of Mr. Joshua Snow 

and Mrs. Lois, his wife, Jan. 20, 1776. Age, 12 yrs., 15 d. 
Henery Spaulding, son of Mr. Zabulon Spaulding and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, 

April 26, 1776. Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos., 16 d. 
Olive Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Zebulon Spaulding and Mrs. Lydia Spaulding, 

his wife, Aug. 31, 1778. Age, 2 yrs., 7 mos., 25 d. 
Thankful Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Henry Spaulding and Mrs. Mary Spaulding* 

his wife, Sept. 3, 1778. Age, 16 yrs., 9 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Scripture, April 15, 1781. Age, 98 yrs., 3 mos., 26 d. 
Mr. Joshua Snow, March 17, 1783. Age, 44 yrs., 8 mos., 5 d. 
Col. Simeon Spaulding, April 7, 1785. Age, 72 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Shed, Aug. 3, 1785. Age, 28 yrs., 3 mos., 27 d. 
Mr. Zachariah Shed, Feb. 2, 1786. Age, 63 yrs. 
Mrs. Ruth Stevens, wife of Ensign Samuel Stevens, Oct. 15, 1787. Age, 72 

yrs., 3 mos., 26 d. 
Isaiah Spaulding, Nov. 27, 1787. Age, 77 yrs. less 2 d. 
Mrs. Esther Spaulding, relict of Mr. Josiah Spaulding, Jan. 21, 1790. Age, 

76 yrs. 

Lieut. John Spaulding, May 4, 1791. Age, 87 yrs. 

Mrs. Nabby Spaulding, consort of Mr. Jeose Spaulding, Aug. 4, 1791. Age, 

23 yrs. 
Deacon Ephriam Spaulding, Dec. 20, 1791. Age, 84 yrs. 
Cornet Henry Spaulding, April 29, 1792. Age, 88 yrs. 
Ensign Samuel Stevens, Dec. 21, 1792. Age, 84 yrs., 8 mos., 10 d. 
Mr. David Spaulding, Nov. 9, 1793. Age, 77 yrs. 
Mrs. Phebe Spaulding, wife of Mr. David Spaulding, Dec. 20, 1795. Age, 

77 yrs. 

Parker Snow, son of Lieut. Jonathan Snow and Mrs. Sarah, his wife, Jan. 28, 

1796. Age, 3 yrs., 2 mos., 21 d. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Spaulding, wife of Mr. Jesse Spaulding, April 30, 1796. 

Age, 29 yrs. 
Mrs. Lydia Spaulding, wife of Deacon Ephriam Spaulding, Aug. 29, 1796. 

Age, 84 yrs. 
Mrs. Rachel Spaulding, relict of Lieut. John Spaulding, April 10, 1797. Age, 

72 yrs. 
David Spaulding, son of Mr. Andrew Spaulding and Mrs. Ruth, his wife, 

Feb. 23, 1798. Age, 2 yrs., 1 mo., 9 d. 
Mr. Peter Spaulding, March 16, 1801. Age, 67 yrs. 
Clarissa Spalding, dau. of Mr. Simeon and Mrs. Olive Spalding, July 14, 1801. 

Age, 8 yrs. 
Miss Lucy Stevens, dau. of Mr. Jonothan and Mrs. Thankful Stevens, Dec. 

18, 1802. Age, 21 yrs. 
Sewell Spaulding, son of Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Elizabeth Spaulding, June 29, 

1804. Age, 4 mos. 
Mrs. Abigail, wife of Mr. Joseph Spalding, Aug. 10, 1805. Age, 45 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary Spaulding, wife of Mr. Henry Spaulding, April 29, 1807. Age, 

91 yrs. 
Mr. Jesse Spaulding, May 15, 1808. Age, 45 yrs. 
Betsey Ann Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Henry Spaulding and Mrs. Jemima, his 

wife, April 2, 1809. Age, 3 mos. 
Mr. Jonathan Spaulding, Dec. 16, 1809. Age, 75 yrs. 
Mrs. Elizabeth Spalding, wife of Mr. Jesse Spalding, Sept. 19, 1812. Age, 

41 yrs. 
Jesse Smith. [See Mansur tomb.] 
Family tomb of Azariah and Noah Spaulding, built A. D. 1813. No. 6. 



750 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mrs. Abigail, wife of Mr. Joseph Spaulding, Aug. 10, 1805. Age, 45 yrs. 

Family tomb of Ephriam P. Spaulding. 

Samuel Stevens. [See Pitts.] 

Sherebiah Spaulding. [See Parkhurst, 1815.] 

Family tomb of Capt. Jonathan Perham and Henry Spaulding. No. 8. 

Built A. D. 1813. 
Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Perham, Dec. 24, 1820. Age, 83 yrs. 
Jonathan, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Perham, July 28, 1827. Age, 52 yrs, 
Mary, his wife, April 16, 1836. Age, 61 yrs. 

Otis Perham, M. D., son of Jonathan and Mary, Nov. 22, 1863. Age, 50 yrs. 
Elizabeth, dau. of Jonathan and Mary Perham, Sept. 2, 1807. Age, 1 yr. 

6 mos. 
Family tomb of Joseph and I. Putnam and Varnum Spaulding. 
John J. Stickelmire, native of Germany, and late foreman of the Chelmsford 

Glass Manufactory, March 31, 1814. Age, 48 yrs. 
Miss Elizabeth Spaulding, dau. of Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Elizabeth Spaulding, 

April 10, 1815. Age, 19 yrs. 
Ebenezer Shedd, Feb. 21, 1815. Age, 34 yrs. 
Lucy Parker, his wife, Oct. 12, 1873. Age, 92 yrs., 10 mos. 
Mr. Edward Stevens, March 13, 1816. Age, 42 yrs. 
Mr. Joseph Spalding, July 31, 1820. Age, 64 yrs. 
Mr. Asaph Spaulding, Aug. 13, 1827. Age, 23 yrs. 
Mr. Nathaniel Spaulding, son of Mr. Job and Mrs. Sarah Spaulding, Feb. 12, 

1829. Age, 38 yrs. 
Capt. Ebenezer Shed, born June 1, 1753, died March 1, 1829. Age, 75 yrs. 

9 mos. 
Lucy, his wife, born Oct. 20, 1762, died Feb. 2, 1849. Age, 86 yrs., 3 mos. 
Two children of Mr. John and Mrs. Mary Shed— Mary E. Shed, Aug. 3, 1818. 

Age, 10 yrs. Samuel Shed, May 2, 1829. Age, 19 yrs. 
Mrs. Mary, wife of Mr. John Shed, Sept. 3, 1830. Age, 48 yrs. 
Miss Sarah Spaulding, Oct. 5, 1830. Age, 69 yrs. 
Mr. John Spaulding, 2nd, Oct. 27, 1830. Age, 44 yrs. 
Charles H., son of Charles H. and Hannah J. Sanger, Oct. 13, 1836. Age, 

3 yrs., 6 mos. 
Ebenezer Spolding, Jr., Nov. 17, 1832. Age, 26 yrs. 
Mr. Jonas Spaulding, April 30, 1833. Age, 74 yrs. 
The family tomb of Simeon Spalding, Haskell Spalding and Weld Spalding, 

built, 1835. 
Job Spaulding, born March, 1762, died Nov. 15, 1835. A Revolutionary 

pensioner honorably discharged from the first three years' service of 

his country. May, 1780, at the early age of 18 yrs., 2 mos. 
Mr. Edward Smith, May 6, 1836. Age, 25 yrs. (Late of Charlestown.) 
Abraham A. Spaulding, Sept. 8, 1836. Age, 43 yrs. 
Polly H., his wife, April 24, 1857. Age, 59 yrs. 
Hannah Elizabeth, their dau., Feb. 15, 1851. Age, 24 yrs., 10 mos., 
John A. son of John and Caroline Semple, Feb. 23, 1836. Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos, 
Hannah, wife of Benjamin Stevens, Dec. 24, 1837. Age, 61 yrs. 
Sarah Spalding, Nov. 5, 1838. Age, 3 yrs., 3 mos. 
Isaac W. Spalding, Feb. 1, 1839. Age, 17 mos. 
Ebenezer Spalding, April 14, 1845. Age, 75 yrs. 
Amos Shed, Aug. 7, 1842. Age, 39 yrs. 
Mary Spaulding, his wife, Aug. 3, 1900. Age, 97 yrs. 
Children of Amos and Mary S. Shed— Mary S., Aug. 28, 1838. Age, 3 mos. 

Mary B., Sept. 14, 1859. Age, 16 yrs., 11 mos. Baby, born Oct. 8, 1842. 
Mary S., wife of Alfred Shepard, June 7, 1845. Age, 21 yrs. 
Juliet C, dau. of Nathaniel and Hannah Sweetser, Jan. 3, 1847. Age, 9 yrs., 

6 mos. 
Rebecca Stevens, Nov. 22, 1848. Age, 68 yrs. 
Eunice, wife of Ebenezer Spalding, May 7, 1849. Age, 80 yrs. 
Joseph Shed, born Sept. 22, 1807, died Feb. 11, 1851. Age, 43 yrs., 4 mos. 
Sally Stevens, May 16, 1853. Age, 76 yrs. 
John W. Stearns, Aug. 29, 1861. Age, 39 yrs. 



BURYING GROUNDS 751 

Eliza Spalding, Jan. 28, 1866. Age, 26 yrs., 5 mos. 

Mary B., wife of John E. Stevens, July 3, 1868. Age, 55 yrs., 6 mos., 21 d. 

Jabez Stevens, April 29, 1874. Age, 68 yrs. 

Surviah M., wife of Jabez Stevens, March 4, 1882. Age, 76 yrs. 

Julia A. P. Spalding, wife of E. E. Spalding, March 14, 1873. Age, 38 yrs. 

Albert Strout, Oct. 30, 1874. Age, 48 yrs., 6 mos. 

Lydia, wife of John Spaulding, March 23, 1876. Age, 89 yrs. 

Mary A., wife of Rev. Harrison W. Strong, Aug. 21, 1876. Age, 52 yrs. 

E. Adams, June 30, 1870, age, 18 yrs., 3 mos., child of Chas. and Mary Sweetser. 

Charles D., son of Charles and Mary Sweetser, Dec. 6, 1870. Age, 26 yrs. 

Charles Marshall, May 9, 1871. Age, 61 yrs. 

Eliza T., wife of Albert Strout, April 5, 1877. Age, 47 yrs., 6 mos., 20 d. 

Asa Spalding, July 19, 1881. Age, 37 yrs., 11 mos. 

S. Fred, son of Chas. and Mary Sweetser, Dec. 9, 1885. Age, 31 yrs., 8 mos. 

Dorcas Smith, born July 26, 1804, died March 17, 1886. 

Mary A., wife of Jonathan Spalding, Feb. 20, 1887. Age, 75 yrs., 11 mos., 8 d. 

Alvina E., wife of Geo. B. Smith, Jan. 21, 1890. Age, 30 yrs. 10 mos., 17 d. 

Dea. John E. Stevens, April 3, 1890. Age, 67 yrs., 9 mos., 10 d. 

Lydia A., dau. of Jonathan and Mary A. Spalding, Sept. 24, 1890. Age, 55 

yrs., 9 mos. 
Joseph Warren Smith, born Jan. 11, 1821, died Aug. 21, 1886. 
Mary S. Bent, his wife, born June 14, 1823, died July 1, 1889. 
Children of J. W. and M. S. Smith— Charles Bent, born Oct. 18, 1860, died 

Dec. 1, 1862. Fanny Warren, born Aug. 31, 1863, died May 4, 1864. 
Mary A. Easty, wife of Jacob Spalding, Aug. 9 1890. Age, 86 yrs. 
Jonathan Spalding, April 28, 1892. Age, 85 yrs., 7 mos., 8 d. 
Lucinda J. Stearns, March 13, 1895. Age, 73 yrs. 
John S. Shed, March 22, 1897. Age, 80 yrs. 
Jerusha J., his wife, Nov. 23, 1900. Age, 73 yrs. 
Mary Adams, wife of Chas. Sweetser, Aug. 11 1897. Age 73 yrs. 
Jacob Spalding, Dec. 11, 1899. Age, 90 yrs. 
Charles Sweetser, March 4, 1901. Age, 81 yrs. 
Wm. J. Stevens, Jan. 24, 1840, July 10, 1903. 

Adeline P., wife of Elbridge P. Spaulding, Feb. 19, 1899. Age, 84 yrs. 
Elbridge P. Spaulding, July 29, 1876. Age, 62 yrs., 3 mos. 
Elbridge A., son of Elbridge P. and Adeline P. Spaulding, Sept. 2, 1842. 

Age, 11 mos. 
Elbridge G. Smith, born June 3, 1833, died Jan. 28, 1903. 
Sarah A., his wife, born Feb. 27, 1835, died March 10, 1897. 
Infant dau. of Edwin E. and Carrie A. Smith, April 9, 1898. 
Nathan Crosby Saunders, Feb. 7, 1839, Jan. 26, 1904. 
Lydia A. (Craig) Saunders, Oct. 16, 1847, Dec. 19, 1885. 
Ray Saunders, Nov. 21, 1887, Nov. 24, 1887. 
Paul Saunders, Feb. 25, 1892, Feb. 27, 1892. 
Lillian Eliza Santamour, Jan. 18, 1909. Age, 3J d. 
Frank Santamour, July 16, 1902. Age, 3 d. 
Paul Smith, Aug. 22, 1910. Age, 64 yrs., 5 mos. 
Julia A. Spaulding, Oct. 5, 1902. Age, 76 yrs., 10 mos., 14 d. 
Alice Ward Spaulding, Aug. 23, 1895. Age, 30 yrs., 11 mos., 23 d. 
Willard D. Stone, Jan. 22, 1899. Age, 46 yrs., 19 d. 
Harrison Howard Stone, Nov. 12, 1905. Age, 16 yrs., 10 mos., 18 d. 
Mary Spalding Shed, Aug. 3, 1900. Age, 96 yrs., 10 mos. 
Louise Goucher Saunders, Feb. 4, 1911. Age, 57 yrs., 1 mo. 
Ruth Irene Saunders, June 9, 1906. Age, 16 yrs., 10 mos., 2 d. 
Edward Everett Spalding, June 10, 1907. Age, 76 yrs., 6 mos. 

T 

Mrs. Lucia Tyng, wife to Capt. William Tyng, April 25, 1708. Age, 28 yrs., 

4 mos. 
Mary E., dau. of Maj. Luke and Mrs. Betsy Thompson, Oct. 4, 1821, Age, 

2 yrs., 3 mos. 



762 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mr. James Twiss, Oct. 8, 1826. Age, 53 yrs. 

Miss Nancy, dau. of Mr. Hezekiah and Mrs. Abigail Thorndike, May 27, 

1828. Age, 40 yrs. 
Hezekiah Thorndike, May 3, 1842. Age, 87 yrs. 
Abigail Chamberlin, relict of Hezekiah Thorndike, Aug. 30, 1843. Age, 82 

yrs. 
Almira M., wife of George Teel, Feb. 24, 1879. Age, 28 yrs., 5 mos. 

U 
Clement Upham, July 26, 1886. Age, 70 yrs., 6 mos. 
Elmira W., wife of Clement Upham, 1820-1898. 
Geo. H., son of Clement and Elmira W. Upham, April 16, 1861. Age, 7 yrs., 

9 mos., 11 d. 

V 
Louisa Clark Van Scoy, Jan. 11, 1899. Age, 70 yrs., 5 mos., 2 d. 

w 

Deacon Cornelius Waldo, Jan. 3, 1700. Age, 75 yrs. 

Mrs. Joanna Warren, wife of Mr. Joseph Warren, March 3, 1763, born March 

10, 1726. Age, 37 yrs., 7 d. 
Mr. Joseph Warren, Sept. 28, 1760. Age, 71 yrs. 
Miss Sarah Walker, dau. of Mr. Robert Walker and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife, 

Sept. 24, 1775. Age, 20 yrs. 
Isaac Warren, son of Mr. Isaac Warren and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, Sept. 25, 

1775. Age, 1 yr., 5 mos., 16 d. 
Anna Warren, dau. of Mr. Isaac Warren and Mrs. Lydia, his wife, Feb. 16, 

1786. Age, 3 yrs., 9 mos. 
Capt. Joseph Warren, March 17, 1792. Age, 67 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah, wife of Capt. Joseph Warren, Oct. 7, 1815. Age, 89 yrs. 
Mrs. Rebecca Wilder, relict of Coll. Oliver Wilder, late of Lancaster, Oct. IS, 

1796. Age, 92 yrs. 
Lieut. Joseph Warren, July 1, 1807. Age, 46 yrs. 
Mrs. Sarah, wife of Capt. Joseph Warren, Oct. 7, 1815. Age, 89 yrs. 
Jeremiah Warren, Sept. 10, 1810. Age, 46 yrs, 
Rachel, his wife, Dec. 7, 1836. Age, 72 yrs. 
Sybil, their dau., Jan. 31, 1816. Age, 19 yrs. 
Sally Ann, wife of John H. Young, March 16, 1821. Age, 34 yrs. Also their 

son, Samuel E. C, Feb. 27, 1819. Age, 1 yr., 10 mos. 
Mrs Nabby [Abigail], wife of Capt. Zacheus Wright, Feb. 11, 1827. Age, 

52 yrs. 
Mr. Gideon Whittemore, June 27, 1834. Age, 58 yrs. 
Zaccheus Wright, Dec. 8, 1846. Age, 76 yrs. 
Harriet L., wife of Enoch Watson, Aug. 22, 1846. Age, 28 yrs. 
Wm. P., their son, Aug. 1, 1846. Age, 9 mos. 
Jonathan B. Wheeler, Sept. 16, 1849. Age, 34 yrs. 
Rhoda, his wife, April 9, 1876. Age, 60 yrs. 
Children of James and Elisabeth Wentworth — Lydia E., Aug. 23, 1847. 

Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos. Frederick M., Sept. 26, 1847. Age, 9 mos. 
Louise P., wife of William S. Wright, June 2, 1854. Age, 28 yrs. 
Moses P. Worthen, Nov. 28, 1859. Age, 48 yrs. 
Charles Everett, son of Edwin H. and Julia E. Warren, Aug. 29, 1865. Age, 

4 yrs., 6 mos., 23 d. 
Daniel Emerson, son of Edwin H. and Julia E. Warren, Sept. 27, 1865. Age, 

1 yr., 6 mos., 29 d. 
George Manning, son of Edwin H. and Julia E. Warren, Feb. 1, 1869. Age, 

16 yrs., 4 mos., 27 d. 
[See also Mansur tomb.] 
Mertie, son of Asa H. and Sarah Webber, Nov. 1, 1865. Age, 2 yrs., 3 mos., 

10 d. 



BURYING GROUNDS 763 

Louisa A. Webster, Jan. 2, 1866. Age, 42 yrs. 

Susan, wife of George S. Wood, April 11, 1875. Age, 52 yrs., 8 mos. 

Joel B. Wright, Jan. 14, 1867. Age, 66 yrs., 5 mos. 

Sarah, wife of Joel B. Wright, Aug. 12, 1854. Age, 62 yrs. 

Eli F. Webster, Dec. 13, 1870. Age, 77 yrs. 

Roxanna D., his wife, Feb. 25, 1873. Age, 69 yrs. 

Angie M., dau. of Eli F. and Roxanna Webster, Aug. 17, 1860. Age, 24 yrs., 

9 mos. 
H. Georgia, dau. of Eli F. and Roxanna Webster, Feb. 25, 1841, March 25, 

1887. 
Bernice C, dau. of F. J. and C. M. Whittemore, June 6, 1889, June 28, 1891. 
Moses C. Wilson, born Dec. 1, 1833, died Jan. 23, 1893. 
Edwin H. Warren, Feb. 14, 1898. Age, 73 yrs., 10 mos., 7 d. 
Heman Woodward, Jan. 9, 1899. Age, 75 yrs. 
Ruth, his wife, July 8, 1853. Age, 33 yrs. 

Calvin T. Wright, died June 9, 1899. Age, 80 yrs., 1 mo., 23 d. 
Marthah, his wife, died March 29, 1891. Age, 69 yrs., 7 mos., 19 d. 

Warren and Carlton tomb — 

WEST SIDE. 

Amos Carlton, died Nov. 28, 1864. Age, 66 yrs. 

Betsey Sumner, wife of Amos Carlton, Aug. 21, 1865. Age, 69 yrs. 

George Carlton, Aug. 3, 1843. Age, 31 yrs. 

SOUTH SIDE. 

Joseph Warren, Feb. 9, 1858. Age, 88 yrs. 

Mary Spalding, wife of Joseph Warren, Oct. 25, 1841. Age, 69 yrs. 

Joseph Warren, Jr., June 9, 1888. Age, 87 yrs., 9 mos. 

Martha Carlton, wife of Joseph Warren, Jr., Jan. 6, 1879. Age, 78 yrs. 

Miriam Warren, Oct. 7, 1889. Age, 87 yrs. 

NORTH SIDE. 

Ephriam Warren, Oct. 13, 1837. Age, 44 yrs. 

Esther Carlton, wife of Ephriam Warren, Oct. 28, 1862. Age, 66 yrs. 

Martha C. Warren, dau. of Ephriam and Esther C. Warren, Oct. 14, 1854. 

Age, 16 yrs., 6 mos., 17 d. 
Rachel Warren, Nov. 14, 1839. Age, 44 yrs. 

Amos C. Warren, born Aug. 10, 1834, died Jan. 7, 1887. 

Etta A., wife of Amos C. Warren, born Nov. 13, 1842, died Aug. 9, 1875. Age, 

32 yrs. 
Elizabeth Washer, Oct. 15, 1841. Age, 67 yrs. Also infant children, Isaac 

and Mary A. Grooker. 
James F. Whitney, June 23, 1843. Age, 31 yrs. 
Blanche S. Willoughby, May 15, 1911. Age, 32 yrs., 11 mos., 4 d. 
Eliza A. Wright, May 12, 1906. Age, 75 yrs., 6 mos., 15 d. 
Julia Elizabeth Warren, March 3, 1913. Age, 82 yrs., 11 mos., 3 d. 
Clarence Flanders Wright, Feb. 17, 1901. Age, 13 yrs., 1 mo., 27 d. 
Nathan Carlton Warren, May 20, 1863— Jan 17, 1907. 
Willie Clifford Ward, Dec. 2, 1914. Age 43 yrs, 1 mo., 20 d. 



CHAPTER XVIIL 

CIVIL LIST. 

IN this list are given the names of the selectmen for all the years 
in which they are found recorded in the Chelmsford records; 
the names also of the treasurers and clerks; and of the repre- 
sentatives at the General Court; and, as far as possible, the 
names of the moderators of the Annual Town Meetings. In most 
instances, the titles are retained as of interest, or for identification 
when the first name is not given. The varied spelling has also 
been retained for the most part. 

1654. Trustees: Esdras Read, Edward Spaulding, William Fletcher, Isaac 
Lerned, Simon Thompson, William Underwood, Thomas Adams. 

1656. Trustees to order the affairs of the Town: Samuel Foster, Thomas 
Adams, James Blood, Edward Spaulding, William Fletcher, Richard 
Hildreth, Benjamin Butterfield, James Parker, Simon Tomson. 

1658. Selectmen: Thomas Adams, James Blood, James Parker, William 
Fletcher, Samuel Foster; Clerk: Jacob Parker, Clerk of the Writs, and 
Clerk for the Town. 

1660. Selectmen: Thomas Adams, Samuel Foster, Benjamin Butterfield, 
Edward Spaulding, William Fletcher; Clerk: Jacob Parker. 

1661. Selectmen: Thomas Adams, Benjamin Butterfield, William Fletcher, 
Edward Spaulding, Samuel Foster. 

1662. Selectmen: Thomas Adams, William Fletcher, Thomas Hinchman, 
Samuel Foster, Jacob Parker; Clerk: Jacob Parker. 

1663. Selectmen: John Webb, Samuel Adams, Thomas Hinchman, William 
Fletcher, Jacob Parker; Clerk: Jacob Parker; Representative: Ensigne 
John Webb. 

1664. Selectmen: Samuel Adams, Thomas Hinchman, William Fletcher, 
Thomas Adams, Jacob Parker; Representative: Ensigne Jno. Euered. 

1665. Selectmen: William Fletcher, Samuel Adams, Thomas Adams, Thomas 
Hinchman, Jacob Parker; Representative: Capt. Jno. Euered. 

1666. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Ens. Hinchman, William Fletcher, Thomas 
Adams, Jacob Parker; Clerk: Jacob Parker; Representative: Mr. Tho. 
Hincksman. 

1667. Selectmen: Capt. Samuel Adams, Thomas Adams, Thomas Hinchman, 
William Underwood, John Barrett; Representatives: Mr. Peter Tilton, 
Mr. Tho. Hincksman. 

1668. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Ensign Hinchman, Thomas Adams, William 
Fletcher, Jacob Parker; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1669. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Thomas Adams, Cornet Hinchman, John 
Barrett, William Underwood; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1670. Selectmen: Samuel Adams, Thomas Adams, Thomas Hinchman, 
John Barrett, William Underwood; Clerk; Saml. Adams. 

1671. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Thomas Adams, Cornet Hinchman, Will 
Underwood, John Barit; Clerk: Saml. Adams; Representative: Mr. 
Tho. Hincksman. 

1672. Selectmen: Saml. Adams, Mr. Thom Hinchman, Thom Adams, 
William Underwood, John Barrett; Clerk, Saml. Adams. 



CIVIL LIST 755 

1673. Selectmen: Samuel Adams, Left. Thomas Hinchman, En. William 
Fletcher, Samuel Foster, succeeded by Ser. Josiah Richardson, Will 
Underwood; Clerk: Saml. Adams; Representative; Mr. Tho. Addams. 

1674. Selectmen: Samuell Adames, Thorn. Adames, William Underwood, 
John Burge, Sen.; Thorn. Chamberlin, Sen.; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1675. Selectmen: Samuell Adames, Thomas Adames, William Underwood, 
John Burge, Sen., Thom. Chamberlin, Sen.; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1676. Selectmen: Samuell Adams, Thomas Adames, William Underwood, 
William Fletcher, Cornelius Waldow; Clerk: Saml. Adams; Represent- 
ative; Left. Tho. Hinchman. 

1677. Selectmen: Samll. Adams, Sen., Thom. Adams, Will Underwood, 
John Fiske, Josiah Richardson; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1678. Selectmen: Capt. Saml. Adams, Thos. Hinchman, Will Underwood, 
Josiah Richardson, Leftenant Foster; Clerk: Sam Adams. 

1679. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Capt. Hinchman, Will Underwood, Josiah 
Richardson, John Fiske; Clerk: Sam Adams; Representative: Mr. Sam 
Foster. 

1680. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Capt. Hinchman, Will Underwood, Josiah 
Richardson, Mr. John Fiske; Clerk: Sam Adams. 

1681. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Capt. Hinchman, Will Underwood, Josiah 
Richardson, Mr. John Fiske. 

1682. Selectmen: Capt. Saml. Adams, Capt. Thos. Hinchman, Mr. Will 
Underwood, Ser. Josiah Richardson, Mr. John Fiske; Clerk: Sam Adams. 

1683. Selectmen: Josiah Richardson, Solomon Keyes, Joseph Farwell, John 
Wright, Jacob Warren; Clerk: Sam. Adams; Representative: Capt. 
Thomas Hinchman. 

1684. Selectmen: Capt. Adams, Ser. Richardson, Solomon Keyes, Joseph 
Farwell, Mr. John Fiske; Clerk: Sam Adams. 

1685. Selectmen: Saml. Adams, Thos. Hinchman, John Fiske, Josiah 
Richardson, Joseph Farwell; Committee to give the Selectmen instruc- 
tions according to Law: Maj. Thos. Hinchman, Decon Foster, Solomon 
Keyes, Sr., Ensign Edw. Spalding; Clerk: Saml. Adams. 

1686. Selectmen: Capt. Saml. Adams, Maj. Thomas Hinchman, Ser. 
Josiah Richardson, Ens. John Fiske, Joseph Farwell; Clerk: Saml. 
Adams. 

1687. Selectmen: Sam Adams, Josiah Richardson, En. Joseph Farwell, 
Edw. Spalding, Moses Barron; Clerk, Saml. Adams. 

1688. Selectmen: Sam Adams, Josiah Richardson, En. Joseph Farwell, 
Edw. Spalding, Moses Barron, Elz. Brown; Clerk: Jacob Parker; 
Representative: Capt. Josiah Richardson. 

1689. Selectmen: Josiah Richardson, Sen., Joseph Farwell, Eleazer Brown, 
John Spalding, Deacon Foster; Clerk: Josiah Richardson; Representa- 
tive: Josiah Richardson. 

1690. Selectmen; Left. James Hildreth, John Barite, Senor, Solomon Keyes, 
Senor, Left. Bowers, Nathaniel Hill; Clerk: Solomon Keyes; Repre- 
sentative: Edward Spalding. 

1691. Selectmen: John Barrett, James Hildreth, Left. Bowers, Joshua 
Fletcher, Abraham Parker; Clerk: Josiah Richardson; Representative: 
Edw. .Spalden. 

1692. Selectmen: Left. John Barrett, Left. James Hiidreth, Left. Bowers, 
Abraham Parker, Joshaway Fletcher; Clerk: Josiah Richardson. 

1693. Moderator: Edward Spaulding; Selectmen: Josiah Richardson, Sen., 
Ensign Farwell, Left. James Hildreth, Thos. Parker, Steven Perse; To 
instruct the selectmen: Edw. Spalding, Deacon Foster, Solomon Keyes; 
Clerk: Josiah Richardson; Representatives: Cornelius Waldo, Henry 
Woodis. 

1694. Moderator: Thomas Hinchman; Selectmen: Joseph Richardson, 
Joseph Farwell, James Hildreth, Nat Hill, Samuel Fletcher; Clerk: 
Josiah Richardson, Senior; Representative: Capt. Timothy Clarke, 
of Boston, rejected by Governor for non-residence; Cornelius Waldo. 



756 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

1695. Moderator: Thos. Hinchman; Selectmen: Josiah Richardson, Joseph 
Farwell, Eleazer Browne, Ephraim Hildreth, Quart. Nat. Hill; To instruct 
the selectmen: Deacon Foster, Ens. Spaulding, Solomon Keyes; Treas- 
urer: Sgt. Thos. Parker; Clerk: Eleazer Browne; Representative: Major 
Thos. Hinchman. 

1696. Moderator: Thos. Hinchman; Selectmen: Ensign Farwell, Quart. 
Hill; Sargt. Thos. Parker; Sargt. Will Fletcher, Ephr. Hildreth; To 
instruct the selectmen: Thos. Hinchman, Left. Bowers, Sol. Keyes; 
Clerk: Thos. Parker; Representative: Nathaniel Hill. 

1697. Selectmen: Thos. Parker, Cornet Hill, Ephraim Hildreth, Stephen 
Perce, Joseph Farwell; Tresaurer: Cornet Hill; Clerk: Thos. Parker; 
Representative: Capt. Jerahmeel Bowers. 

1698. Moderator: Thomas Hinchman; Selectmen: Maj. Hinchman, Sol. 
Keyes, Sen., Deacon Waldo, Eph. Hildreth, Stephen Perce; Treasurer: 
Cornet Hill; Clerk: Sol Keyes, Sen.; Representative: Capt. Jerahmeel 
Bowers. 

1699. Moderator: Majr. Hinchman; Selectmen: Maj. Hinchman, Cor. Perce, 
Cor. Hill, Eph. Hildreth, Samuel Fletcher; Treasurer: Cor. Hill; Clerk: 
Samuel Fletcher; Representative: Nathaniel Hill. 

1700. Moderator: Thomas Hinchman; Selectmen: Major Hinchman, Cornet 
Hill, Stephen Pierce, Saml. Fletcher, Jr., Eleazer Brown; Treasurer: Cor. 
Hill; Clerk: Saml. Fletcher, Jr.; Representative: Joseph Hildreth. 

1701. Selectmen: Eleazer Brown, Nathaniel Hill, William Fletcher, Ephraim 
Hildreth, Saml. Fletcher, Jr.; Treasurer: Nat Hill; Clerk: Saml. 
Fletcher, Jr.; Representative: Edward Spaulding. 

1702. Moderator: Lt. Barret; Selectmen: Deacon Brown, Nath. Hill, 
Andreu Spaulding, Jonathan Barrett, Saml. Fletcher; Treasurer: Nat 
Hill; Clerk: Dec. Eleazer Brown; Representative: Mr. Nathaniel Hill. 

1703. Moderator: Mr. Hill; Selectmen: Sam Fletcher, Jr., Cor. Stephen 
Peirce, Ephraim Hildreth, Jonathan Barret, Cornet Hill; Treasurer: 
Cornet Hill; Clerk: Saml. Fletcher, Mch. 9, 1704, Apr. 8, 1704, June; 
Representative: Nathaniel Hill. 

1704. Clerk: Moses Barron; Representatives: Nat Hill, Capt. Bowers. 

1705. Moderator: Capt. Bowers; Selectmen: Cornet Hill, Moses Barron, 
Jonathan Barrett, Jonathan Richardson, Stephen Pierce; Treasurer: 
Leftenant Fletcher; Clerk; Mch. 6, Moses Barron, May; Representa- 
tive, Jerahmeel Bowers. 

1706. Moderator: Capt. Bowers; Selectmen: Stephen Pierce, Sen., John 
Richardson, Moses Barron, Ephraim Hildreth, Corp. Joshua Fletcher; 
Treasurer: Leftenant Fletcher; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: 
Capt. Jerahmeel Bowers. 

1707. Selectmen: Moses Barron, Jonathan Barret, Joseph Keyes, Josiah 
Richardson, Joseph Adams; Treasurer: Lt. Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: 
Moses Barron; Representative: Capt. Wm. Tyng. 

1708. Moderator: Corp. Stephen Pierce; Selectmen: Joseph Adams, Stephen 
Perce, Moses Barron; Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher, Jr., the 3d; Clerk: 
Moses Barron; Representative: Capt. William Tyng. 

1709. Moderator: Capt. Tyng; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Lieut. Adams, 
William Fletcher; Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Moses Barron; 
Representative: Mr. Stephen Pierce. 

1710. Moderator: Stephen Peirce; Selectmen: Moses Barron, William 
Fletcher; Ephraim Hildreth; Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Moses 
Barron; Representative: Mr. Stephen Pierce. 

1711. Moderator: Stephen Pierce; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Lt. Adams, 
Cor. Wm. Fletcher, Jonathan Richardson, Ephraim Hildreth; Treasurer: 
Lt. Fletcher; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: Capt. Joseph Adams. 

1712. Moderator: Moses Barron; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Stephen 
Peirce, Sen, Capt. Adams, Leut. Richardson, Ensign Snow; Treasurer: 
Cornet Hill; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: Mr. Stephen Pierce. 

1713. Moderator: Moses Barron; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Lieut. Richard- 
son, Sgt. Wm. Fletcher; Treasurer: Edward Foster, Sen.; Clerk: Moses 
Barron; Representative: Mr. Stephen Pierce. 



CIVIL LIST 767 

1714. Moderator: Moses Barron; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Lt. Will 
Fletcher, Joshua Fletcher, John Wright, John Robins; Treasurer: 
Edward Foster, Sen.; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: Mr. 
Stephen Pierce. 

1715. Moderator: Stephen Pierce, Senr. ; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Stephen 
Pierce, Senr., Sgt. Wm. Fletcher; Treasurer: Lt. Richardson; Clerk: 
Moses Barron; Representative: 1714-1715, Mr. Stephen Pierce. 

1716. Moderator: Stephen Pierce, Senr.; Selectmen: John GoflFe, Capt. 
Adams, Stephen Pierce, Jr., Sgt. Wm. Fletcher, Moses Barron; Treasurer: 
Jonathan Richardson; Clerk: John Goffe; Representative: Mr. Stephen 
Pierce. 

1717. Moderator: Capt. Barron; Selectmen: Capt. Barron, John Goffe, 
Capt. Adams, Ens. John Snow, Lt. Jonathan Bowers; Treasurer: Wm. 
Fletcher; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: Mr. Stephen Pierce. 

1718. Moderator: Moses Barron; Selectmen: Moses Barron, Stephen 
Pierce, Sen., John Goffe, Lt. Jonathan Richardson, Ens. Benj. Adams; 
Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Moses Barron; Representative: Mr. 
Moses Barron. 

1719. Moderator: Stephen Pierce, Jun.; Selectmen: Stephen Pierce, Moses 
Barron, Lt. Benj. Adams, Lt. Richardson, Sgt. Wm. Fletcher, Eph. 
Hildreth; Treasurers: Moses Barron, Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. 
Adams; Representative: Mr. Moses Baron. 

1720. Moderator: Stephen Pierce; Selectmen: Stephen Pierce, Sen., Lt. 
Benj. Adams, Ens. Wm. Fletcher, Capt. Jonathan Richardson, Capt. 
Jonathan Bowers; Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. Adams; 
Representative: Mr. Stephen Peirce. 

1721. Moderator: Stephen Pierce; Selectmen: Lt. Benj. Adams, Edw. 
Spaulding, John Richardson, Wm. Fletcher, Ephr. Hildreth; Treasurer: 
Jonathan Richardson; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Stephen 
Pierce. 

1722. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Edw. Spaulding, 
John Richardson, John Comings, Ephr. Hildreth; Treasurer: Josiah 
Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. Joseph Underwood. 

1723. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Jonathan Rich- 
ardson, John Robbins, Wm. Fletcher, Joshua Fletcher; Treasurer: Josiah 
Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representatives: Joseph Underwood, 
Mr. Stephen Peirce. 

1724. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, John Richardson, 
Stephen Pierce, Jr., Saml. Chamberlin, Jonas Clark; Treasurer: Josiah 
Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. Stephen Peirce. 

1725. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Sam. Chamberlin, 
John Richardson, Joshua Fletcher, Deacon John Comings; Treasurer: 
Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. Stephen 
Peirce. Rejected by Gen. Court for non-residence. [See page 522.] 

1726. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Lt. Benj. Adams, Ens. Sam 
Chamberlin, John Richardson— to manage affairs in East Precint; Sgt. 
Joshua Fletcher, Ens. Joseph Keyes; Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: 
Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1727. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Lt. Benj. Adams, Lt. Wm. 
Fletcher, Capt. Jonas Clark, Sgt. Joshua Fletcher, Dea. John Comings; 
Treasurer: Saml. Barron; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. 
Benjamin Adams. 

1728. Moderator: Wm. Fletcher; Selectmen: Lt. Benj. Adams, Edw. 
Foster, Sgt. Sphhen Peirce, Dea. Joshua Fletcher, Saml. Chamberlin, Jr.; 
Treasurer: Wm. Fletcher; Clerk: Edw. Foster; Representative: Mr. 
Benjamin Adams. 

1729. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Deacon Adams, Edw. Foster, 
Ens. Saml. Chamberlin, Dea. Joshua Fletcher, Saml. Chamberlin, Jr.; 
Treasurer: John Spaulding; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. 
Benjamin Adams. 



768 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1730. Moderator: Wm. Fletcher; Selectmen: Dea. Benj. Adams; Lt. Wm. 
Fletcher, Capt. Jonathan Richardson; Treasurer: John Spaulding; 
Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Major Jonas Clark. 

1731. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Edward Foster, Leut. Wm. 
Fletcher, John Richardson, Edward Spaulding, Ebenezer Parker; Treas- 
urer: John Spaulding; Clerk: Edw. Foster; Representative: Mr. 
William Fletcher. 

1732. Moderator: Ens. Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benjamin Adams, Ens. Saml. 
Chamberlin, Jonathan Minott, John Spaulding, Jerahmeel Bowers; 
Treasurer: Jonathan Barron; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: 
Mr. William Fletcher. 

1733. Moderator: Wm. Fletcher; Selectmen: Edward Foster, Col. Jonas 
Clark, Lieut. Wm. Fletcher, Thomas Barrett, Zachariah Richardson; 
Treasurer: Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representative: 
Mr. John Richardson. 

1734. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Edward Foster, Zachery 
Richardson, Jonathan Minott, Joseph Parker, Thomas Barrett; Treas- 
urer: Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representative: Mr. 
John Richardson. 

1735. Moderator: Wm. Fletcher; Selectmen: Wm. Fletcher, Benj. Adams, 
Edward Spaulding, Edward Foster, Jonathan Minott; Treasurer: 
Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representative: Mr. Benjamin 
Adams. 

1736. Moderator: Deacon Adams; Selectmen: Deacon Benj. Adams, Col. 
Jonas Clark, Edward Foster, Left. Joseph Parker, Jonathan Parkhurst; 
Treasurer: Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representative: 
Mr. Jonathan Barron. 

1737. Moderator: Deacon Adams; Selectmen: Deacon Benj. Adams, Col. 
Jonas Clark, Edward Foster, Capt. Joseph Parker, Jonathan Minott; 
Treasurer: Left. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representa- 
tive: Mr. Jonathan Barron. 

1738. Moderator: Capt. Joseph Parker; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Joseph 
Parker, Edward Foster, Benj. Chamberlain, Ephram Spaulding; Treas- 
urer: Benj. Goold; Clerk: Edward Foster; Representative: Mr. Benja- 
min Adams. 

1739. Moderator: Lieut. Barron; Selectmen: Lieut. Barron, Ephraim 
Spaulding, Edward Spaulding, Ens. Richard Hildreth; Treasurer: 
Lieut. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Lieut. Jonathan Barron; Representative: 
Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1740. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Jonathan 
Barron, Benj. Parker, Jr., Ens. Edward Foster, Ephraim Spaulding; 
Treasurer: Lieut. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Lieut. Jonathan Barron; 
Representative: Jonathan Barron. 

1741. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Ephraim 
Spaulding, Jonathan Spaulding, Benj. Parker, Jr., Joseph Warren; 
Treasurer: Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: 
Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1742. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Ephraim 
Spaulding, Jonathan Spaulding, Benj. Parker, Jr., Joseph Warren; 
Treasurer: Saml. Barron; Clerk: Benj. Adams; Representative: Mr. 
Benjamin Chamberlain. 

1743. Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Benj. Adams, Ephraim Spauld- 
ing, Joseph Warren, Zachariah Richardson, Daniel Proctor; Treasurer: 
Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Representative: Benjamin 
Chamberlain. 

1744. Moderator; Eph. Spaulding: Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, Capt. 
Saml. Chamberlin, Lt. Wm. Blodget, Quar. Daniel Proctor, Lt. John 
Spaulding; Treasurer: Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; 
Representative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 



CIVIL LIST 769 

1745 Moderator: Benj. Adams; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, Cor't. 
Daniel Proctor, Jonathan Spaulding, Capt. Zachariah Richardson, Ens. 
Benj. Chamberlin; Treasurer: Capt. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Ephraim 
Spaulding; Representative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1746 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding; 
Daniel Proctor, Joseph Moor, Jonathan Spaulding, Zachariah Richardson; 
Treasurer: Capt. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Repre- 
sentative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1747 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, 
Daniel Proctor, Zachariah Richardson, Thomas Spaulding, Jonathan 
Harwood; Treasurer: Capt. Ebenezer Parker; Clerk: Ephraim Spauld- 
ing; Representative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1748 Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, 
Daniel Proctor, John Richardson, Cor't. Henry Spaulding, Sergt. Joseph 
Moor; Treasurer: Jonathan Harwood; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; 
Representative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1749 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, 
Daniel Proctor, John Richardson, Henry Spaulding, Robert Fletcher; 
Treasurer: Jonathan Harwood; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Represent- 
ative: Capt. Samuel Chamberlain. 

1750 Moderator: Daniel Proctor; Selectmen: Daniel Procter, Ephraim 
Spaulding, Thomas Spaulding, John Richardson, Robert Fletcher; 
Treasurer: Jonathan Harwood; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Representa- 
tive: Mr. Daniel Proctor. 

1751 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Jonathan Harwood, 
Lt lohn Spaulding, Thomas Spaulding, Oliver Fletcher, Jonathan 
Spaulding; Treasurer: Benjamin Fletcher; Clerk: Oliver Fletcher; 
Representative: Capt. Ephraim Spaulding. 

1752 Moderator: Oliver Fletcher; Selectmen: Oliver Fletcher, John 
Warren, John Richardson, Daniel Proctor, John Spaulding; Treasurer: 
William Foster; Clerk: Oliver Fletcher; Representative: Mr. Ephraim 

1753 ^ Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Daniel Proctor, Jonathan 
Spaulding, Robert Fletcher, John Warren, Zachariah Richardson; 
Treasurer: William Foster; Clerk: Daniel Procter; Representative: 
Capt. Ephraim Spaulding. t^ • , r. . 

1754 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: Daniel Proctor, 
JBeniamin Parker, Jonathan Harwood, Zachariah Richardson, Jonathan 
Spaulding; Treasurer: William Foster; Clerk; Daniel Proctor; Repre- 
sentative: Mr. Ephraim Spaulding. r» -^ 

1755 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: William Foster, David 
Spaulding, John Warren, Samuel Stevens, Samuel Perham; Treasurer: 
Simeon Spaulding; Clerk: William Foster; Representative: Capt. 
Ephraim Spaulding. t- ^ c i 

1756 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: William Foster, Samuel 
Perham John Warren, David Spaulding, Samuel Stevens; Treasurer: 
Simeon 'Spaulding; Clerk: William Foster; Representative: Capt. 
Ephraim Spaulding. r^ •. c u- 

1757 Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: David Spau ding, 
Daniel Proctor, Andrew Fletcher, Jonas Adams, Cornet Henry Spaulding; 
Treasurer: Jonathan Bates; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: 
Capt. Ephraim Spaulding. t^ •, c u- t 

1758 Moderator: Oliver Fletcher; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Jonas 
Adams, Samuel Perham, John Warren, Robert Fletcher; Treasurer: 
Joseph Adams, Jr.; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: Oliver 

Fletcher, Esq. t^ . , o u- i 

1759 Moderator: Oliver Fletcher; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Jonas 
Adams Samuel Perham, Jonathan Spaulding, Robert Hetcher; Treas- 
urer: Joseph Adams, Jr.; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: 
Oliver Fletcher, Esq. 



760 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

1760. Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: David Spaulding, 
Jonathan Spaulding, Simeon Spaulding, Henry Spaulding, Capt. Oliver 
Barron; Treasurer: John Warren; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representa- 
tive: Oliver Fletcher, Esq. 

1761. Moderator: Ephraim Spaulding; Selectmen: William Foster, Simeon 
Spaulding, Oliver Barron, Joseph Warren, Aaron Chamberlin; Treasurer: 
Samuel Perham; Clerk: William Foster; Representative: Oliver Fletcher, 
Esq. 

1762. Moderator: Oliver Fletcher; Selectmen: William Foster, David 
Spaulding, John Warren, Capt. Oliver Barron, Timothy Clark; Treasurer: 
Samuel Perham; Clerk: William Foster; Representative: Sampson 
Stoddard, Esq. 

1763. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: William Foster, David 
Spaulding, Oliver Barron, Timothy Clark, John Warren; Treasurer: 
Samuel Perham; Clerk: William Foster; Representative: Sampson 
Stoddard, Esq. 

1764. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, 
Wm. Foster, Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlain, Timothy Clark; Treas- 
urer: Saml. Perham; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Representative: 
Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 

1765. Moderator: Oliver Fletcher; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, Wm, 
Foster, Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlin, Timothy Clark; Treasurer: 
Saml. Perham; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Representative: Sampson 
Stoddard, Esq. 

1766. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: Ephraim Spaulding, 
Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlin, Joseph Pierce, Jr., Joseph Adams, Jr.; 
Treasurer: Saml. Perham; Clerk: Ephraim Spaulding; Representative: 
Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 

1767. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Jonathan 
Harwood, Joseph Warren, Jr., David Spaulding, Aaron Chamberlin; 
Treasurer: Saml. Perham; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: 
Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 

1768. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: David Spaulding, 
Jonathan Harwood, Joseph Warren, Jr., Saml. Howard, Saml. Stevens, 
Jr.; Treasurer: Saml. Perham; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representa- 
tive: Sampson Stoddard, Esq. 

1769. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: David Spaulding, 
Jonathan Harwood, Joseph Warren, Jr., Saml. Stevens, Jr., Samuel 
Howard; Treasurer: Saml. Perham; Clerk: David Spaulding; Repre- 
sentative: Mr. Simeon Spaulding. 

1770. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: Joseph Warren, Jonas 
Robbins, John Minott, Simeon Proctor, Zebulon Spaulding; Treasurer: 
David Parker; Clerk: Simeon Proctor; Representative: Mr. Simeon 
Spaulding. 

1771. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Aaron 
Chamberlin, Oliver Barron, Zebulon Spaulding, Samuel Stevens, Jr.; 
Treasurer; David Parker; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: 
Mr. Simeon Spaulding. 

1772. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard ; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Oliver 
Barron, Joseph Warren, Zebulon Spaulding, John Minott; Treasurer: 
David Parker; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: Mr. Simeon 
Spaulding. 

1773. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Oliver 
Barron, Joseph Warren, John Minott, Zebulon Spaulding; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: Mr. Simeon 
Spaulding. 

1774. Moderator: Sampson Stoddard; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Oliver 
Barron, Joseph Warren, John Minott, Zebulon Spaulding; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representatives: Mr. Simeon 
Spaulding, Mr. Jonathan William Austin, Mr. Samuel Perham. 



CIVIL LIST 761 

1775. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Oliver 
Barron, Joseph Warren, John Minot, Zebulon Spaulding; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: Mr. Simeon 
Spaulding. 

1776. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: David Spaulding, Aaron 
Chamberlain, Samuel Stevens, Benjamin Spaulding, Benjamin Fletcher; 
Treasurer: Oliver Brown; Clerk: David Spaulding; Representative: 
Mr. Simeon Spaulding. 

1777. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Zebulon Spaulding, Samuel 
Perham, David Parker, Benjamin Fletcher, Benjamin Warren; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: Zebulon Spaulding; Representative: Col. Simeon 
Spaulding. 

1778. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Zebulon 
Spaulding, Samuel Stevens, Benjamin Fletcher, Benjamin Parker; 
Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver Barron; Representative: 
Col. Simeon Spaulding. 

1779. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Zebulon 
Spaulding, Benjamin Parker, Samuel Stevens, Benjamin Fletcher; 
Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver Barron; Representative: Col. 
Simeon Spaulding. 

1780. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Samuel Stevens, 
Daniel Proctor, Abel Adams, Benjamin Spaulding; Treasurer: Oliver 
Barron; Clerk: Oliver Barron; Representative: Col. Simeon Spaulding. 

1781. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Samuel 
Stevens, Daniel Proctor, Abel Adams, Benjamin Spaulding; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver Barron; Representative: Dea. Aaron 
Chamberlin. 

1782. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Samuel 
Stevens, Daniel Proctor, Abel Adams, Benjamin Spaulding; Treasurer: 
Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver Barron; Representative: Dea. Aaron 
Chamberlain. 

1783. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Samuel 
Stevens, Daniel Proctor; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver 
Barron; Representative: Dea. Aaron Chamberlain. 

1784. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Oliver Barron, Samuel 
Stevens, Daniel Proctor; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Oliver 
Barron; Representative: Mr. Aaron Chamberlain. 

1785. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Azariah Procter, Samuel 
Perham, Jr., Moses Davis; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Azariah 
Procter; Representative: Mr. Aaron Chamberlin. 

1786. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Azariah Procter, Moses Davis, 
Samuel Perham, Jr.; Treasurer: Samuel Perham, Jr.; Clerk: Azariah 
Procter; Representative: Hon. Ebenezer Bridge, Esq. 

1787. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Azariah Procter, 
Moses Davis, Samuel Perham; Treasurer: Samuel Perham; Clerk: 
Azariah Procter; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1788. Moderator: Moses Davis; Selectmen: Azariah Procter, Moses Davis, 
Isaac Chamberlin; Treasurer: William Fletcher; Clerk: Azariah Procter; 
Representative: Major John Minot. 

1789. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, 
Benjamin Fletcher, Abel Adams; Treasurer: William Fletcher; Clerk: 
Benjamin Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1790. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, 
Benjamin Fletcher, Abel Adams; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: 
Benjamin Spaulding, Representative: Major John Minot. 

1791. Moderator: Abel Adams; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, Benjamin 
Fletcher, Abel Adams; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benjamin 
Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1792. Moderator: Samuel Pitts; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, Benjamin 
Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benjamin 
Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 



762 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1793. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq. ; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, 
Benjamin Fletcher, Jonas Pierce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: 
Benjamin Spaulding; No Representative chosen. 

1794. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Benjamin Spaulding, 
Capt. Benjamin Fletcher, Capt. Jonas Pierce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; 
Clerk: Benjamin Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1795. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, 
Benj. Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. 
Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1796. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge, Esq.; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, 
Benj. Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. 
Spaulding; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1797. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Benj. 
Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. Spauld- 
ing; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1798. Moderator: Oliver Barron; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Benj. 
Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. Spauld- 
ing; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1799. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Benj. 
Fletcher, Jonas Peirce; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. Spauld- 
ing; Representative: Major John Minot. 

1800. Moderator: Joseph Warren; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Ichabod 
Gibson, Joseph Warren; Treasurer: William Fletcher; Clerk: Benj. 
Spaulding; Representative: William Adams. 

1801. Moderator: Ichabod Gibson; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Ichabod 
Gibson, Joseph Warren; Treasurer: Oliver Barron; Clerk: Benj. 
Spaulding; Representative: William Adams. 

1802. Moderator: Ichabod Gibson; Selectmen: Benj. Spaulding, Joseph 
Warren, Wm. Fletcher; Treasurer: Azariah Spaulding; Clerk: Benj. 
Spaulding; Representative: William Adams. 

1803. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge: Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Joseph 
Warren, Wm. Fletcher; Treasurer: Azariah Spaulding; Clerk: Ichabod 
Gibson; No Representative chosen. 

1804. Moderator: Ebenezer Bridge; Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Joseph 
Warren, Wm. Fletcher; Treasurer: Azariah Spaulding; Clerk: Ichabod 
Gibson; Representative: William Adams. 

1805. Moderator: Ichabod Gibson; Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Wm.. 
Fletcher, Aaron Chamberlin, Jr. ; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: 
Ichabod Gibson; Representative: William Adams. 

1806. Moderator: Ichabod Gibson; Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Wm. 
Fletcher, Aaron Chamberlin, Jr.; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: 
Ichabod Gibson; Representative: William Adams. 

1807. Moderator: Ichabod Gibson; Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Aaron 
Chamberlin, Jr., Moses Hale; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: 
Ichabod Gibson; Representatives: William Adams, Ichabod Gibson. 

1808. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Ichabod Gibson, Aaron 
Chamberlin, Jr., Jonathan Perham; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; 
Clerk: Ichabod Gibson; Representatives: William Adams, Ichabod 
Gibson. 

1809. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Ichabod 
Gibson, Amos Whitney; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning, Clerk: Jonathan 
Perham; Representatives: William Adams, Jonathan Perham. 

1810. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Amos 
Whitney, Abijah Spaulding; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: 
Jonathan Perham; Representative: Jonathan Perham. 

1811. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Amos 
Whitney, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: 
Jonathan Perham; Representative: Jonathan Perham. 

1812. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Elisha 
Ford, Oliver Scripture; Treasurer: Jonathan Manning; Clerk: Jonathan 
Perham; Representative: Amos Whitney. 



CIVIL LIST 763 

1813. Moderator: Azabel Stearns; Selectmen: Nathaniel Howard, Samuel 
Stevens, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Azariah Spaulding; Clerk: Nathan- 
iel Howard; Representative: Amos Whitney. 

1814. Moderator: Asabel Stearns; Selectmen: Nathaniel Howard, Samuel 
Stevens, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Azariah Spaulding; Clerk: Nathan- 
iel Howard; Representative: Amos Whitney. 

1815. Moderator: Asabel Stearns; Selectmen: Nathaniel Howard, Samuel 
Stevens, Abijah Spaulding; Treasurer: Azariah Spalding; Clerk: Nathan- 
iel Howard; Representative: Amos Whitney. 

1816. Moderator: Rufus Wyman; Selectmen: Nathaniel Howard, Joseph 
Bailey, Henry Spalding, 3d; Treasurer: Caleb Abbott; Clerk: Nathaniel 
Howard. 

1817. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Nathaniel Howard, Joseph 
Bailey, Henry Spalding, 3d; Treasurer: Caleb Abbott; Clerk: Nathaniel 
Howard; Representative: Samuel Stevens. 

1818. Moderator: William Adams; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Henry 
Spalding, 3d, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Joel Adams; Clerk: Jonathan 
Perham. 

1819. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, 
Joseph Bailey, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Joel Adams; Clerk: Jonathan 
Perham; Representative: No name given. 

1820. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, 
Henry Spalding, 3d, Abijah Spaulding; Treasurers: Caleb Abbott, 
Joseph Warren; Clerk: Jonathan Perham; Representative: Joseph 
Bailey. 

1821. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, 
Henry Spalding, 3d, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Joseph Warren; Clerk: 
Jonathan Perham; Representative: Jonathan Perham. 

1822. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard: Selectmen: Jonathan Perham, Henry 
Spalding, 3d, Abijah Spalding; Treasurer: Joseph Warren; Clerk: 
Jonathan Perham; Representative: Jonathan Perham. 

1823. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Caleb Abbott, Nathaniel 
Wright, John Shed; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
No Representatives chosen. 

1824. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Caleb Abbott, Nathaniel 
Wright, John Shed; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
Representative: Jonathan Perham. 

1825. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Caleb Abbott, Nathaniel 
Wright, John Shed, James H. B. Ayer, Alpheus Spalding; Treasurer: 
Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel Adams; Representative: Jonathan 
Perham. 

1826. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, Charles 
Blood, Ephraim Adams; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel 
Adams; Representative: No name given. 

1827. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, 
Charles Blood, Ephraim Adams; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: 
Joel Adams; Representative: Joel Adams. 

1828. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, 
Charles Blood, Ephraim Adams; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: 
Joel Adams; Representative: Joel Adams. 

1829. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, Otis Adams, 
John Thurston Farwell; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel 
Adams; Representative: Joel Adams. 

1830. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Otis Adams, John T. Farwell, 
Joel B. Wright, Charles H. Barber; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; 
Clerk: Joel Adams; Representative: Joel Adams. 

1831. Moderator: Nathaniel Howard; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Samuel 
Burbank, Samuel Davis; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel 
Adams; Representative: No name given. 



764 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1832. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Samuel Burbank, 
Samuel Davis; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
Representative: Charles Bent. 

1833. Moderator: Charles Blood ; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Samuel Burbank, 
Jona. M. Read; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberlin; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
Representative: Charles Bent. 

1834. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Samuel Burbank, 
Isaiah Spaulding; Treasurer: Benj. Chamberhn; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
Representative: Charles Bent. 

1835. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Eli T. Webster, George Worces- 
ter, Francis Richardson; Treasurer: Abel Hunt; Clerk: Joel Adams; 
Representative: Alpheus Spaulding. 

1836. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, Benjamin 
Chamberlin, Edmund Swett; Treasurer: Abel Hunt; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: Alpheus Spaulding. 

1837. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, Sherebiah 
Spaulding, Benjamin Adams; Treasurer: Owen Emerson; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: Alpheus Spaulding. 

1838. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Alpheus Spalding, Sherebiah 
Spaulding, Benjamin Adams; Treasurer: Abel Hunt; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: Sherebiah Spaulding. 

1839. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: Otis Adams, E. F. Webster, 
Jephthah Parker; Treasurer: Abel Hunt; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; Repre- 
sentatives: Amos Carlton, Sherebiah Spaulding. 

1840. Moderator: James Pitts; Selectmen: E. F. Webster, Jephthah Parker, 
Otis Adams; Treasurer: Owen Emerson; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; Repre- 
sentative: No name given. 

1841. Moderator: J. M. Reed; Selectmen: E. F. Webster, Amos Carlton, 
Dean Holt; Treasurer: Samuel P. Hadley; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Amos Carlton. 

1842. Moderator: Amos Carlton; Selectmen: E. F. Webster, Amos Carlton, 
Dean Holt; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; Repre- 
sentative: Amos Carlton. 

1843. Moderator: Alpheus Spalding: Selectmen: E. F. Webster, Amos 
Carlton, Dean Holt; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Paul Kittredge. 

1844. Moderator: Joseph Manning; Selectmen: Charles Blood, Elijah 
Richardson, Jr., David Perham; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: 
Eli F. Webster; Representative: Paul Kittredge. 

1845. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Jephthah Parker, E. F. Webster, 
Elbridge G. Reed; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: No name given. 

1846. Moderator: Jephthah Parker; Selectmen: E. F. Webster, E. G. 
Reed, Owen Emerson; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: No name given. 

1847. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Jephthah Parker, Sewell Park- 
hurst, Joseph Reed; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: No name given. 

1848. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Joseph Reed, 
Elisha Shaw; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Harvey Silver. 

1849. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Joseph Reed, 
Elisha Shaw; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Harvey Silver. 

1850. Moderator: Charles T. Bird; Selectmen: Samuel P. Hadley, Christo- 
pher Roby, E. F. Webster; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: Eli P. Parker. 

1851. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: E. F. Webster, Ziba Gay, Jr., 
Samuel P. Hadley; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Jabez Stevens, 



CIVIL LIST 765 

1852. Moderator: H. W. B. Wight man; Selectmen: N. B. Edwards, Christo- 
pher Roby, Sewall Parkhurst; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: 
Eli F. Webster; Representative: Joseph Reed. 

1853. Moderator: H. W. B. Wightman; Selectmen: N. B. Edwards, Jabez 
Stevens, Henry B. Proctor; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eil F. 
Webster; Representative: No name given. 

1854. Moderator: H. W. B. Wightman; Selectmen: N. B. Edwards, Jabez 
Stevens, David Perham; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: No name given. 

1855. Moderator: Charles T. Bird; Selectmen: E. H. Warren, J. J. Hoyt, 
William Fletcher; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Edwin Josselyn. 

1856. Moderator: H. W. B. Wightman; Selectmen: William Fletcher, 
Edwin H. Warren, J. J. Hoyt; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: 
Eli F. Webster; Representative: Joseph Manning. 

1857. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Loammi Chamber- 
lain, Joseph W. Smith; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: David Perham. 

1858. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Otis Adams, Loammi Chamber- 
lain, Joseph W. Smith; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. 
Webster; Representative: Henry Richardson, Dracut, 25th District. 

1859. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: S. P. Perham, Alonzo A. Davis, 
Otis Adams; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: Nathan B. Edwards, Chelmsford. 

1860. Moderator: H. W. B. Wightman; Selectmen: Christopher Roby, 
H. B. Proctor, E. H. Warren; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: 
Eli F. Webster; Representative: Josiah Ames, Jr., Dracut. 

1861. Moderator: J. R. Fletcher; Selectmen: J. R. Fletcher, Christopher 
Roby, Elisha Shaw; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: Eli F. Webster; 
Representative: H. W. B. Wightman, Chelmsford. 

1862. Moderator: J. R. Fletcher; Selectmen: J. R. Fletcher, Elisha Shaw, 
Edward F. Dupee; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. Webster; 
Representative: Cyrus Butterfield, Tyngsborough. 

1863. Moderator: E. K. Parkhurst; Selectmen: Elisha Shaw, E. F. Dupee, 
Joseph Reed; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. Webster; 
Representative: Atkinson C. Varnum, Dracut. 

1864. Moderator: Otis Adams; Selectmen: Joseph Reed, E. F. Dupee, 
N. B. Edwards; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. Webster; 
Representative: Solomon E. Byam, Chelmsford. 

1865. Moderator: George A. Parkhurst; Selectmen: Joseph Reed, Edmund 
F. Dupee, N. B. Edwards; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. 
Webster; Representative: Levi F. Jones, Dracut. 

1866. Moderator: George A. Parkhurst; Selectmen: Joseph Reed, Elisha 
Shaw, A. A. Davis; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. Webster; 
Representative: Christopher Roby, Chelmsford. 

1867. Moderator: George A. Parkhurst; Selectmen: Joseph Reed, Elisha 
Shaw, Samuel P. Perham; Treasurer: Joseph Manning; Clerk: E. F. 
Webster; Representative: Richard Tolman, Tewksbury. 

1868. Moderator: Jonathan J. Hoyt; Selectmen: Samuel P. Perham, 
Edmund F. Dupee, Samuel T. Wright; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; 
Clerk: John W. Blodgett; Representative: Dudley Foster, Bill erica. 

1869. Moderator: E. K. Parkhurst; Selectmen: E. F. Dupee, S. P. Perham, 
S. T. Wright; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: E. F. Webster; 
Representative: William Fletcher, Chelmsford. 

1870. Moderator: E. K. Parkhurst; Selectmen: E. F. Dupee, S.'.P. Perham, 
S. T. Wright; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Park- 
hurst; Representative: Sylvester S. Hill, Billerica. 

1871. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: E. F. Dupee, S. P. Perham, S. T. 
Wright; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: Edwin K. Parkhurst, Chelmsford. 



766 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1872. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: E. F. Dupee, S. P. Perham, 
Samuel T. Wright; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. 
Parkhurst; Representative: Alvin Marshall, Tewksbury. 

1873. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: E. F. Dupee, Samuel T. Wright, 
J. Bradford Emerson; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. 
Parkhurst; Representative: George H. Whitman, Billerica. 

1874. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: Ziba Gay, J. J. Hoyt, J. B. 
Emerson; Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: Ziba Gay, Chelmsford. 

1875. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: J. B. Emerson, Ziba Gay, J. J. 
Hoyt; Treasurer: E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Repre- 
sentative: Albert J. Trull, Tewksbury. 

1876. Moderator: J. R. Fletcher; Selectmen: J. B. Emerson, Ziba Gay, 
J. J. Hoyt; Treasurer: E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: John Knowles, Billerica. 

1877. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: J. B. Emerson, J. J. Hoyt, Ziba 
Gay, Eldad P. Bean, William Manning; Treasurer: E. H. Warren; 
Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: Luther H. Sargent, 
Chelmsford, 19th District. 

1878. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: J. B. Emerson, Ziba Gay, J. J. 
Hoyt, E. P. Bean, William Manning; Treasurer: E. H. Warren; Clerk: 
George A. Parkhurst; Representative: William Manning, Chelmsford. 

1879. Moderator: J. J. Hoyt; Selectmen: J. B. Emerson, J. J. Hoyt, 
William Manning, George A. Byam, Charles W. Flint; Treasurer: 
E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: John W. 
Peabody, Dracut. 

1880. Moderator: Edwin H. Warren; Selectmen: Charles W. Flint, S. W. 
Parkhurst, B. J. Spaulding, Arthur H. Sheldon, J. B. Emerson; Treasurer: 
E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: John W. 
Peabody, Dracut. 

1881. Moderator: Edwin H. Warren; Selectmen: John N. Perry, George 
A. Byam, R. Wilson Dix, Charles W. Flint, John N. Park; Treasurer: 
E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: Enoch 
Foster, Tewksbury. 

1882. Moderator: Elisha H. Shaw; Selectmen: George A. Byam, Charles 
W. Flint, R. Wilson Dix, John N. Park, John N. Perry; Treasurer: 
E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: Enoch 
Foster, Tewksbury. 

1883. Moderator: Elisha H. Shaw; Selectmen: George A. Byam, Charles 
W. Flint, John N. Perry, R. Wilson Dix, John Q. Battles; Treasurer: 
E. H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: Jesse B. 
Butterfield, Tyngsborough. 

1884. Moderator: Elisha H. Shaw; Selectmen: George A. Byam, Charles 
W Flint, R. Wilson Dix, John Q. Battles, John N. Perry; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: 
EHsha H. Shaw, Chelmsford, 19th District. 

1885. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Henry S. Perham, Charles 
W. Flint, John Q. Battles, R. Wilson Dix, George F. Snow; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: Perley 
P. Perham, Chelmsford. 

1886. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Henry S. Perham, 
Charles W. Flint, John Q. Battles, R. Wilson Dix, George F. Snow; 
Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Repre- 
sentative: Perley P. Perham, Chelmsford. 

1887. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Lewis K. Howard, Charles 
W. Flint, R. Wilson Dix, George F. Snow, John Q. Battles; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: 
George W. Trull, Tewksbury, 20th District. 

1888. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Lewis K. Howard, 
Charles W. Flint, R. Wilson Dix, John Q. Battles, George F. Snow; 
Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Represent- 
ative: George W. Trull, Tewksbury. 



CIVIL LIST 767 

1889. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Lewis K. Howard, 
Charles VV. Flint, John Q. Battles, R. Wilson Dix, George F. Snow; 
Treasurer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Represent- 
ative: Edward M. Nichols, Wilmington. 

1890. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, Charles 
W. Flint, George F. Snow, John Q. Battles, R. Wilson Dix; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst ; Representative: Charles 
W. Flint, Chelmsford. 

1891. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, George 
F. Snow, Martin Robbins, Elisha H. Shaw, Newell E. Parker; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst ; Representative: Charles 
W. Flint, Chelmsford. 

1892. Moderator J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, George F. 
Snow, Martin Robbins, Elisha H. Shaw, Newell E. Parker; Treasurer: 
Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: 
Charles H. Kohlrausch, Jr., Billerica. 

1893. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, George 
F. Snow, Martin Robbins, Newell E. Parker, Arthur H. Sheldon; Treas- 
urer: Edwin H. Warren; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: 
Charles H. Kohlrausch, Jr., Billerica. 

1894. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, George 
F. Snow, Martin Robbins, Newell E. Parker, Arthur H. Sheldon; Treas- 
urer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representative: 
Solon O. Holt, North Reading. 

1895. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Arthur H. Sheldon, Newell E. Parker, Joseph A. Parkhurst, William 
H. Shedd; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: George F. Snow, Chelmsford. 

1896. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Arthur H. Sheldon, Newell E. Parker, Joseph A. Parkhurst, William H. 
Shedd; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: Charles E. Hosmer, Billerica. 

1897. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Arthur H. Sheldon, Joseph A. Parkhurst, William H. Shedd, Walter R. 
Winning; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representative: William H. I. Hayes, Lowell, 25th District. 

1898. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, Arthur 
H. Sheldon, Joseph A. Parkhurst, William H. Shedd, Walter R. Winning; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Repre- 
sentatives: William H. L Hayes, Lowell, William A. Lang, Lowell, 
James P. Ramsay, Lowell. 

1899. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Arthur H. Sheldon, Joseph A. Parkhurst, William H. Shedd, Walter R. 
Winning; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; 
Representatives: William H. L Hayes, Lowell, William J. Quigley, 
Chelmsford, Walter S. Watson, Lowell. 

1900. Moderator: Walter Perham; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, Patrick 
T. McMahon, Fred L. Fletcher, R. Wilson Dix, Walter R. Winning; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Repre- 
sentatives: James H. McKinley, Lowell, Martin Robbins, Chelmsford, 
Walter S. Watson, Lowell. 

1901. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Patrick T. McMahon, Fred L. Fletcher, R. Wilson Dix, A. Heady Park; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Repre- 
sentative: Eben T. Adams, Chelmsford; De.xter Butterfield, Dunstable, 
James H. McKinley, Lowell. 

1902. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Joseph E. Warren, 
Patrick T. McMahon, Fred L. Fletcher, R. Wilson Dix, A. Heady Park; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Represent- 
atives: Eben T. Adams, Chelmsford, William H. L Hayes, Lowell, 
Caleb L. Smith, Lowell. 



768 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1903. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: R. Wilson Dix, John J. 
Dunn, A. Heady Park, Walter Perham, E. Herman Shaw; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: George A. Parkhurst; Representatives: 
William H. I. Hayes, Lowell, Royal S. Ripley, Chelmsford, Caleb L. 
Smith, Lowell. 

1904. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: R. Wilson Dix, James P. 
Dunigan, John J. Dunn, A. Heady Park, Walter Perham; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representatives: 
William H. L Hayes, Lowell, Horton H. Hilton, Lowell, John J. 
McManmon, Lowell. 

1905. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: R. Wilson Dix, James P. 
Dunigan, John J. Dunn, A. Heady Park, Walter Perham; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representatives: 
Rolfe Bradbury, Lowell, William H. L Hayes, Lowell, Horton H. Hilton. 
Lowell. 

1906. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, R. 
Wilson Dix, James P. Dunigan, John J. Dunn, "Wilbur E. Lapham; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representa- 
tives: Albert F. Greene, Lowell, William H. L Hayes, Lowell, John J. 
McManmon, Lowell. 

1907. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, R. 
Wilson Dix, John J. Dunn, James P. Dunigan, Wilbur E. Lapham; 
Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representa- 
tives: Edwin C. Perham, Chelmsford, 11th District. 

1908. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, Charles 
F. Devine, John J. Dunn, Wilbur E. Lapham, David F. Small; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representative: 
Edwin C. Perham, Chelmsford. 

1909. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, Charles 
F. Devine, John J. Dunn, Wilbur E. Lapham, David F. Small; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Elisha 
D. Stone, Ayer. 

1910. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, Charles 
F. Devine, John J. Dunn, Wilbur E. Lapham, David F. Small; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Elisha 
D. Stone, Ayer. 

1911. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: Eben T. Adams, Charles 
F. Devine, John J. Dunn, Charles Lyons, D. Frank Small; Treasurer: 
Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Edward 
Fisher, Westford. 

1912. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: D. Frank Small, Walter 
B. Emerson, Charles Lyons; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: 
Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Edward Fisher, Westford. 

1913. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: D. Frank Small, Walter 
B. Emerson, A. Heady Park; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: 
Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Samuel L. Taylor, Westford. 

1914. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: D. Frank Small, A. 
Heady Park, Karl M. Perham; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: 
Edward J. Robbins; Representative: Charles A. Kimball, Littleton. 

1915. Moderator: J. Adams Bartlett; Selectmen: D. Frank Small, Karl M. 
Perham, A. Heady Park; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward 
J. Robbins; Representative: Edgar R. Hall, Acton. District No. 11, 
Acton, Ayer, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Littleton and Westford. 

1916. Moderator: Walter Perham. Selectmen: D. Frank Small, Karl M. 
Perham, A. Heady Park; Treasurer: Ervin W. Sweetser; Clerk: Edward 
J. Robbins; Representative: Edgar R. Hall. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
EARLY MINISTERS. PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS. 

THE REV. JOHN FISKE. 

^OR an account of the Rev. John Fiske, see pp. 9, 15ff. and 65. 



F 



He lived first at Cambridge, then Salem, and was ordained 
at Wenham, Oct. 8, 1644. His wife, Anne, died Feb. 14, 1671, 
(see page 18), and he married, Aug. 1, 1672, Elizabeth, widow of 
Edmund Hinchman. Of his children, John married Lidiah 
Fletcher, March 27, 1666, and died Aug. 29, 1687. Moses grad- 
uated at Harvard in 1662, and was ordained as Minister of Braintree. 

Allen says: To the many trials and afflictions that had 
exercised Mr. Fiske, a new and unexperienced calamity was 
added by the death of his wife. Endeared by 43 years' experience 
of mutual care and toil, companions through a great sight of 
afflictions, and knit together by the strongest ties of vital piety, 
the separation was painful, and inflicted a deep wound in the 
heart of the survivor; though not above the power of religion 
to heal. She, by her incomparable expertness in the scriptures, 
had rendered any other concordance of the Bible in his library 
useless. Some years before her death she lost her sight. Under 
this disaster she exhibited a most exemplary patience by her view 
of the things which are not seen and are eternal. "After many 
admonitions to her friends to improve their sight well whilst they 
had it; on the 14th Feb., 1671, she had her eyes opened by their 
being closed, and was by death carried from faith to immediate 
and everlasting sight." 

Divine Providence had just before removed Mr. Edmund 
Hinchman (died 1669), the countryman and tried friend of Mr. 
Fiske, who had followed him from England to America, and for 
many years had resided in Chelmsford, and Mr. Fiske, to cheer 
the remaining years of his earthly pilgrimage, took his widow, 
Elizabeth Hinchman for his companion in 1672. But this con- 
nection was short. The time approached that he must die. 

"The stone and the gout, which at last were followed by 
convulsions, — brought his laborious life to an end." 

Before his death he "after this manner blessed his four 
children, two sons and two daughters: You are as a shock of com 
bound up, or as twins made beautiful by the covenant of grace. 
You have an interest in the sure mercies of David. These you 
have to live upon. Study to emulate one another but in the best — 
in the best. Provoke one another to love. The God of your 
fathers bless you all — " 



770 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Mather in his Magnalia begins his account of Fiske with a 
Greek quotation which, translated, means that a physician is of 
more worth than many ordinary men; and he closes with these 
words: "We will now leave him uttering the words of Weinrichius 
in his epitaph, Vixi et quem dederas cursum mihi Christe peregi, 
pertaesus vitae, suaviter opto mori." 

I have lived and finished the work which thou, O Christ, 
didst give me: Weary of life, I long to depart in peace. 

His descendants for four generations were eminent for their 
piety and virtue. 

The following shows the connection of the Fiske with the 
Bridge and other families: 

^Symond Fiske, lord of the Manor, Stradhaugh, died 146-3, ^William, 
'Simon, ^Simon, ^Robert, (born about 1525), 'Jaffrey, ^David, *David, *David, 
^"Ebenezer, "Benjamin Fiske married Elizabeth Bridge, '^John Minot 
Fiske married Eliza M. Winn, ''Benj. Minot Fiske married Elizabeth 
A. Parkhurst, daughter of Rev. John who married Celia Burrows. 

^William, brother to Jaffrey Fiske, ^John, 'Rev. John Fiske married 
Ann Gibbs; 2nd Elizabeth, widow of Edward Hinchman. 

Elizabeth Bridge who married "Benjamin Fiske, was the daughter of 
William, son of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge. Her mother was Rachel, daughter 
of Capt. John Minott. 

THE REV. THOMAS CLARKE. 

^John Clarke of Cambridge as early as 1635, removed to Hartford. 

^Nicholas of Cambridge also removed to Hartford. 

'Jonas married 1st Sarah , buried Feb. 20, 1649; 2d Elizabeth Clark, 

July 30, 1650; she died March 21, 1672, 3rd, Elizabeth Cook, Aug. 19, 1673. 
The latter survived him and became the wife of Deacon Walter Hastings. 
He had seventeen children by his three wives, and died Jan. 14, 1699. 

^Thomas, born March 2, 1652-3, was the son of his second wife. 

The Rev. Thomas Clarke, M. A., says Sibley, was bom 
March 2, 1652-3, probably on the southerly side of South street, 
near its junction with Holyoke street, in Cambridge. He was 
the son of the Ruling Elder Jonas Clarke of that place by his 
second wife, Elizabeth. He graduated at Harvard in 1670. He 
came to Chelmsford to assist Mr. Fiske in his work in 1675. 
When Mr. Fiske died, he became pastor and was probably ordained 
in March or April after the Articles of Agreement had been signed. 
(See pages 65-71.) His house having been built, he took posses- 
sion. 

His first wife, Mary, was the mother of all his children, 
except the last two. She died Dec. 2, 1700, aged 53. 

They were : 

Lucy, born ; married Major William Tyng, Sept. 29, 1700; died April 

25, 1708. 

Elizabeth, born ; married the Rev. JohnHancock, Nov. 11, 1700. 

Jonas, born Dec. 2, 1684; (Court Record, Dec. 22d,) died April 28, 1770. 
Margaret, born Oct. 28, 1687. 
Thomas, born Sept. 28, 1694. 
Timothy, born April 29, 1702. 
Abigail, born Jan. 28, 1705. 




Elizabeth Clarke Hancock, 



Grandmother of Governor John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence. 

She was the second daughter of the Rev. Thomas Clarke of Chelmsford (see page 
770) whose wife, Mary, was the daughter of the Rev. Edward Bulkley of Concord whose 
death is recorded in Chelmsford. Shattuck in his History of Concord says that the Rev. 
Edward Bulkley died "probably" at the house of his grandson Edward Emerson ; but it 
may have been at that of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Clarke. The Rev. Thomas Clarke made 
a voyage to England, probably with the Hon. Peter Bulkley, in 1676, returning the next 
year. 

Elizabeth Clarke married the Rev. John Hancock of Lexington ; and died Feb. 13, 

1760. Their son John was born June 1, 1702. He married Mary . Their son John 

became the first Governor of the State of Massachusetts. 

This picture is taken from the portrait in oil which hangs in the Hancock-Clarke 
house in Lexington. 



EARLY MINISTERS. PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 771 

On page 70, reference is made to Mr. Clarke's part in settling 
the affairs of the Brattle Street church. Those associated with 
him in this matter were Lieut. Gov. Stoughton, Rev.Wm. Brattle 
of Cambridge and Mr. Danforth of Dorchester. What follows 
will explain the situation. 

"As is usual in all cases of contest and separation, the Puritan 
Non-conformists, in leaving the Church of England, swung far 
to the other extreme, and in matters insignificant, as well as in 
those of moment, aimed to mark their separation by as wide a 
difference as possible. In the English Church service the 
Scriptures were largely read. Nearly all the Psalms were repeated 
once a month, and lessons from the Old and New Testament 
marked out for every Sunday in the year. The Puritans would 
have none of this. They discarded altogether the reading of the 
Scriptures in public worship. These Scriptures could be read 
by each individual at home, in such portions as his taste, judgment, 
or spiritual wants might dictate. In the English Church service, 
also, there were various, and, as they thought, unnecessarily 
multiplied prayers, together with the frequent repetition of the 
Lord's Prayer, and, interspersed with these, a large amount of 
singing and chanting. The Puritans disliked all this ; they would 
have their mode of worship as distinct as possible. They would 
not use the Lord's Prayer at all in public worship, and to do so 
soon came in their judgment to savor of prelacy. They would 

have but one prayer and one singing The sermon 

was the prominent point with the Puritans in the religious services 
of the Lord's day." [Hist. Brattle St. Ch. by the Pastor, Samuel 
Kirkland Lothrop.] 

Quincy says that the Brattle Street church was the first-fruits 
of that religious liberty which the Charter of William and Mary 
introduced into Massachusetts. Its members differed as to modes 
of order and discipline from the "stricter sect," at the head of 
which were the Mathers. In these things the Brattle Street 
church made a new departure by reading the Scriptures and 
repeating the Lord's Prayer. Also they did not require any 
public relation of religious experience. They allowed women to 
vote with men in parish affairs, whether communicants or not, 
and they would baptize any child offered by any professed Christian 
engaging to see it educated in the Christian religion. This church 
was called the "Manifesto Church" on account of the statement 
regarding these things put forth in 1699. Mr. Clarke was one 
of those who smoothed matters out between Brattle Street and 
the other Congregational churches. 

But the Brattle Street church did not accept the organ which 
Mr. Thomas Brattle, the rich merchant of Boston, wished to give 
them. In his will (1713) he says: "I give, dedicate and devote 
my organ to the praise and glory of God in ye sd Brattle Street 
church, if they shall accept thereof, and within a year of my 
decease procure a sober person that can play skilfully thereon 



772 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

with a loud noise," etc.; and so it went, as provided in the will, 
to the Church of England. (King's Chapel.) It afterwards went 
to St. John's, Portsmouth, where it is at the present time. This 
is said to have been the first organ in America. 

Of Mr. Clarke, Allen says: However commendable the 
attempt to snatch from oblivion a worthy character, and transmit 
to posterity the knowledge of those virtues, which once rendered 
their possessor the delight and ornament of his day, we dare not 
cherish the hope of being able to bring back from the long lapse 
of time the characteristic features of the subject of this memoir. 
We have neither church records, manuscript sermons, contemporary 
notices, nor any other materials, from which anything, but a 
bare momento can be erected, excepting the following notice in 
the 9th vol. of the Hist. Coll. of Mass. page 195 : Dorchester, 1704, 
Dec. 10. The death of the Rev. Thomas Clark of Chelmsford 
was lamented in a Sermon from Acts 20-25 &c. "A great loss 
to all our towns, and especially to the frontier towns on that side 
of the country, who are greatly weakened with the loss of such a 
man." 

He received the unanimous suffrage of the inhabitants of 
Chelmsford to become their minister. We might perhaps from 
this circumstance infer his acceptableness as a man and minister 
to this people. 

He lived in a period distinguished by no remarkable changes 
in the political or pecuniary circumstances of the country. This 
with the consideration that his original salary was a more ample 
support than either his predecessor or successors have enjoyed, 
accounts for the singular fact, that he never requested but one 
favor of the Town during his ministry. This was a piece of land 
of about 10 acres, lying on Beaver brook. 

None of his writings have been preserved. Almost the only 
monument of his past existence that has survived the ravages of 
time is his tombstone. 

He died of a fever; was taken suddenly December 1st, after 
attending a funeral; died the 7th, and was buried the 11th, 1704, 
aged 52. 

His place of residence was that now (1820) in the possession 
of Mrs. Grace Fletcher, widow of the late Oliver Fletcher, Esq. 
[Allen.] 

The selectmen chose Capt. Thomas Hinchman, Ser. Josiah 
Richardson, and Mr. John Fiske with Mr. Thomas Clarke a 
committee to build the house for Mr. Clarke. 

"25 the 4 mo. [June] 1678 the Selectt men att their meetting 
mad a ratte And dill [delivered] to the Constable Battes to gather 
in money for the payment of Corsers land for mr Clarke . . £6G :17 :5. 

After his death, the Town voted "that Mistress Clarke shall 
have the remaining part of Mister Clarke's salary for the whole 
year," and in 1706 purchased a good cow to the value of £3 and 
presented it to Mistress Clarke. 



EA RL Y MINISTERS, PII YSICIA NS A ND LA W VERS 773 

Edward Emerson of Charlestown, administered the estate 
of Mr. Clarke, and sold to Col. Jonathan Tyng of Dunstable for 
£155 current money, the dwelling house, out housing and land, 
eighteen acres, bounded north by the highway; southeast by the 
land of Jacob Parker; southwest by the land of John Blanchard; 
northeast by Beaver brook; also twelve acres and other lots of 
land, March 15, 1705-6. [Note by H. S. P.] 

Colonel Jonathan Tyng was the father of Major William, who 
married Mr. Clarke's daughter Lucy. 

THE REV. SAMSON STODDARD. 

1. Anthony Stoddard came from England and was a citizen of Boston 
in 1639, a linen-draper. Sewall calls him the "Antientist shop-keeper in 
town." One of his four wives was Mary Downing, sister of Sir George, 
afterwards Lord George Downing. Farmer says his first wife was a daughter 
of Emanual Downing. He was a member of the Artillery Company and 
served as Representative twenty-three years. 

2. His son, Samson Stoddard, born Dec. 3, 1645, married Susanna 

of Boston. 

3. Their son, Samson, was born about 1681, at Boston. Died at Chelms- 
ford, Aug. 23, 1740. The other children were Anthony, Martha and Chris- 
tian. Samson was the youngest. He graduated at Harvard in 1701, and 
married, 1st, Elizabeth Davis of Boston, Feb. 20, 1707; 2nd, on Feb, 2, 1726, 
Mrs. Margaret Harkerson or Halkerston of Boston. She died at Lancaster, 
March 27, 1789, aged 79, and was buried in Chelmsford. 

June 26, 1706, he was called to be minister of the church in 
Chelmsford. In Town Meeting the vote was in concurrence 
with that of the church. He was to receive £100 settlement, 
and £70 a year. He was ordained July 25, 1706. The Town 
agreed to give him £4 a year for wood, valued at 2s. 25d. a cord. 

In 1715, his salary was raised to £90. Three years later, to 
£100, on account of the depreciation of currency. In 1735, it 
was £137. 

The author of the "Stoddard Family" says: In 1738 his 
health failed, and the parish voted to continue his salary and 
supply the pulpit beside. During this period of ill health, he 
was greatly dejected in spirits. His last public discourse was 
from the text I Cor. ix, 27, and in this, as in some before, he 
discovered to his people that his mind as well as his body was 
diseased. Allen says: His health was naturally delicate, and 
his habits sedentary. His constitutional temperament strongly 
inclined him to a recluse life, and a depression of spirit. But the 
imperious calls of parochial duty and ministerial intercourse 
corrected in some degree the infelicities of nature and habit, and 
suppressed a while the rising tide that at last overwhelmed him. 

A necessary expenditure in his family, which his resources 
could not meet, the mortification and perplexity of teaching the 
Town school in 1736 and 7, added to his constitutional infirmities 
a weight which overcame his fortitude and impaired his health. 
He became unable for the most part during the last three years 
of his life to discharge the duties of his sacred office * * * 



774 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

He fell a prey to his corporeal and mental disorders, Aug. 23, 1740, 
in the 34th year of his ministry and about the 60th of his age. 

He was found dead in his well, over which was built later 
the railroad station at the Centre Village. 

He was a plain, practical preacher, and a faithful and able 
minister of the New Testament. From some remnants of his 
manuscript sermons furnished to Allen by Farmer, the former 
judged that they were constructed after the models of the old 
divines of the sixteenth century, but executed in a happier manner. 
June 1, 1713, he preached the Artillery Election sermon in Boston 
from I Sam, ii, 30. Judge Sewall says it was an excellent discourse. 
He gave a silver tankard to the church. October 23, 1740, the 
Town voted to pay Mrs. Stoddard £132 for her husband's funeral 
expenses. 

He had nine children : 

4. Samson, born May 1, 1709. 

Elizabeth, born Dec. 14, 1710; married Capt. Waterhouse of Boston, 
Oct. 20, 1741; died Aug. 1775. He died, 1751. 

William, born May 4, 1712; married Mercy Wise, Jan. 18, 1745; died 
1742. 

Benjamin, born Dec. 28, 1713. 

Rebecca, born Nov. 4, l7l6; married William White, merchant of Boston. 

Sarah, born Sept. 21, 1718; married Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, Oct. 24, 
1741;died April 9, 1783. 

John, born Nov. , 1721; and died young. 

Mary, born June 19, 1723; died at Westfield, April 3, 1759; buried at 
Chelmsford. 

Margaret, born , 1725; married Rev. Samuel Hopkins of Hadley, 

Mass., Sept. 14, 1776. 

4. (Colonel) Samson, born May 1, 1709, died 1777; buried, April 28; (see 
page 203); graduated Harvard 1730; studied Divinity, but concluded to turn 
his attention to trade and agriculture. He married Elizabeth Maverick, 
Sept. 22, 1738. In 1741, he married , name unknown, and had 

5. Samson, born April 3, 1743; graduated Harvard 1763; died 1779; 
buried March 26. He was schoolmaster and Justice of the Peace in Chelmsford, 
and Major of the Militia. He was associated with his father in managing the 
estate in New Hampshire. 

Also one daughter. 

Col. Samson married, 2nd, Oct. 18, 1744, Margaret Vryling, and had: 

Vryling, born Dec. 17, 1746; died 1779; buried May 8. Graduated at 
Harvard in 1765, and taught school in Chelmsford; died suddenly. 

Sarah, born Oct. 27, 1752; died Aug. 3, 1818; married Aug. 26, 1779, 
Levi Wilder of Lancaster. 

Margaret Vryling was the daughter of a distinguished 
merchant (named Van Vryling) of Amsterdam, Holland, where 
her parents were under the ministry of the Rev. John Robinson, 
the Puritan. The mother was, in early life, at boarding school 
at Dort, and there embraced the tenets of the Pilgrim Fathers. 
Her husband held like views. After his death she came with 
her two daughters to Boston, in 1715. There Margaret married 
Mr. Stoddard. He kept a store for many years in Chelmsford, 
and is said to have owned 80,000 acres of land in New Hampshire, 
where a township was named for him. He received his com- 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 775 

mission as Lt. Colonel Sept. 12, 1749. He was Colonel of the 
2d Regiment of Middlesex County, and Representative in the 
General Court. 

Allen says (page 132) that Col. Stoddard "studied divinity 
and began to preach, but for some reason * * * he 
turned his attention to trade and agriculture. He opened a 
store of English and West India goods and traded largely in 
Chelmsford for many years." He took an honorable part in 
the affairs of Church and Towti for a long period, and was a man 
of pure morals. "At the commencement of the Revolutionary- 
war, he was suspected of indifference to the cause of the Revolution, 
or of favoring its enemies. He, therefore, fell under the displeasure 
of the people, who, according to the spirit of the times, treated him 
with some indignity, from which he never fully recovered. 
Whether he really did favor the cause of Great Britain or not, 
seems not to be clearly ascertained. But his best friends centured 
him for withholding a full exposition of his sentiments." 

In 1708, the estate of the first minister of Chelmsford, John 
Fiske, was sold by the children of his brother, Moses, to Samson 
Stoddard for £130. His children sold to Ebenezer Bridge, the 
fourth pastor, who married Mr. Stoddard's daughter, Sarah. 

John Fiske, Jonas Clarke, Samson Stoddard, and Ebenezer 
Bridge, were, in their respective families, the eldest sons of the 
first four pastors of Chelmsford, and of each of them nearly the 
same thing may be said. They each grew to manhood and 
resided in Chelmsford, educated, intelligent and useful men. 
They held nearly the same offices in the Town, and for about 
120 years the oldest son of a minister was a leading citizen. The 
last three were Justices of the Peace, members of the Legislature, 
and Commanders of Regiments. "Because they were worthy, 
their fellow-citizens gladly gave them honor." [See Stoddard 
Genealogy, and Allen, page 140.] 

This marriage is found in the Boston records: Sampson 
Stoddard, Jr., Esq., and Jemima White were married in Boston, 
Sept. 20, 1772, by Rev. Mather Byles, D. D. 

THE REV. EBENEZER BRIDGE. 

Allen says: "The period, at which the subject of this biograph- 
ical sketch lived, was the most difficult and trying for clergymen, 
of any half century since the settlement of this coimtry. 

"Mr. Bridge was bom in Boston, 1714. He was educated 
at Harvard University, Cambridge, whence he procured A. B., 
1736, at the age of 17 years. He spent the next year after he 
left the university, at Plymouth, in instructing the grammar 
school, where he was much respected and beloved by his pupils. 
[See memoir of Schoolmasters, in Plymouth His. Col., vol. 4."] 

Allen is mistaken in the date of Mr. Bridge's birth, as will 
be seen from the following items, collected from the records of 



776 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Boston and of the New Brick Church. Allen also gives what 
are probably the baptismal dates as the birth dates of Mr. Bridge's 
children. The latter dates have been substituted for the former 
in Allen's account here quoted. 

Ebenezer Bridge and Mary Roberts of Boston were married 
by the Rev. Cotton Mather, May 11, 1710. 

The children of Ebenezer and Mary Bridge were : 



Mary, born 


March 


15, 1711; 


baptized March 


18, 1711. 


Hannah, " 


June 


11, 1713 


June 


14, 1713. 


*(Rev.) Ebenezer, " 


March 


4, 1716 


March 


11, 1716. 


Sarah, " 


March 


20, 1718 


" March 


23, 1718 


Experience, ' ' 


July 


10, 1721 


July 


23, 1721 


John, " 


July 


21, 1723 


July 


21, 1723 


Samuel, 


August 


10, 1726 


" August 


14, 1726 


Abigail, " 


May 


7, 1731 


May 


9, 1731 


Elizabeth, " 


April 


2, 1732 


April 


9, 1732 


Persis, " 


March 


18, 1733 


" March 


18, 1733 


Samuel, 


June 


19, 1734 


" June 


23, 1734 


William, " 


Jan. 


13, 1736 


" Jan. 


18, 1736 


Benjamin, " 


Sept. 


9, 1737 


; " Sept. 


11, 1737 


Jerusha, " 


Jan. 


8, 1743 


" Jan. 


9, 1743 



In 1715, Ebenezer Bridge was apparently following the black- 
smith's trade; and on July 24, 1729 permission was given by the 
Town of Boston "To Ebenezer Bridge of Boston Blacksmith to 
Erect a Timber building for a Dwelling house upon his peice of 
Land at the North part of Boston near Beer lane so called sd 
Building to be about Thirty six feet long Eighteen or Nineteen 
feet broad and Eighteen feet Stud." [Boston Records, Vol. 29, 
p. 225.] 

Ebenezer Bridge was one of the twenty-four who first 
associated for the building of the New Brick Church in Boston. 

Ebenezer Bridge and Mary Maccarty were married March 
19, 1729. [Boston Marriages, p. 148.] 

The writer could find no record in Boston of the death of 
Mary Roberts, the wife of Ebenezer Bridge. The deaths at that 
period were not carefully recorded. It may be that she was the 
mother of only the first seven of his fourteen children. 

Mary married Ephriam Baker, vSept. 3, 1730. Hannah mar- 
ried Andrew Symmes, Aug. 31, 1732. Sarah married Jonathan 
Mountfort, Jr., Nov. 25, 1742. Elizabeth married Increase 
Blake, Nov. 18, 1762. [For mention of Symmes and Blake see 
pp. 223, 224, 237.] 

The following documents, relating to the settlement of the 
estate of the father of the Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, are of sufficient 
interest to be included in this account. They are among the 
Fiske papers. 

We the Subscribers, being children and heirs of Capt. Ebr. 
Bridge late of Boston, deceasd — , do hereby Signify to, & Inform 

*It is recorded that Ebenezer Bridge was admitted a member of the New Brick Church, 

Feb. 25, 1738-9. 
Thomas Seccom, of Medford, wrote in his diary: 1739, Nov. 11, Sermon by Mr. Ebenr. Bridge, 

of Boston, a blacksmith's son. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 777 

yr. Honr. that (altho by ye Report of the Gentlemen Jmpowered 
To Divide the Real Estate of the Sd. Ebr., our Hond Father, It 
will admit of Three Settlemts & no more without hurting ye 
whole, yet) we do not Jncline or desire yt any part, or parts of 
the sd Estate shod, be sett off to us, or either of us, but would 
Choose yt The Eldest Son in ye Family be Jntrusted with the 
whole as ye Law directs. 

To The Honble Edwd. Hutchinson, Esq. Mary Baker 
Judge Prob : Jn ye County Suffolk John Bridge 

Boston Jany 13th 1749/50. Andrew Symmes 

Jonathan Mountfort, Junr. 
Experience Bridge 

We the Subscribers [names] children and heirs of Ebenezer 
Bridge of Boston, Gentleman, dec'd. Do hereby acknowledge to 
have received of our Brother Ebenezer Bridge of Chelmsford. 
Clerk, the Rateable proportion of the sd [names] of and in the 
Appraized value of the Real Estate of the sd Ebenezer Bridge, 
deceased, the proportion of each therein being Sixty one pounds 
ten shillings & nine pence farthing Lawful money. As witness 
our hands September the Thirteenth day Anno Dom. 1753. 

Andrew Symmes John Bridge 

Hannah Symmes Experience Bridge 

Jonathan Mountfort Abigail Bridge 

Sarah Mountfort Elizabeth Bridge 

See item from diary, Sept. 20, 1753, on a following page. 

Allen continues: Mr. Bridge, was ordained May 20, 1741. 
The Rev. Mr. Parker, of Dracut, made the introductory prayer. 
Rev. Wm. Welstead, of the North Church, Boston, preached 
from I Tim. 4-6 'A good minister of Jesus Christ.' The Rev. 
Mr. Hancock, of Lexington, gave the charge, and the Rev. Mr. 
Baxter the fellowship of the churches. 

On Oct. 24, 1741, he was married to Miss Sarah Stoddard, 
third daughter of the Rev. Samson Stoddard. 

His stature was large and commanding, his manner grave and 
dignified. He possessed great social powers and was a communi- 
cative friend and pleasant companion; yet such was his sense of 
the sacredness of his office, of the reverence and submission due 
to the ministerial character and authority, that he seemed rather 
to awe the common mind by the majesty, than allure it by the 
loveliness of virtue and piety. As the head of a family, he was 
strict and rigid in exacting obedience and conformity to estab- 
lished regulations. As a parent, affectionate and indulgent. 

His passions were strong and quick, which marked his char- 
acter with energy, decision and religious ardor. The infelicities 
of nature however he turned to a good account by making them 
subserve the high purposes of virtuous activity and religious 
fidelity and zeal in the service of his Divine Master. 



778 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In the pulpit he was animated and solemn, and by his clear, 
sonorous voice and distinct pronunciation delighted the ear and 
commanded the attention of his hearers. He may be ranked 
among the happy few, who on a sudden emergency or special 
occasion, discover an admirable facility in selecting and arranging 
ideas, putting them in a dress, and delivering them, in a manner 
appropriate to the feelings, which the occasion excites. 

His rank among the ministers of his day may be ascertained 
by the public honors conferred upon him in being appointed to 
preach the Artillery Election sermon in 1752, June 1; and the 
general Election sermon May 27, 1767. 

In 1762 he was chosen scribe of the convention of ministers, 
and in 1780 preached the convention sermon. 

These sermons are in print, and do equal honor to his under- 
standing and heart, patriotism and piety. The former discourse 
is founded on the 10th. ch. of Acts, and 1, and 2 verses. 

"Cornelius, a Centurion of the Band, called the Italian Band, 
a devout man and one that feared God with all his house." The 
drift of this discourse is to show the consistency of military life 
with the profession and practice of Christianity. 

The latter sermon is from Deut. 33-29. "Happy art thou, 
O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the 
shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!" This 
is a very long and a very loyal sermon. It contains many just 
remarks upon government, and laws, and many useful hints to 
rulers. It is replete with sentiments of attachment to the mother 
coimtry and of devout congratulations for the civil and religious 
liberty and growing prosperity of the colonies. These are the 
only discourses, that are published. He was often solicited; but 
he always refused to give publicity to those occasional discourses, 
which were thought by his hearers to possess peculiar merit. 

As a writer he was deficient in some of those qualities which 
constitute excellence. 

His style was negligent and diffuse, his sentences long and 
ill-constructed. Sermons written in a familiar conversational style, 
are often heard with a pleasure and profit which they seldom 
afford on reading. We have the testimony of living witnesses, 
that he was an acceptable, animated and searching preacher, and 
a faithful minister of the New Testament. 

His creed partook of the orthodoxy of the day, and para- 
doxical as it may seem, he was a strenuous advocate for liberty 
of conscience and the rights of private judgment, and a bitter 
enemy to sectarians of every denomination. But his strongest 
aversions were against the Hopkinsians, with whom he had no 
intercovirse, and whom he could hardly treat with civility. 

His virtues were put to the severest test by the Whitefieldian 
spirit, that pervaded the country and interrupted the peace and 
order of the churches. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 779 

Long and difficult was the work of devising and adopting a 
uniform system of church government and discipHne. This work 
had just been accompHshed by the wisdom and perserverence of 
the Fathers of the New England churches, which had enjoyed 
but a short peace; when a host of mushroom exhorters and lay 
preachers, who owed their origin to Mr. Whitefield, sprang up 
and made inroads upon the peace and order of Chrisitan societies 
and churches. 

It is far from the intention of the writer to impeach the 
character, or call in question the motives of this eminent saint. 
His conduct in itinerating and preaching through a country, 
mostly formed into regular churches and societies, and furnished 
with stated pastors, is justly censurable, as contrary to the rules 
of the gospel, and subversive of the civil and religious peace of 
society, and of the order and edification of the churches. 

From his example, powerful eloquence, and inflammatory 
zeal many settled ministers were induced to play the Bishop in 
another's diocese; and many illiterate persons to assimie the 
office of itinerating preachers. By persons of this description 
many members of this church were seduced and beguiled from 
the simplicity and order of the gospel, to the great grief of their 
brethren and of their stated pastor. At one time we find no 
less than fifteen persons called before the church to answer to 
the charge of disorderly conduct and violation of covenant en- 
gagements in going after vagrant preachers and lay exhorters. 

To deal with such persons so as to convert them from the 
error of their ways was a most difficult task, and required both 
patience, meekness, and wisdom. In several trials of this sort 
the virtues of Mr. Bridge shone conspicuously and triumphed 
over his enemies. During his ministry the church was frequently 
called to exercise its authority in disciplining its irregular mem- 
bers, and it rarely exerted it without the designed effect. 

Much truth as well as keen satire is contained in his reply to 
the request of sundry persons to be dismissed from this church 
in order to unite with others in forming a church in Carlisle. 
"Twenty years," said he, "have I been grieved with that genera- 
tion. I give my most hearty consent to their dismission." 

The time of his ministry was a very difficult and trying one 
in a pecuniary point of view. So great and sudden were the de- 
preciations of money, and so oppressive the burden of maintain- 
ing the Revolutionary war, and so many and great the embar- 
rassments lying upon the people after the attainment of their 
independence, that it is difficult to conceive of the straits to 
which the clergy were reduced. 

Though the people were attentive to his wants and indulgent 
to his requests, yet considerable time must have necessarily 
elapsed before depreciations could be made up and necessary 
supplies granted. 



780 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

In the commencement of the war with Great Britain and 
until the republication of Hutchinson's Letters in this country, 
he was a decided friend of the cause and interest of Great Britain. 
But after the perusal of these letters, he changed his opinion, 
and was ever after one of the most ardent supporters of the inde- 
pendence and liberties of the colonies; and his exertions greatly 
contributed to the union, zeal and patriotism of the inhabitants 
of the Town. 

In 1783, April 9, he was called in divine providence to the 
painful bereavement of his consort. 

She died in the sixty-fourth year of her age, after having 
accompanied him forty-one years in his pilgrimage, and partaken 
with him the afflictions and consolations of the gospel. 

In 1791 he married Mrs. Joanna Abbott, relict of Dr. Nehemiah 
Abbott, who survived him several years. From this time 
his health and strength gradually failed. He continued however 
to preach with little interruption till a few weeks before his death, 
though with all mental and corporeal debility, incident to advanced 
age. After a long and useful ministry he was called to give an 
account of his stewardship, Oct. 1, 1792. The church erected a 
monument to his memory with the following appropriate Inscrip- 
tion : — 

By the Church of Christ 

In CHELMSFORD 

In testimony of their esteem and veneration 

This sepulchral stone was erected, to stand 

as a sacred memorial of their late worthy Pastor 

The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, 

who after having officiated among them 

in the service of the Sanctuary 

for more than a year above half a century, 

the strength of nature being exhausted, 

sunk under the burden of age 
and joined the congregation of the dead, 
Oct. 1, 1792, M. 78. 

The children of Rev. Ebenezer Bridge were, Sarah, bom 
July 23, 1742, married to Rev. Henry Cummings, D.D., of Billerica; 
Ebenezer, bom April 23, 1744. (He represented Chelmsford in 
the General Court in 1786, and was for many years moderator 
of the Town meeting.) ; John, born Jan. 31, 1745/6; Elizabeth, July 
1, 1748, died in infancy; Mary, Nov. 14, 1750, married to Mr. 
Timothy Winn of Woburn, now Burlington; William, Jan. 11, 
1753, died July 13, 1826; Katherine, Feb. 16, 1755, died in infancy; 
Lucrctia, March 6, 1757, married to Dr. Walter Hastings, April 
10, 1777. 

Ebenezer, the oldest son received the honors of the Univer- 
sity at Cambridge in 1764. Soon after leaving college he went 
to Worcester, where he spent a year or more in teaching a public 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 781 

school. He then removed to Billerica and opened a store of E. 
and W. I. Goods. In 1775 he was chosen Col. of the 27th Reg. 
of Minute Men, which he commanded at the celebrated battle on 
Bunker's Hill, in which he received two slight wounds. In 1776 
or 7 he was chosen Register of deeds of the county of Middlesex. 
From 1781 to 1800 he was chosen successively a senator in the 
Legislature of Massachusetts, and from 1783 to 1808 county 
treasurer. Jan. 25, 1787, he married the widow Mary Mountfort 
of Boston. She died Sept. 24th of that year. 

He was a faithful guardian of the rights and liberties of his 
country, and a zealous promoter of the interest and welfare of 
his native Town. His numberous friends and acquaintances 
always found a cordial welcome and hospitable retreat at his 
house. He was respected abroad as a correct politician, and an 
enlightened, tried patriot, and esteemed at home for his public 
services and private virtues. 



Twenty-nine octodecimo volumes of Mr. Bridge's manuscript 
sermons have been bound, and are now in the possession of Mr. 
Fred M. Fiske of Somerville. 

At a General Town Meeting of ye Freeholders & other 
Inhabitants of ye Town of Chelmsford, regularly assembled on 
Tuesday ye 2d of December, 1740: 

Voted & unanimously chose Mr. Ebenezer Bridge to be our 
Gospel minister amonge us. 

Voted to continue ye former committee chosen by ye Town 
to discourse with Mr. Bridge in order for his settling among us 
and make report to ye Town for their farther consideration. 

Voted to give Mr. Bridge one hundred and eighty pounds 
for his yearly salary provided Mr. Bridge becomes our settled 
minister in passable Bills of Credit of ye old tenner or any other 
money amonge us equivalent. 

Voted to give Mr. Bridge four hundred pounds in bills of 
credit of ye old tener or equivalent thertoo for his settlement. 

Later £20 a year in Province bills was added to his salary, 
and £100 "in Province bills of ye old tenour" to his settlement. 

In his letter of acceptance "To the Inhabitants of the Town 
of Chelmsford" Mr. Bridge makes reference to their generous pro- 
vision "for my encouragement" (knowing that it is ordained of God 
that he that preaches ye Gospel shall live of ye Gospel) and says : 
"I do now declare my acceptance with your call, and as I 
trust ye call of Providence to me herein and my acceptance of 
your offers for my support and comfort among you, expecting 
that you make full payment at the expiration of two years from 
ye first day of November One Thousand & Seven Hundred & 
forty. . . . And I chuse to take this opportunity to express 
my delight & satisfaction in ye peace, love & unanimity subsisting 
among you, which has greatly engaged me to you, and I earnestly 



782 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

entreat you & each of you that you do in your respective places 
endeavour still to maintain and preserve it among you, as it will 
be a means of rendering me serviceable to you, by ye blessing of 
ye God of love and peace. And further one thing I beseech and 
intreat of you, that you would at all times when surrounding ye 
Throne of Grace for ye supply of your own wants bear me on 
your minds and pray to ye God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 
that I might be filled with ye gifts and graces of his good Spirit, 
that I might be thoroughly furnished to every good word and 
work, that you might by his Grace be my crown of rejoicing in 
ye day of ye Lord. And be assured that so long as God shall 
continue me in your service, I shall, relying on his gracious assist- 
ance, readily lay myself out to serve you & yours in ye Gospel 
of his dear Son. 

ORDINATION OF MR. BRIDGE. 

A committee was chosen to provide a place of public entertain- 
ment, and empowered to draw money out of the Town Treasury 
for that purpose. The galleries in the meeting house were strength- 
ened "that they may not be in danger of breaking down at the 
ordination." 

The front gallery and the first four body seats were reserved 
"for the Council to sit in." 

The ordination expenses amounted to £67:00:03. 

During the pastorate of Ebenezer Bridge, 1741-1792, there 
were baptized 1,980 persons, of whom 48 were by other ministers. 
Messrs. Cimiings, Ripley and Penniman baptized some here after 
Bridge's death. In the same period there were 965 burials. 

He also records many marriages, which are included in the 
printed "Vital Records" of Chelmsford. For fees he received 
from half a dollar to sixty-five dollars in paper. In 1781 he 
received on one occasion "80 dollars Continental money as it is 
now called." It was the custom sometunes to give gloves. In 
1760 were married John Winslow of Boston and Sarah Tyng of 
Dunstable. Mr. Bridge records that the fee was "a guinea and 
a pair of kid gloves for self and wife." "I prayed and Justice 
Fletcher pronounced them man and wife." 

The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge died Oct. 1, 1792, intestate. 

His son Ebenezer was administrator of the estate, and gave 
a bond for $10,000. Samuel Pitts, merchant, and Joseph Adams, 
yeoman, were sureties. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 783 



INVENTORY OF THE ESTATE OF EBENEZER BRIDGE. 



The Homestead including about fifteen acres of Land, with the dwelling 

house, Barn, Grist Mill and appurtenances thereto belonging .... £350 . . 

About seven acres of Fresh meadow 50 . . 



1 Brown Cow £3.6.0 

1 Brindle do 3. 

1 Red do 2.17.0 

1 Hog 2.5.0 

2 pigs 1.0.7 

1 Blk Walnut Desk 1.7.0 

1 Writing do 7.6 

8 Leather bottomed chairs . 1.8,0 

1 Couch 7.0 

1 Walnut Table 10.0 

1 do do 12.0 

1 pine do 5.0 

1 pr cast Andirons 2.6 

4 pr shovels & Tongs 1.4.0 

1 pr small polished and- 
irons 8.0 

1 pr small Iron andirons. . . 2.0 

1 pr large polished do ... 10.0 

1 pr largest do do ... 6.0 

1 Maple Table 10.0 

1 do do 5.0 

4 round back chairs & 2 

cushions 12.0 

1 armed chair 5.0 

9 chairs 19.6 

1 saddle 12.0 

1 Watch 2.8.0 

1 Candlestand 6.0 

1 pr Tobacco Tongs 2.0 

5 red chairs 10.0 

1 Blk framed Looking Glass 2.8.0 

1 do 12.0 

Ismail do 1.0 

1 Chamber Table 18.0 

1 Bed, Bedding, Bedstead 

& Curtains 10.0.0 

Ido&c 1.16.0 

1 do &c 1.4.0 

1 Blk Table 5.0 

1 Chest of Drawers 6.0 



1 Sack bottomed Bedstead. 15.0 
Wearing Apparel 3.6.0 



15.0 

9.0 

18.0 

4.0 

2.6 

10.0 

4.6 

1.0 

3.0 

1.4 

3.0 

3.0 

1.3.0 

3.0 

1.0 

2.0 

3.0 

4.6 

1.0 

4.6 

11.8 

12.0 

4.0 

4.0 

1 Large Brass Kettle 1.0.0 

1 small do 6.0 

2 Iron Pots & a Dish Kettle 10 . 

1 Iron Spit 2.0 

1 Ax 0.7 

I5 Tuns English Hay 5.2.0 

3| do Meadow do 4.4.0 

1 Pitch Fork 2.0 

1 Hay Hook 1.0 

1 Old Chaise 4.10.0 

Pictures 1.10.0 

Books, Pamphlets, Maga- 
zines, &c 15.16.1 



1 Hat 

2 Kitchen Tables 

1 Jack 

1 pr Tongs & a peal [peel = 

fire shovel] 

1 Gridiron 

4 Trammels 

1 Chaffing Dish 

1 Toasting Iron 

1 Watering pot 

1 Lanthorn 

1 Warming pan 

Candle moulds 

1 Bell mettle skillett 

1 Brass do 

1 Trevet [trivet = tripod] . . 

1 Brass Chaffing Dish 

1 pr Brass Candlesticks. . . . 

3 Flat Irons 

1 Ironing Box 

3 Pewter Basons 

14 do Plates 

5 do Dishes 

Knives & Forks 

Tin Ware 



38^ plate £9 . 16 .8 & 11 pwdt old Gold 58/8 



Oliver Barron 
Josiah Fletcher, 3d 
Jonathan Williams 



Apprizers 



£487.19.9 
12.15.4 

£500.15.1 



784 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

selected items from the diary of the rev. ebenezer bridge 
(condensed.) 

1749. March 4. This year entered upon ye 34 year of my age. 
O, my barrenness, [Resolves to lead a more consecrated life.] 

Sept. 13. Col. Sampson Stoddard received his commission as Lieut. 
Colonel yesterday. 

Oct. 18. Daniel Lock, a most violent Newlight. I was not asked to 
attend the funeral of his child. 

Nov. 10. Reproved my people for some late disorders, fightings and 
quarrellings in drunken fits at the tavern. 

Dec. 12. I set out for Boston in company with Rev. Mr. Hall. My 
horse failed me and I had a fall from him ; thro' Divine Goodness received no 
hurt. 

1750. Jan. 31. Benj. Howard heard lately of the death of his son 
Timo. at Halifax, N. S. 

May 8. Last night began to anoint for ye Itch, and kept house this day. 

9. And also this day. Filthy work! 

10. Washed and became a little more comfortable. 

11. Rode out p. m. a little for ye air, but weak. 
July 16. Took a little diversion at fishing. 

Aug. 8. Exceedingly engaged and fatigued in Haying. 
17. Discoursed with about their intemperance for which bap- 
tism was denied their child. The church expects public confession. 

1751. Jan. 3. Dropped the preparatory lecture because it was poorly 
attended. Communicants went to tavern, much frolicking and disorder 
among young people. 

Jan. 22 (1750/1). This morning a very high wind wch blew down 
several buildings, and much rain. 

Feb. 7. This evening was presented to me a handsome gown. This 
bountyful gift of sundry women of ye town I am utterly unworthy of, but I 
hope their goodness — will stir me to fidelity in ye service of ye souls of all 
my people. 

March 4. Prayed in Town meeting and supped with the selectmen at 
Parker's. 

May 8. Discoursed with Gershom Proctor's wife. She expressed her 
sorrow for some of her conduct as a Newlight, and particularly asked me to 
forgive her in matters relating to her conduct toward me. She had absented 
herself from the Lord's Table this 7 years past. 

15. I visited Col. Tyng and dined there with my sister Elizabeth and 
my daughter Sally. 

Sept. 16. Baptized Mary, wife of Andrew Betty, dau. of Dr. Tucker, 
who was an Anabaptist, so was not baptized in infancy. 

1752. Feb. 15. Received a visit from Master Minot and his armour- 
bearer. 

March 12. Received letter from committee of ye Ancient and Honorable 
Co. Chosen to deliver Election Sermon. I am truly sorry and should be glad 
ever to be freed from such public appearances. (He preached June 1, and 
dined with the Company in Faneuil Hall.) 

15. This day, answering to ye 4th of March, O. S., is my birthday. 

Sept. 2. Here according to Act of Parliament eleven days are to be 
left out this month, and from ye 2d we go to ye fourteenth, according to New 
Style. 

Mr. Waterman and Mr. Mayo, a Virginia man, both from London, here 
on a visit. 

Oct. 20. A Barbacue in Dracut. 

Dec. 11. Rev. and Ven. Bishop Hancock's funeral in Lexington. He 
attended with Col. Clarke and Col. Stoddard. 

1753. May 3. Visited brother Benjamin and Mr. Mather in Boston. 
Sept. 20. Conveyed all of my Dear Honored Father's estate to Mr. 

Nath. Barker, Jr. of Boston for £800 = £6000. old Tenor. Abigail Howard, 
his maid, received £35. a year = £4. 13.4 lawful money). 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 785 

1754. Jan. 7. Exceedingly hurried, Killing hogs. 

Feb. 1. Smoked a pipe with ye Selectmen at Jno. Parker's tavern. 

March 12. Smoked a pipe at Col. Stoddard's with Mr. Downe of Lunen- 
burgh. 

18. Busy contriving with some neighbors for a private school in ye 
middle town. 

June 2. Lord's Day. After meeting, Dr. Robie and Mr. Prescott came 
and smoked a pipe with me. 

July 7. Lord's Day. Sacrament. Was obliged to desire Sarah, wife 
of John Burge, to withdraw, she being one of the followers of Hyde, the 
Separatist speaker. 

(Refused to baptize child of Israel Proctor, for the same reason.) 

(In several instances contributions were made of money, rye, flax, and 
hay, for a man who had lost by fire.) 

Nov. 5. At Boston. Met with Mr. Whitefield who had been preaching 
about considerable, and this morning preached a farewell sermon to the Town 
of Boston. 

1755. April 26. Boston. Took leave of Brother John going on the 
Expedition to Nova Scotia. 

May 14. Dined at Rev. Mr. Parker's (of Dracut) and went with him 
and Mr. Foxcroft of Cambridge to ye fishing place yt side of ye River. (The 
fishing place on the Chelmsford side was a favorite resort of Mr. Bridge.) 

15. Dined at Col. Stoddard's in company with Judge Russell, Judge 
Danforth, Rev. Mr. Parker and divers others. Messrs. Danforth, Foxcroft, 
Jr., Col. Stoddard and Justice Fletcher supped with me. 

23. Preached at ye house of Ben. Proctor to his aged mother from Jno. 
16.33., last clause. 

June 11. Israel Proctor was buried about 1 o'clock by agreement 
he was to have been buried at 9 a. m. & I tarried from minister's meeting at 
Nottingham to attend ye funeral at ye meeting-house, but was treated ill, in 
their improving Hyde, ye Separate teacher to pray at ye house, & when yy 
came to Town desired me to pray wth em which I refused & so I could not 
go to Nottingham. 

18. Visited Jona. Barron who is going off in ye Expedition to Crown Point 
tomorrow, & is made a Lieut, in ye Army. Prayed with ye Soldiers going off 
to Crown Point. 

July 30. Married Oliver Barron to Abigail Prockter fee a dollar. 

Aug. 4. This morning two men, a Raymond and a Fletcher, ye Comttee 
of the District of Carlisle, came to me to enquire about ye Petitioners to ye 
Gen. Court to be set off from us and annexed to em. I told em some were in 
good standing with this Chh., but ye bulk of em were Separates under Hyde, 
ye lay exhorter, and tho' not under a formal censure by vote of ye Church, 
were debarred of enjoyment of special ordinances while yy continue in a 
state of separation. 

28. Fast Day on acct of war. After ye defeat of Gen. Braddock's 
army at ye Ohio, & by reason of our forces gone to Niagara & Crown Point. 
I preached all day from Ps. 60. 9-12. 

Sept. 2. Went fishing to meadw p. m. 

15. A general muster of companies thro the Province to raise men 
to reinforce army at Crown Point. Spent evening at Parker's with ofificers. 
This day ye news came of ye engagement between Gen. Johnson's army & 
ye French & Indians, in wch Johnson's army came off conquerors * * *. A 
signal mercy * * *. 

25. Visited the wife of Jona. Barron, as I did yesterday towards night, 
upon a flying report of her husband being killed in the battle agt.^the enemy 
on ye way to Crown Point. 

26. Visited Mrs. Barron this morning upon the acct. of her.'hearing 
more news of her husband being killed, & discoursed with her. Prayed at 
Parker's with a company going off to Crown Point, Captain Butterfield of 
Dunstable. 



786 HISTOR Y OF CHELMSFORD 

27. Visited Widow Parker upon a flying report of her son being killed 
in the fight under Gen. Johnson, so upon the same acct. visited wife of Jacob 
Parker. 

30. Visited Mrs. Barron, who this day is certified of the death of her 
husband in the late battle with our enemies in the way toward Crown Point, 
by an extract of a letter of Maj. Nichols (to his wife), who also was wounded 
in the same engagement. I discoursed with her again, & endeavored to 
comfort her. 

Oct. 6. I visited widw Parker, she having heard from her son Moses 
in ye Army, whereby is certified to us ye death of Lieut. Barron, Jacob Parker 
and James Emery of this Town. 

1756. Feb. 12. Monsieur Landry, two sons, a daughter & a son's wife 
visited and dined with me. Part of the family I visited yesterday. There 
are fifteen in all. [An Acadian family]. * * * 

14. Paul Landry dined with us. 

March 18. My negro servant Venus died of throat distemper, [of which 
there was a good deal in town]. A great loss. Considering it as a loss of 
estate,^ [she was his slave] it hath little or no weight in my mind. But as a 
death in my family, one that has lived so many years with me & bin so much 
trouble, tho one that hath gone thro a great deal of hard service, one that 
hath provoked me & my wife a multitude of times to rash & unjustifiable 
expressions & hard treatment of her; so wicked & sinful, whose soul is as 
precious as any. Upon these considerations I consider the loss great. 

[His daughter Katherine died on the 23d, and his daughter Betty on 
the 31st of March.] 

Rode to ye fishing place at Wamassick & was diverted in 

seeing the fishermen catch fish, & the men were very civil & libera! to me. 

May 1. Saw a number of our Soldiers returned from Nova Scotia. 

9. Preached to Capt. Butterfield's soldiers going against Crown Point. 
[He mentions Eben Foster, a good, kind neighbor and friend.] 

July 1. [Rev. Mr. Clark of Lexington, Madam Hancock and others 
dined with him.] 

[He met Shad. Ireland & another violent Newlight * * * found 

em grossly ignorant & enthusiastick.] 

[His sister Symmes died, leaving 12 children. Her age was 43, 

and she had had 17 children.] 

Baptized negro child belonging to Joseph Moors. 

1757. July 12. Col. Stoddard asked me if I would let him know whether 
I was furnished with arms & ammunition according to law. I said no. he 
went away affronted. [Clergj'men were required to be thus equipped, ac- 
cording to law.] 

18. Rode to Tyng's pond a fishing. There was agreeable company 
there. 

Aug. 16. A great commotion in sending off men to our forts to ye 
Westward. 

17. Prayed with Troops from Newbury, Rowley, &c. 

18. Went to Lieut. Proctor's & prayed with our troops going oft' toward 
ye forts or Albany &c. 

26. My brother John Bridge arrived here in his way from Lake George, 
he being one that was taken by the French and stripped by the Indians, when 
Fort Wm. Henry was taken from us. 

The meeting of ministers to approbate Hyde seems to come to 

nought. 

[Widow Sarah Swallow, widow of Oliver Adams, Mrs. Blaisdell, Henry 
Spaulding's wife and Thomas Spaulding and wife were of "Hyde's hearers." 
also Rachel Rangley, Lucy Burge, Mary Stcdman & Lucy Goold.] 

[He mentions the death of the son of Zach. Emery at Fort Edward, 1755.] 

1758. March 8. Spent evening at Parker's per invitation of Capt. 
Parker, whose Co. mett this afternoon to appoint Bayonet men according to 
the new laws. 

13. Discoursed and prayed with Benj. Byam & others going abroad 
into ye warr having listed under Rogers as Rangers. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 787 

May 2. Capt. Parker listing or pressing men for Canada Expedition. 

4. Col. Tyng mustering ye men who listed & were impressed yesterday 
in his regiment. 

23. Prayed with Capt. Butterfield's Co. wch marched this day for ye 
Lake. 

July 4. This day received agreeable news from the forces at Cape 
Breton. 

5. Further good news, viz. ye taking of sundry vessels &c. 
23. Bad news from ye Lake relating to ye war. 

3L Discoursed at night with Jno. Spaulding, Jr. about his turning to 
ye antipedo baptists & his being about to be rebaptized, but I fear to little or 
no purpose. 

Aug. 17. This day heard the news of the reduction of Louisburgh. 
Welcome news. Blessed be the Lord, whose is the glory & Victory. 

Sept. 14. Day of prayer & thanksgiving on acct. of ye affairs of war 
& the reduction of Louisburgh. 

Josiah Foster hath lately been in captivity with ye Indians & French. 
His wife & 2 children taken with him lived awhile among ye Indians and at 
Mont Real & Quebec, and was sent to England (and his wife died on ye pas- 
sage there), and this last Spring was returned to his native land. He gave 
an entertaining account of his being taken & what passed all along; particu- 
larly told me he saw my cousin Longloisoroi (maiden name, Esther Bridge) 
who lives at Mont Real, who desired him to acquaint me of her, if he should 
return. 

Oct. 31. Zeb. Keyes just returned from ye war, but dangerously sick. 
[Died.] 

Jonas Spaulding (son of Lieut.) died in the war. 

Jer. Butterfield lately returned from Cape Breton, and sick. 

Saml. Marshall lately returned from ye war. 

Dec. 28. Disturbed by the conduct of my miller, by which the flood 
has torn my dams much. 

1759. March 29. Died my wife's sister, Mary Stoddard. 

April 6. Muster of militia to raise men . . . against Canada. 

15. Preached from I Kings 20.11 on occasion of Soldiers going off to 
ye war under command of Capt. Moses Parker. 

16. Dined with Capt. Moses Parker at Parker's [tavern] & prayed 
with his company. 

May 4. Visited Col. Stoddard with my wife after a long absence . . . 
begging for grace that I may forgive with a truly Xtian frame of mind. 

June 5. P. M. attended ye raising of a dwelling house of Ben. Warrens. 

13. Church meeting. Case of those who separated and attended the 
meeting of Samll. Hyde at the South End. . . . They desired a reconciliation. 
Gershom Proctor, Jno. Kidder & wife, Thos. Spaulding & wife. Job Spaulding 
& wife, Jno. Barrett & wife, Jonas Robbins, the wife of Josiah Cory & ye wife 
of Zach. Shed. They have been out since 1754. They were restored all 
except Thos. Spaulding, whose case was continued. 

July 5. Attended ye raising of Capt. Ephraim Spaulding's house. 

Sept. 2. Mr. Thomas Rice, schoolmaster, preached. 

Sent my son Ebenezer to Rev. Mr. Swift's at Acton to live there & be 
instructed in Latin & Greek in order for College. [Later, sent him 2 Joannes 
= £36 old tenor in pay.] Ebenezer passed the examinations at Harvard the 
next July. 

Oct. 13. Heard of the taking of Quebec. Col. Stoddard's house 
illuminated. 

25. Thanksgiving day on acct. of the Reduction of Quebec. My 
brother John from Boston this p. m. who fired us 5 doz. Sky Rockets. 

28. Jno. Barrat's house burned in service time. 

Much troubled on account of domestic affairs. 

Dec. 10. Oliver Barron home from Crown Point. 

[Lieut. Wm. Barron, lately come from Quebec, brought to Mr. Bridge 
a small silver cup taken there.] 

1760. March. 20. News of a terrible fire in Boston. 



788 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Visited — and — whose wives are at awful variance with each other. 
Got em together; discoursed with em, and at length they asked (mutually) 
forgiveness and professed to forgive one another. 

April 13. Contribution for fire-sufferers in Boston: £137.6.0, old tenor. 

Aug. — . Lieut. Jona. Spalding & Ensign Jonathan Harwood both be- 
reaved of a son at Crown Point. 

Dec. 31. Heard of the death of George II; & accession of George III 
proclaimed at Boston yesterday. A sermon & procession tomorrow. [George 
II. died on Oct. 25.] 

1761. March 12. A very considerable shock of an earthquake. Greater 
than I have known except that of 1727 & 1755. [For notice of others see 
Chapter XIII: "Meteorological Observations."] 

[He notes cases of small-pox brought by soldiers The widow Mary 
Keyes had it. A collection taken for her amounted to: cash £62.11.8. grain 
£4.2.6. 

1762. Jan 18. Capt. Moses Parker arrived yesterday from Halifax. 
Feb. 15. Lieut. 's wife threw a pan of hot coals on her 

husband's head & face. He is now bound up with cloaths &c. His wife is 
intemperate & naughty. 

May 17. Dr. Rice came to town as a practitioner. 

Oct. 18. Heard of the taking of Newfoundland from the French. 

Dec. 11. Accepted a large folio Bible for the Ch. from Mr. Henshaw 
of Boston to be read publicly on Lord's Days. 

1763. May 16. Supper at Col. Stoddard's in company with Secretary 
Oliver & his lady. 

June 24. Supper at Col. Stoddard's in company with his Excellency ye 
Governor [Francis Bernard] and ye Honbl. Mr. Bowdoin & ye Honbl. Mr. 
Fletcher & their ladies. 

25. Dined at Col. Stoddard's [with the aforesaid company.] 

26. Lord's Day. His Excellency was at meeting in forenoon only. 
July 12. Dined with Col. Carter & Mr. John Cotton, deputy secretary, 

and others at Col. Stoddard's. 

Aug. 11. Thanksgiving Day on acct. of the Peace restored to our 
Nation. 

18. J no Spaulding informed me that Mr. Hillman was coming to preach 
there p. m. Was so silly as to ask me to come & hear him. 

21. A Town meeting about a new county. Read numerous confessions 
in Ch. for breach of 7th Commandment. Wife of Job. Spaulding offended the 
Church by getting Worcester of Concord to baptize her child. By vote of 
the Ch. she was forgiven on acknowledging her wrong. 

Col. Jno. Alford has had ye small pox on his journey from ye Jerseys in 
ye new way of inoculation. 

Some people here from Boston in their flight on acct. of small pox there. 

1764. Jan 27. This day heard of the burning of the old College at 
Harvard. The Gen. Court met there on acct. of small pox, & a fire in the 
Library beyond what was usual occasioned the burning of the valuable 
library. 

Feb. 1. Dined at Col. Tyng's pr. invitation, with ye neighboring gentle- 
men, &c. 

April 13. Mrs. Waterhouse & her 2 sons went down toward Boston to 
consult about taking of small pox. This affair of ye small pox — my two sons 
desire to be inoculated — is one of the most troublesome affairs of my whole 
life. I wish we may be directed for ye best. Col. Stoddard's sons going to 
Boston to be inoculated. 

July 23. My son Ebenezer went to keep school at Worcester. 

Aug. 23. My son John who has been here all ye small pox time, went to 
Brookline to his master, to abide with him. 

Sept. 12. Great storm of rain. 

1765. Jan. 18. Delighted much in reading Gov. Hutchinson's history 
of N. England. 

Dined at Col. Jno. Tyng's with Justice Fletcher & ye neighboring 

gentlemen. 



I 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 789 

May 15. Dined at Capt. Barron's with Col. Phipps, Mr. Lechmere, 
Major Vassall &c., & their ladies per invitation, supped at Col. Stoddard's 
with Secretary Oliver and lady. They lodged at my house by reason of Col. 
Stoddard having plastered his chambers. 

July 6. My wife & I dined at Col. Stoddard's with his Excellency Gov. 
Bernard & Lady. Both at meeting next day and drank tea with us after 
service. 

Aug. 17. Insurrection at Boston on acct. of the Stamp Act. 

28. News of another insurrection at Boston. 

30. Every day we hear news of ye mobish doings in Boston. In ye 
first insurrection they hanged Secretary Oliver in effigy & then burnt ye 
Stamp Officer & rifled his dwelling house, &c. In ye second they rifled ye 
Lieut. Governor's house — destroyed his goods & took from him his cash &c. 

[Col. Spaulding, Justice of the Peace was called on to pray at a funeral 
in Bridge's absence. Bad doings at lecture & ordinations. 1 

[He has trouble with the selectmen about his wood, and complains of 
being often hurried & worried with worldly affairs.] 

1766. May 22. Col. Stoddard's house illuminated on acct. of the repeal 
of the Stamp Act. 

July 2. Secy. Oliver & lady drank tea with us. 
15. Boston. Dined at Dep. Secy. Cotton's. 
20. Public Thanksgiving for repeal of the Stamp Act. 
Sept. 1. Town meeting. Voted that ye damages to ye sufferers in ye 
late Insurrection should not by their consent be paid by the Province. 

1767. April 13. Son Ebenezer opens shop in Billerica. 

May. 27. Election Day. Preached in Boston & dined at Faneuil Hall. 

31. Lord's Day. I preached for Mr. Mather. 
June 1. Artillery election. Dined at Faneuil Hall. 
22. My new mill raised. 

26. Began to grind. 

28. Mill dam carried away by water raised by violent storm. 

Jacob Wendall's potash house burned. A great loss to him. Sundry 
contributions for VVendall £55 in money & £17 in other things. 

Spent evening at school house with singers. 

Sundry contributions for David Kidder who lost a cow and a pig, £45, o. t. 

Omitted reading the Scriptures for ye winter season. Sometimes also 
the Sacrament, on acct. of cold. 

[The Puritan congregations must have suffered extreme discomfort in 
the cold of winter, to have sat through two long sermons in their unwarmed 
churches. Parson Bridge mentions in his diary one case when the cold was 
so severe that he was unable to complete his sermon * * * "Jan. 7, 1787, 
Administered Sac't supper, but purpose never more to attempt it, if I am 
continued, when so cold." At this time he was 73 years of age and had 
preached in Chelmsford 46 years. When younger, he doubtless bore such 
ordeals unflinchingly 

The diary of Judge Sewall of Boston mentions one bitter cold Sunday. 
"The Communion bread was frozen pretty hard, and rattled sadly into the 
plates." 

If they shivered from the cold themselves, they were humane to their 
horses waiting outside. As early as 1719 the town voted, "that Stephen 
Peirce, senor, and several of the inhabitants of the Neck shall have Liberty 
to build a Stable Nere the meeting house," and others were, from time to 
time, given similar privileges. It was sometime later before we find that 
their own comfort was provided for by noon-houses in which to spend the 
intermission between the morning and afternoon service, and partake of their 
lunch before a glowing fire. [H. S. P.] These were little square buildings, 
sometimes having four small rooms around a chimney, each room sheltering a 
family. Before stoves were placed in the meeting house, in 1820, foot-stoves 
were used — often made of perforated tin or sheet-iron, perhaps a foot square, 
and filled with hot coals. Fur bags and live dogs sometimes served as foot- 
warmers. The minister sometimes preached in a heavy overcoat, fur cap 
and woolen gloves]. 



790 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1769. Feb. 7. This morning before day ye house of Jacob Wendall 
was consumed by fire. He & his family & Josiah Blood & his family & two 
young women narrowly escaped being burnt. They were obliged to flee 
naked, and all of em were frozen in their feet & legs, it being an extreme cold 
time. In ye a. m. I visited these distressed & afflicted families — and pple. 
were very kind to em. 

23. The congregation was broken up by reason of a fire which had 
catch'd ye house of ye widow Stevens. Ye men in general ran & were instru- 
mental of saving ye house & then all returned to ye house of ye Lord. 

July 19. Fine morning. I set off early for Commencement. Got to 
Cambridge about \ after 10 o'clock. 

[Great numbers of children and young people catechized at the meeting 
house, and at the north end in a private house.] 

Dec. 28. [Nurse Babee died, aged 99. She was one of his father's 
family who had carried himself and most of his brothers and sisters to baptism.] 

1770. Sept. 4. Widow Rebecca Dutton's blacksmith shop burned. 
Contributions £70 . 16 . 9 . 0. 

Nov. 18. Capt. Oliver Barron's house burned. Loss £300. or £400. 
Sterling. 

Nathan Crosby turned baptist, and was baptized by plunging, when 
one of their preachers preached at Jno. Spaulding's. 

1771. Jan. 8. Capt. Oliver Barron raised a new house on the site of 
that burned. I attended. Sang ye 3 first Stanzas of 34th Psalm. [He was 
charged by Job Spaulding with preaching false doctrine. Spaulding had 
neglected Gospel privileges since 1749. The pastor was sustained.] 

[He was sick and could not pray at the opening of Town meeting, in 
meeting house, so they came to his house. On Fast Day Lieut. Governor 
Oliver attended service here.] 

[Two young men requested lodging, as they could not be accommodated 
at the tavern.] 

[Col. Tyng's son, John Alford, died. Seven ministers. "A large, hand- 
some funeral."] 

[Ye new deacons took their seats. A mock training and trooping which 
occasioned a great noise. Raised a floom [flume] at my upper dam.] The 
mill was on Beaver brook at the center of the Town. 

Aug. 22. Hon .Joshua Henshaw, wife, son & daughter came from 
Leicester. (Spent five weeks.) 

Sept. 30. This morning all ye Henshaws went home to my great joy 
and thankfulness. 

Nov. 30. This day died suddenly Oliver Fletcher, Esq., of this Town. 
A worthy man, my good neighbor and friend. A great loss is sustained in 
his death, to ye Town & to ye Country as well as to his own family & relations. 
His illness was numb palsy or apoplexy. 

Dec. 8. Omitted reading and shortened intermission on acct. of cold 
weather. 

1772. Jan 2. [Job. Spiaulding confesses to have wronged him many 
years ago in charging him with preaching false doctrine, and later confesses 
before the church and asks forgiveness.] 

[Mentions Barzillai Lew, a free negro. He was a fifer in John Ford's 
Company.] 

17. [In miserable poor frame by reason of family difficulties & many 
contradictions.] 

18. O, for peace & quiet, good order & some religion. 

26. Mr. Scales called; late a tutor of Harvard, now a lawyer. Came 
to town last week to live here. 

Married a negro belonging to Lieut. Wm. Kittredge of Tewkesbury & 
Zuba, a mulatto belonging to Dr. Nehemiah Abbott of this Town. Took no 
fee, though a dollar was ofi^ered. 

[Sick with cold: the first time I have been taken off two Sabbaths running 
since I have been in the ministry.] 

March 15. And also a third Sabbath. Could not send for the doctor 
on account of deep snow. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 791 

22. And a fourth Sabbath. 
April 20. Went to Boston. 

27. To Cambridge to election. Dined with ye Governor & Council in 
College Hall, with ye Rev. President. 

28. Dined at Rev. Mr. Mather's. 

29. Dined with the Lieut. Governor Mr. Oliver. 

June 1. Dined in Fanueil Hall with ye Artillery Compnay. 

Nov. 5. Stephen Scales died of the measles. A man of strong powers 
of mind & a great scholar. Visited ye young lady he courted, a daughter of 
widow Fletcher. 

Nov. 18. Mr. Jona. Williams Austin who came into Town Last night 
dined with me & spent p. m., he comes to settle with us as a Law^'cr. He brot 
Letters recommendatory to me fm. Rev. Doctors Chauncey & Cooper. 

20. Mr. Scales, father of ye late Mr. Stephen Scales, dined with me. 

[Disturbed on acct. of son John's affairs, who had trouble with one 
Sparhawk. his goods sold at public vendue.] 

[Sick with ague in his jaw. draws tooth, better.] 

Sept. 16. His son Billy goes away from home & he knows not where 
he is. Thinks he cannot bear up much longer under his troubles. Was 
forced to buckle & come down & send for my poor son home. 

[His acquaintances stand aloof from him. He can't express his inward 
heart breaking sentiments. His sons Ebenezer and John have measles. So 
distressed, he forgot to give notice of Sacrament and lecture.] 

[Extracts from this Diary, of the Revolutionary period, will be found in 
the Chapter on the Revolution.] 

1783. June 17. Dined at Dr. Mather's in Boston. 
Complains of difficulties, trials, troubles and afflictions. 
Aug. 12. Rode out in my new chaise ye first time. 

24. One Grossman was ordained at the Baptist meeting house, South 
End, in their way. 

1784. June 13. Preached at Dracut and baptized "a grist of babies." 
24. A general Muster of ye Regiment at this Town. Col. Brown, Col. 

Bancroft, Maj. Farmer, field officers. Visited by divers ministers. Rev. 
Messrs. Moody, Cummings, Kidder & Mr. Sargent, a candidate. We dined 
at Barron's (tavern) with the officers. 

Company dined at our house. Company p. m. & evening. The whole 
conducted with decency & order & no damage of any sort. 

27. Visited Mr. Grossman, Baptist teacher, but he was not at home. 

Aug. 18. The shop of David Danforth burned down. 

Oct. 14. In Boston. Dined with Major Philips. 

24. Exchanged with Rev. Mr. Ripley [of Concord]. 

Nov. 2. The Rev. Mr. Cotton called on his way to Boston. 

6. The Rev. Mr. Cotton dined with us. 

1785. Feb. 22. Col. Mareschall, a French gentleman, now of Dracut, 
& his wife at my house. [This was Col. Marie Louis Amand Ansart De 
Marisquelles, of whom an interesting account may be found in "Quaint Bits 
of Lowell History," by Mrs. Sarah Swan Griffin.] 

April 7. Died Col. Simeon Spaulding, aged 71, a worthy, good man. 

23. In ye evening had a bad fall with my face over a logg in ye chimney 
corner. Bruised much upon & about my right eye, also hurt my hand and 
knee. 

July 6. Heard of ye death of Dr. Mather, an old friend and acquaint- 
ance ever since I was young. A good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, 
I believe, aged 79. 

1786. Jan. 1. Extremely cold and ye administration of ye Sacrament 
was put by. I preached, but was overcome in ye last prayer, so yt I had like 
to have fainted away. Could hardly get out of ye pulpit and into my house 
without falling. Was unable to attend Pub. wor. to officiate, p. m., & ye 
congregation dismissed. 

April 27. Died Andrew Beatty, age 74. 

Dec. 11. Roads so blocked up with snow yt they could not bury Isaiah 
Spaulding, & exceeding cold. 



792 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Dec. 24. Lord's Day. Very stormy, but one exercise. Desire of ye 
Town that there be but one until March next. 

1787. Jan. 7. My son ye Col. published to Mrs. Mary Montfort. 

Jan. 17. Confusion by reason of Soldiers collecting here, going out 
against ye Insurgents. 

25. My son Ebenezer Bridge & Mary Montfort were married. May 
the Lord bless em. 

29. Very much unwell all day. Sent at night for Doctor Hurd, Dr. 
Harrington having rnarched yesterday with ye soldiers to Lancaster & so to 
Worcester, with a view to suppress ye Rebels under a Vile fellow named 
Shays in Hampshire County. [There was then no County of Worcester.] 

Feb. 8. Discoursed with young Andrew Betty in danger of being se- 
duced by ye Baptists. 

11. Mr. Smith preached. [Mr. Bridge being unwell. 1 

12. Mr. Smith engaged by the Selectmen to preach 4 Sabbaths to 
come. 

April 9. Many thots in my mind this day on acct. of wt. occurred to me 
in providence, four years ago this day, viz., ye death & departure of my 
dear & beloved wife, who is still fresh in my mind, & I hope always will be, 
as long as I live. 

21. Great fire at Boston last evening. 

May 13. Lord's Day. Rain all day. A very thin meeting. I was 
obliged by reason of ye meeting house its leaking to preach in ye pew all day. 

22. Took a walk into ye ministry. [The glebe or minister's land.] 

27. Lord's day. I preached all day from I Jno. 5.21. Read Jer. 26; 
Jno. 10. After Service, a. m., informed ye congregation that it was ye thot 
of many among us yt yr Contribution proposed us on ye last Lord's Day shod 
be postponed to some future, reasonable time on acct. of ye great scarcity of 
money. 

June 24. Lord's Day. Brush fire in N. W. part of town disturbed 
meeting. 

July 5. Lord's day. omitted reading p. m. by reason of ye heat. 

[He reads Channing's "Salvation for All Men," and Jolinson against 
Channing.] 

31. Worried greatly in my wordly affairs. Meet with a great many 
hardships & contradictions fm all around me. O that I had inward strength 
courage & fortitude — & yt I might be patient & submissive under trials fm 
em whose salvation I long after. 

Aug. 14. Rev. Mr. Waters of Goffstown visited me. 

15. A very fine plentiful rain today. 

Sept. 19. A very great storm of rain & wind, & held all day, & till 
toward morning. I am afraid of hearing of much damage. 

29. Attended ye funeral of my daughter-in-law [wife of son Ebenezer]. 
Rev. Mr. Cummings prayed. The pall-holders were Col. Thompson, Major 
Minot, Esq. Barron, Jona. Williams, Dr. Harrington & Dr. Hurd. 

Oct. 11. A Grand Muster of ye Regiment. Eleven companies together 
with ye train of Artillery. The Lieut. Governr. gave me a visit. He went 
with ye regiment upon ye field, the place of parade about a mile & half off 
& ate what dinr. he ate there. Then came back to my house. I expected a 
number of ministers & others to have dined with us — but almost all went upon 
ye parade. Jno. White, Esq. of Billerica & a young preacher, Mr. Remington 
dined with us, & after dinr. Rev. Mr. Barnard came and refreshed himself at 
my table, then went off. Mr. Smith, preacher, came to see us, but dined at 
my sons, but spent eveng. & lodged with us. Genl. Brooks, & Col. Tyler, 
Brigadier Woods, Majr. Hall & a number of other officers & gentlemen gave 
me ye visit in ye eveng. The Regiment made a fine appearance — were 
greatly applauded for their good behavior. All things were conducted with 
great regularity & order and thro' Divine goodness, no accident. 

12. Genl. Brooks & ye other gentlemen, as yesterday, & Mr. James 
Winthrop gave me a short visit after breakfast & then took leave of me. 

Nov. 7. Short visit to Mr. Samll. Pitts, having come with his family 
to live in late Col. Stoddard's house. [Mrs. Stoddard going to Lancaster.] 



EA RL Y MINIS TERS, PH Y SI CI A NS AND LAW YERS 793 

Nov. 24. Death of Widow Mary Barker [late from Boston at Saml. 
Pitts.] 

Dec. 28. Reading Adams' book upon Government. 

1788. Feb. 8. Much talk about ye Constitution of Government. Its 
being adopted by a vote of ye Convention, wch has been sitting at Boston 
just four weeks yesterday. 

13. Mr. Aikins, preacher, has a call to Dracut — discoursed with him 
on Theological principles, and find him such a one as far as he can who will 
spin cobwebs out of his own brain. 

April 7. Town meeting. Voted for Saml. Adams to be Lieut. Governor. 

May 11. Lord's Day. Foul day, ye pulpit very damp, being wett by 
rain. 

July 3. [His good friend & benefactor Col. John Cummings of Concord 
died at Mr. Bridge's house, aged 60.] 

1789. March 27, Madam Margaret Stoddard, widow of Col. Sampson 
Stoddard, died at Lancaster, March 25 and was buried this day in Chelmsford, 
age 79. (Brought to Mr. Bridge's house at his desire.) Her "paul holders" 
were Col. Thompson, Oliver Barron, Esq., Capt. Stevens, Deacon Goold, 
Deacon Chamberlain & Mr. Saml. Pitts.] "Very decent funeral — a great 
many pple." 

Aug. 8. When I went to bed, was taken, up stairs, with some sort of 
fit,& fell down & broke my collar-bone, right side & was insensible for a 
while. 

9. Lord's day. Very ill & in pain. 

16. Lord's day. Obliged to keep house — in much pain. 

23. Was enabled to go to meeting & preach all day. 

Sept. 15. Town meeting to settle ye affair of building a meeting house. 

1790. Jan. 30. Dorothy Williams died, aged 100, wanting 10 or 20 
days. 

July 17. P. M. a great storm, rain & hail, thunder & lightning. Wind. 
Which did a great deal of damage — but thro Divine goodness, the lives of 
pple. preserved. The hail ye biggest yt I ever saw. My windows with those 
of others greatly broken. Rie & Corn & trees & other things greatly damaged. 

Nov. 7. Lord's Day. Unwell. Could not go out. No pub. meeting 
here nor in several of ye neighboring towns. 

28. Lord's Day stormy, cold blustering, meeting house windows broken 
much. I did not go out — so there was no meeting. 

Dec. 7. Very cold yet. 

12. Lord's Day. Very stormy, rainy day. Meeting house very wett. 
No public meeting. 

16. Very snowy, stormy day & cold. 

[This continued through the month, and he was unwell.] 

1791. Jan. 25. Taken very ill. 
26. Dr. Harrington blooded me. 

30. Lord's day. Kept house, ill — no pub. meeting. 
[He prayed in his own house at funerals. No public meeting for several 
Sundays. Then Mr. Goggin preached: and Mr. Lawrence.] 
April 10. Preached all day. 
May. 15. Pulpit wet: omitted reading. 
Tune 15. Isaac Chamberlain's blacksmith shop burned. 

16. Had a fall. 

17. Lord's day. Omitted reading: pulpit wett & damp. 
July 2. In a very poor, indifferent frame. 

Aug. 19. Rev. Mr. Cotton lodged here. 
21. Rev Mr. Cotton preached for me. 

Oct. 16. I went to meeting. Sang and prayed & sang again, but was 
afraid to stay to preach, the pulpit being so wett & damp by reason of rain. 

18. Military muster here. A great deal of Company & confusion. 

19. Company who tarried with us last night to ye number of half a 
dozen, went off before dinner, which caused me to be very thankful. 

23. Lord's day. No pub. meeting here, meeting house so wett cold & 
damp. 



794 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Nov. 7. Town voted to build a meeting house. 

Dec. 11. Preached with difficulty. My eyesight failing me. 

1792. Jan 19. A very great snow storm. 

23. Excessive cold weather. 

March 30. Went out a little while to see ye workman on ye timber for 
ye new meeting house. 

April 2. Voted in town meeting for Mr. Hancock for Governor & Sam 
Adams for Lieut. Governor. 

3. The carpenters began to pull down ye old meeting house. Worked 

all day. 

7. Finished ye pulling down of ye old meeting house without hurt or 
damage. 

8. Lord's day. I preached all day in Esq. Barron's chamber. 
15. No meeting, unwell, much in pain. 

20. Very ill. Had a fall after prayer in ye evening. 

22. Preached all day. 

May 21. A good deal troubled with family dissensions & difficulties. 

30. Thoughts were a good deal upon old times. 

June 3. All ye week in confusion on acct. of ye Raising a New Meet- 
ing House. It was begun on Wednesday, but not finished before Saturday, 
p. m. Overrun with company by day & by night. 

Lord's day. 111. 

25. Nothing but illness & weakness. 

26. ditto. 

27. \ 

90 I 

oq \ the same. 

30! ) 

No preaching all this month. Visited by children & others but confined 
in bed. 

Aug. 12. Mr. Coggin preached. 

19. Rev. Mr. Cummings preached in exchange with Mr. Coggin. 

The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge died Oct. 1, 1792, in his 77th year. 

THE REV. HEZEKIAH PACKARD. 

Allen says: The third house of Worship, begun in 1792, was 
nearly finished ; but there was none to minister at its altar. Divine 
Providence prepared them a man after his own heart, and sent 
him unto them in the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of 
peace. 

The Rev. Hezekiah Packard was ordained pastor of the 
Church in Chehnsford, Oct. 16, 1793, having accepted the 
invitation given by the Town and Church. He was given £200 
as a settlement and £100 annually. 

Dr. Cushing of Waltham delivered the charge. 

Joseph Willard, President of Harvard University preached 
the ordination sermon, which was printed. 

His own Thanksgiving sermon, "A Plea of Patriotism," 
preached at Chelmsford, 1795, and two discourses on Federal 
Republicanism, preached at Chelmsford and Concord in 1799 were 
printed. 

He was bom Dec. 6, 1761, at North Bridgewater, Mass., 
the son of Jacob, son of Solomon, son of Zaccheus, son of Samuel, 
who came from Wymondham, Norfolk County, England. Nov. 23, 
1796, he married Mary, daughter of the Rev. Alpheus Spring. 
He died in Salem, April 25, 1849. 



1 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 795 

The battle of Bunker Hill greatly excited his patriotic feel- 
ings, and although only thirteen and a half years old, (but large 
for his age) was appointed fifer by the captain of the militia. 
The captain soon enlisted and the young fifer went with him to 
Boston. He v/as in the battle of Harlem Heights, where his 
brother Asa was wounded, and was for some time sick in the hos- 
pital. He saw General Washington take command of the Army, 
under the elm tree in Cambridge, and was so stricken with awe 
at the sight of the General, that he forgot to take off his hat. An 
extended account of his experiences may be found in "Recollec- 
ions of a Long Life," by Joseph Packard, D. D. 

The official record of his services is as follows : 

Packard, Hezekiah, Bridgewater. Private, Capt. John 
Porter's co., Col. Paul Dudley Sargent's regt.; Company return 
dated Camp before Boston, Oct. 6, 1775; reported enlisted into 
another company; also, Fifer, Capt. Edward Cobb's co.. Col. 
Titcomb's regt.; service 2 mos. 4j days (also given 2 mos.); 
Company marched from Bridgewater and Abington to Bristol, 
R. I., April 21, 1777; also list of men mustered in Plymouth Co. 
by James Hatch, Muster Master, to serve until Jan. 1, 1779; 
Capt. Nathan Packard's co.; residence, Bridgewater; engaged for 
town of Bridgewater; also, Fifer, Capt. Joseph Cole's co.. Col. 
John Jacob's regt.; engaged Jime 6, 1778; service 6 mos., 27 days, 
at Rhode Island; engagement to expire Jan. 1, 1779; also 10th 
CO., Plymouth Co. regt. ; list of men who performed tours of duty; 
said Packard credited with 5 mos. service at Cambridge; also 
with 12 mos. service at York. 

For a time he cultivated his farm, after his father's death in 
1777. He entered Harvard College in 1783, and had as class- 
mates Samuel Putnam, later a Justice of the Supreme Court of 
Massachusetts, and John Quincy Adams, who frequently mentions 
Packard in his Diary ("Life in a New England Town"). Adams 
writes of him in 1787; "He has a good share of original wit; but 
his genius is not uncommon; his improvements are greater than 
those of the students in general, but not such as to place him in 
the first rank of scholars. As a speaker he is too much addicted 
to a monotony, whatever his declamations are. His disposition 
is good, and his moral character is unimpeachable." He gradu- 
ated in 1787; was principal of a grammar school in Cambridge. 
He was tutor in Mathematics at Harvard for four years from 
1789. His pastorate in Chelmsford closed July 29, 1802, when 
he went to Wicasset, Maine, and was pastor there until 1830. He 
then came to Middlesex Village where he remained pastor until 
1836. For seventeen 3^ears he was a trustee of Bowdoin College, 
and for ten years Vice President. He originated the Bible Society 
in Lincoln, Maine, and the Evangelical Society. He published 
the Christian's Manual in 1801. After leaving Middlesex Village 
he resided with his children at Saco and Brunswick, Maine, and 
Salem, in this State. 



796 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

For five years Dr. Packard rented a part of Samuel Page 
Hadley's house in Middlesex Village, and lived there with his 
daughter Sarah and Lukey Dixon, a servant, who died in 1832. 
Judge Hadley says : A great sorrow fell upon him while he resided 
under our roof, and this was the death (by consumption) of his 
youngest son, William, a youth of seventeen years, a member of 
the Sophomore class in Bowdoin College, a child of rare promise. 
I have often heard him speak with deep emotion of the loss of 
this dear son, and in his visits to our home it was his invariable 
custom, once at least, during his stay, to enter alone the room in 
which William had died, close the door, and engage in long and 
earnest prayer. To him this room, as he assured us, seemed a 
"sacred and hallowed place." (Address at the Centennial Cele- 
bration of the Chelmsford Social Library, 1894.) Dr. Packard 
was a scholar and a gentleman of refined manners and high char- 
acter, a fine type of the clergyman of his day. Tall and erect, of 
commanding figure, with black eyes, strong and benevolent 
features, dignified and courteous in manner, he was of striking 
personality. His conversation was full of anecdote, interesting 
and delightful, with a playful humor. He was very fond of chil- 
dren. 

Mr. Packard loved good books and delighted in their refining 
and improving companionship, and himself embodied the grace 
and culture created and fostered by good literature. In 1794 he 
was instnimental in establishing the Chelmsford Social Library. 
"Having communicated his intention and obtained a sufficient 
ntmiber of subscribers, on the 6th of January, 1794, a meeting was 
called and the society was organized." The library was incorpo- 
rated in Jan., 1812 under the name "Proprietors of the Social 
Library, in the Town of Chehnsford." Allen estimated its value 
at about one thousand dollars, and says it contained three hun- 
dred and fifty books, including "Rees's Cyclopaedia, the most 
valuable and expensive work ever printed in this country." 
There were then about eighty members, and the shares were 
worth three dollars and fifty cents. 

For nearly one hundred years the books were kept at the 
houses of the successive librarians, then they found a place in the 
Town Hall until the Adams Library was built, when they became 
a part of the public institution. 

The Social Library organized at Billerica in 1772 was the 
first of its kind in Massachusetts. 

Mr. Packard built and occupied the residence long known as 
the David A. Bussell house. 

In 1798, Mr. Packard requested the Town to make up the 
depreciation which had taken place in his salary since his settle- 
ment. This request when it came before the Town was dismissed 
without much discussion and without even referring it to a com- 
mittee to consider and report thereon. At a subsequent Town 
meeting in December, 1798 it was voted to add £20 to Mr. 



I 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 797 

Packard's salary yearly, for six years; but at the next meeting in 
March, 1799, it was voted to reconsider the grant of £20; which 
therefore was not assessed, until it was found to be recoverable 
by a suit at law. In 1802 an arrangement was made for Mr. 
Packard's dismission. It was agreed to allow him for the depre- 
ciations of his salary and betterments made on the ministerial 
land over and above the receipts, and July 5, 1802, his ministerial 
relation was dissolved. His valedictory sermon was preached 
Aug. 1, 1802, from Romans XV., 1, 2, 3. [Allen.] 

Mr. Packard's letters to his former parishioners are full of 
deep, earnest and wise counsel, are expressive of a broad, catholic 
spirit, and breathe love to God and man. Intimacy with him 
elevated and ennobled. He passed the six years at Middlesex 
pleasantly, and decided to resign on account of infirm health. 
Oct. 31, 1836 he wrote: Yesterday I took leave of the Church 
at the table of Communion and at the throne of heavenly grace. 
There was quite a respectable assembly. The choir performed 
quite unexpectedly "Alps" from the Boston Academy, beginning 
"Once more before we part." I was gratified and grateful. 

At Wiscasset he was principal of an academy. He says : For 
many years at Wiscasset, I performed double duty as much as one 
man could, and was up early and late and ate the bread of care- 
fulness (Graham was not at that time known) and broke in upon a 
good constitution. In 1839, he walked some and sawed wood daily. 

Mr. Packard was one of those strong men who, to quote his 
own words, "occupied the middle grounds which are situated in 
the temperate zone of theology and who do not feel themselves 
pledged to any party." His son. Professor A. S. Packard says 
(Sprague's Annals, Am. Pulpit): He was in full sympathy with 
nearly every feature of what is commonly called the Evangelical 
system. ... He halted at the commonly received doctrine 
of the Trinity, and did not like to employ the expressions "Co- 
equal" and "Co-eternal," or to speak of the Son as really and truly 
God, but spoke of Him as "The Almighty Saviour," and "Emman- 
uel, God with us." 

In a sermon preached in the Unitarian Church, Dec. 30, 
1877, the Rev. J. J. Twiss, acting pastor, said: When the church 
in Middlesex Village was formed, it was understood to be a 
Liberal Christian Church, and Rev. Mr. Packard, its first minister, 
was supposed to be a representative of that denomination, or to 
be substantially a Unitarian in his religious convictions. But 
after his installation as pastor, his sympathies and inclinations 
developed in an opposite direction, and he became fully identified 
with the Orthodox Congregationalists. 

He much disliked religious controversy, and quotes Arch- 
bishop Wake: "In religious disputes every good man would desire 
the office of a peacemaker rather than of a litigant & account it 
a greater honor, as well as happiness, upon any reasonable terms 
to put an end to a debate, than to obtain a victory. For victory, 



798 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

whatever other circumstances it might have to recommend it, 
would want this, without which all the rest would be of little 
value, that the breach continues; the brother is not gained; & so 
religion suffers, tho' the particular matter in dispute should never 
be clearly & solidly prov'd or determined." 

He wrote at Wiscasset in 1829: "I consider myself a Bible 
Christian & hold middle ground between the fires of controversy. 
It is I think my prayerful aim to preach Christ & him crucified." 

Towards the end of his life he returned more and more to 
what is called the orthodox theology. He disliked "the extrava- 
gances of the liberals" and he thought the publications of the 
Calvinists "teemed with misrepresentations & errours." 

He deprecated revivals as tending to make the stated and 
ordinary means of religion less effectual, and leading people to 
consider religion a possession which may be obtained at once and 
separate from the feelings, affections and pursuits of domestic 
and social life. 

He was not at all inclined towards Universalism. 

Oct. 26, 1830, at Middlesex he wrote: "Since I have been 
here I took a ride with a friend to call on Mr. Allen, my successor 
in the old parish, and we found him engaged in funeral solemnities. 
He was in the pulpit, when we entered the sanctuary, reading to 
his mourning friends and their sympathizing neighbors on the 
Resurrection. I soon found the person deceased was an old 
parishioner. I joined the procession with my friend and it did 
seem like a dream that I should walk through the passes in the 
same burying ground as I did 30 years ago, marking inscriptions 
in memory of some who were then in full health and vigor. The 
scene was impressive and led me to reflexions adapted to quicken 
me in my labors and urge me to work while it is day." 

He took great satisfaction in recalling the fact that his old 
classmate, President Adams, used to take his arm and walk with 
him in the procession of Alumni at the Harvard Commencement. 

His wife was a lovable. Christian woman, who for thirty-five 
years made him a good helpmate. 

His last days were peaceful and beautiful. He was buried at 
Wicasset. 

The Assembly's Catechism had fallen into disuse in Mr. 
Packard's time, and he published one of his own in 1706, recom- 
mended by several neighboring ministers for "one obvious excel- 
lence," that "it meets all denominations on harmonious ground," 
and "is calculated to promote union." To this was appended "a 
part of Dean Swift's sermon on Sleeping at Church, with some 
alterations." Besides the Catechism and Manual already 
mentioned Dr. Packard's publications were: 

A Thanksgiving Sermon on Federal Republicanism, preached 
at Chelmsford in 1795. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 799 

A Sermon at the Ordination of Andrew Beattie, a native of 
Chelmsford, (Harvard, 1795) who was ordained over the Church 
in SaHsbury, June 28, 1797. 

Two Fast Sermons, preached at Chelmsford and Concord in 
1799. 

A Sermon on the Interment of Mrs. Betsy Wood. 

A Sermon at the Ordination of Thomas Cochran at Camden, 
Maine, in 1805. 

Two Sermons on Infant Baptism, at Wiscasset in 1815. 

Dedicatory Address at the Opening of the Female Academy of 
Augusta, in 1816. 

He received his A. B. and A. M. degrees at Harvard, the 
latter in course. He received the degree of S.T.D. at the Harvard 
Divinity School. In 1818 he received from Harvard the honorary 
degree of Doctor of Divinity. 

Hezekiah and Mary Packard had eight children: 

1798. Alpheus Spring, Professor of Greek and Acting-President of 
Bowdoin College, and the author of numerous books. He was born in Chelms- 
ford. Longfellow, who was his pupil, tenderly alludes to him in "Morituri 
Salutamus." 

1801. Charles, a teacher and lawyer in Brunswick, Maine. He was 
a Congregational minister in Ohio, in Lancaster, Mass., and Biddeford, Maine. 

1803. George, a successful physician, afterwards ordained in the Epis- 
copal Church, and was for thirty years Rector of Grace Church, Lawrence. 

Hezekiah, studied medicine and became a teacher in Portland, Maine. 
He was later connected with educational interests in New York. 

1812. Joseph, an Episcopal clergyman, for nearly sixty years connected 
with the Theological seminary at Alexandria, Virginia, as Professor and Dean 
of that institution. He was one of the American Committee on the revision 
of the Bible, 1872-1884. 

1816. William, who died a sophomore in college, a young man of high 
character and a religious mind. His grave is in Forefathers' Cemetery. 

Their daughters, who came between Hezekiah and Joseph, were: 

Sarah S., who on her mother's death in 1829, took charge of her father's 
family, and later that of her brother Alpheus. 

Mary, Mrs. Jonathan Tucker of Salem. 

THE REV. WILKES ALLEN. 

^The Rev. Wilkes Allen was the son of *Elnathan, son of 
'Israel, son of ^Elnathan, son of ^Elnathan, all of Shrewsbury. 
He was bom July 10, 1775, the youngest but one of twelve chil- 
dren; the exception being a brother named Liberty. John Wilkes 
was a prominent member of the English Parliament, and a zealous 
friend of the Colonies during the Revolutionary struggle. "Wilkes 
and liberty" was a favorite political cry on both sides of the 
Atlantic, and the enthusiastic father perpetuated it by thus 
naming his boys. 

Wilkes learned the carpenter's trade, and then fitted for col- 
lege at Phillips Academy. He entered Harvard in 1797, aged 
twenty-two. During his vacations he taught school, and gradu- 
ated in 1801, on which occasion he delivered a poem. He had 
previously composed others. He played the base viol, and taught 



800 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

singing in his schools. He studied divinity with Dr. Increase 
Sumner, his pastor in Shrewsbury, who preached his ordination 
sermon in Chelmsford, Nov. 16, 1803, which was printed. 
He also studied with the Rev. Dr. Harris of Dorchester. 

Nov. 13, 1805, he married Mary Morrill, daughter of 
Deacon James Morrill of Boston. She died in 1864. Their chil- 
dren who reached maturity were : James Morrill, Charles Hastings, 
Wilkes, John Clark, and Nathaniel Glover. The latter became 
an Episcopal clergyman who frequently officiated in All Saints' 
parish, Chelmsford, and presented the church with a silver plated 
communion service in memory of his father and mother. He died 
in 1889. Their children, Israel, Mary and Sarah died in infancy. 

Mr. Allen was short in stature, rather thick set and in this 
latter years was bald. "He was grave and dignified," says his 
grandson, "as was usual with persons of such authority as the 
country parson of those days. I have been told that he was a 
rather dull preacher; but I suspect that this also was usual, when 
ministers were settled for life, and in the lack of books and intel- 
lectual society and the pressure of many cares and duties, were 
likely to become intellectually rusty." "During the week he 
toiled on the 'ministerial lands' to eke out his small salary of 
$500 and during part of the year he taught a private school in 
his own house, in which he fitted boys for college. It was prob- 
ably at the time of his marriage that he bought the house the Rev. 
Mr. Packard, his predecessor, had built." He was active on the 
Town School Committee. 

Mr. Allen slowly modified the Calvanistic and Trinitarian 
theology which he accepted when he entered the ministry. He 
went perhaps a step further than his predecessor. In the early 
days the leaders of the liberal wing of the Congregationalists were 
conservative, or would be so considered today. They made the 
inevitable protest against the Calvinistic teaching. Many of the 
"liberals," like Dr. Dalton in Chelmsford, could say they believed 
the Apostles' Creed, believed in Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and 
accepted Christ as the Saviour, but stumbled at the doctrine of 
the Trinity as coinmonly presented. 

Mr. Allen was conservative in temper, but sympathized with 
the new theology of his time. About the middle period of his 
ministry here the break came between the liberals and conserva- 
tives among the Congregationalists, and Mr. Allen took the liberal 
side and kept most of his people with him. He was what was then 
called a "high Arian," that is, he did not hold to the Athanasian 
dogma of the equality, in all respects, of Christ with the Father, 
and yet regarded Christ as a being who was above all other 
created beings. 

The writer was once shown a Prayer Book catechism by 
one of Mr. Allen's old parishioners, which she said he used in 
instructing the children. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS SOI 

He was a zealous and honored Mason, and attained the 
highest honors of the craft. 

July 1, 1806, he was commissioned Chaplain of the Third 
Regiment, Second Brigade, Third Division, and was honorably 
discharged August 8, 1814. 

September 8, 1823, a sermon was preached by Wilkes Allen, 
A. M., at the interment of the Rev. Henry Cummings, D. D., of 
Billerica, of which two editions were printed. A Thanksgiving 
sermon by him on Divine Favors Gratefully Recollected, preached 
in 1810, was printed. 

In 1820 four hundred copies of Mr. Allen's History of Chelms- 
ford were printed at the expense of the Town. It is an octavo 
volume of 192 pages, and has the distinction, aside from its value 
as a record, of being the first town history of the dignity of a 
"volimie" to be printed in this country. Farmer's Memoirs of 
Billerica, a pamphlet of thirty-six pages was printed in 1816. 
Allen was considerably indebted to Farmer in the preparation 
of the Chelmsford history. 

He records in 1813, that Mrs. Baldwin, Rhoda Parker and 
others gave $49 to pay for new furnishings for the pulpit, etc., and 
also $27 for the purchase of a new suit of clothes, presumedly for 
himself. 

When he left Chelmsford, his wife had inherited considerable 
property, and he bought a pleasant estate in what is now North 
Andover where he spent the remaining twelve years of his life, 
doing some farming and actively interested in local affairs. He 
was fond of singing and organized a "Hallelujah Club," for the 
practice of Church music. 

He died at North Andover, December 2, 1845, in consequence 
of injuries caused by a fall in his barn. He is buried in the old 
burying ground at Chelmsford, with his wife and several children. 

His grandson. Rev. Charles A. Allen, preached a memorial 
sermon at Chelmsford, on the one hundredth anniversary of his 
grandfather's ordination. 



PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS. 



In the following notices of the early physicians and lawyers 
of Chelmsford, Allen's list has been used and also that of H. S. 
Perham in Hurd's County History, to which has been added 
such other information as could be obtained and briefly stated. 

In the early days, Samuel Adams and the Rev. John Fiske 
employed their knowledge of the therapeutic art in the relief of 
their neighbors, but for nearly a century there is no record of a 
regular physician practicing in Chelmsford. 

In 1674, a Doctor Read is named in a deposition relating to 
his agreement to cure Hannah, daughter of Solomon Keyes. 
"He looked on her" and said "he well knew what she ailed, and 



802 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

he said further he would cure her for four shilHngs and six pence 
in money, if her father would bring her to his house to help his 
wife in nursing three or four weeks." 

Dr. Anthony Emery, A. M., graduated from Harvard in 
1736, and commenced practice in 1740. 

In 1748, Samuel King, M. D., came from Littleton. He 
married Hannah Richardson in 1751, and several children were 
bom to them. He afterwards removed to Chesterfield, N. H. 

In Bridge's diary there is mention of a Dr. Rice, who came 
here as a practitioner in 1762; also of a Dr. Hurd. 

Dr. Jonas Marshall commenced practice in 1765. His residence 
was that of the late Mr. C. W. Byam, on the south slope of 
Robin's hill. A magnificent elm, standing beside this house, 
was brought by the doctor on horseback from his later home in 
Fitchburg. He was long remembered as an active man and suc- 
cessful practitioner. 

In 1776 his wife and two daughters died of small pox, which 
was communicated by a soldier returning from the war, to whom 
they had afforded hospitality. Their bodies were the first interred 
in the South Chelmsford Cemetery. He removed to Fitchburg 
in 1783. 

Dr. Nehemiah Abbott went from Lexington to Andover and 
came from Andover in 1770. He occupied the house which has 
long been known as the "ark," at the comer of Acton and Bartlett 
Streets. He died July 13, 1785. 

Dr. Walter Hastings graduated from Harvard, 1771; com- 
menced practice in 1776; died November 29, 1782, aged thirty. 

Dr. Timothy Harrington, a graduate of Harvard, 1776; 
came here in 1782. His residence was that now owned by Gilbert 
Wright. He died February 26, 1802, aged forty-eight. 

Dr. John Betty was a native of the Town. He was a soldier 
in the Revolution. He began practice in 1792. His residence 
was that of the late B. O. Robbins, near the South Chelmsford 
Cemetery. 

Dr. Ichabod Gibson, from Lunenburg, commenced practice 
in 1792. He built and occupied what is now the residence of 
Charles E. Bartlett. He died May 10, 1810. 

Dr. Matthias (or Mattathias) Spaulding, a son of Colonel 
Simeon Spaulding, was bom June 25, 1769; graduated Harvard, 
1798, and commenced practice in 1802. He removed to Amherst. 
N. H., in 1805. He died, aged 96. 

Dr. Oliver Scripture, from New Ipswich, N. H., commenced 
practice in 1807. His residence was upon the site of the house 
now occupied by J. A. Hoyt, on South Street. He removed to 
Hollis, N. H., in 1818. 

Dr. Rufus Wyman was born in Woburn, Mass., July 16, 
1778. He graduated from Harvard College in 1799. He studied 
medicine under the direction of Dr. John Jeffries. The following 
degrees were conferred upon him by Harvard: A. M. and M. D. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 80:i 

in 1804, M. M. S. in 1811, and later A. A. S. He settled in Chelms- 
ford in 1805. His residence was the house later occupied by 
Timothy Adams, upon the Billerica road, the site of the High 
vSchool built in 1916. 

Dr. Wyman gained so high a reputation in the profession 
that when the McLean Asylum for the Insane was started in 
Charlestown (now Somerville) he was chosen, March 28, 1818, 
as its first superintendent and physician. The appointment 
])roved a fortunate one. Notwithstanding the popular prejudice 
then existing against hospitals of that kind, the number of patients 
presented for treatment constantly increased, as well as generous 
contributions for the support of the institution. He resigned his 
position in 1835. His death occiured in Roxbury, June 22, 1842. 

When Dr. Wyman removed from Chelmsford, to accept the 
appointment of superintendent of the McLean Asylum at Charles- 
town, a public meeting of the citizens was called to express their 
high esteem and respect for Dr. Wyman and to request him to 
appoint a successor. 

He complied with their wish and introduced Dr. John C. 
Dalton to the people of Chelmsford. In making this choice he 
displayed his characteristic sagacity, and laid the people under 
further obligations of gratitude to him. 

Dr. Dalton was bom in Boston, May 31, 1795. He entered 
Harvard College in 1810, where he acquired scholarly tastes 
which he retained through life. He received his degree of M. D. 
from Cambridge in 1818. 

Dr. Dalton lived while in Chelmsford at what is now called 
the "syndicate farm," the home of Simeon Spaulding, whose 
granddaughter he married. He was a gentleman of accomplished 
manners and an ardent lover of his profession. 

After thirteen years' practice he removed to Lowell, in 1831. 
During his residence of nearly thirty years in that cit}'^ he occupied 
an honored position both as a physician and citizen. He died in 
Boston, Jan. 9, 1864. 

Dr. Paul Kittredge, one of a famous famil\^ of doctors, 
succeeded to the practice of Dr. Dalton, coming to Chelmsford 
from Littleton in 1831. He was a son of Dr. Benj. Kittredge. 
of Tewksbury, where he was born Aug. 29, 1784. He studied 
with his uncle, Dr. Jesseniah Kittredge, of Walpole, N. H. He 
took his degree, was admitted to the Massachusetts Medical 
Society, and then began the practice of his profession at Littleton, 
Mass., in 1810, where he remained until he came to Chelmsford 
in 1831. Dr. Kittredge built and occupied the residence of the 
late Adams Emerson, Esq., now owned and occupied by Erving 
W. Sweetser, Town Treasurer. He had an extensive practice, and 
was often called, especially in cases of surgery, far beyond the 
usual circle of his practice. He had a family of fourteen children, 
four of whom were physicians. One of these, Francis M. Kittredge, 
who built Dr. Howard's residence, was familiarly known as 



804 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Doctor Frank. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College. He 
was associated with his father for several years, and upon the death 
of the latter, Aug. 10, 1845, succeeded to the practice. In 1848, 
he disposed of his interests in Chelmsford to Levi Howard, M. D., 
and removed to Lowell. He died in California, Feb. 13, 1878. 

Dr. Nathan B. Edwards was born in Westford, Mass., Jan. 
3, 1820. He was educated at Groton Academy, studied medicine 
with Dr. Elisha Huntington, of Lowell, and received the degree 
of M. D., from the Berkshire Medical Institute in 1844. The 
year following he settled in practice at North Chelmsford. 

It is not too much to say that no person in Chelmsford was 
ever held in more imiversal respect than Dr. Edwards. Not- 
withstanding the somewhat exacting duties of his profession, 
movements for the educational, moral, religious, political or 
material interests of the people ever found in him an earnest 
supporter. 

He filled, at one time or another, almost every position to 
which his townsmen could elect him. He died June 12, 1893. 

Dr. John C. Bartlett was bom in Charlestown, Mass., Oct. 
5, 1808, and graduated from Bowdoin College, Maine, in 1828. 
Having decided upon the medical profession, he studied with Dr. 
Thompson, of Charlestown, and attended lectures at Har\^ard 
University, graduating in 1831. He soon after settled in Chelms- 
ford, where he continued in practice nearly forty-six years. His 
mother and the mother of Dr. Dal ton were cousins. These two 
physicians received their name from Dr. John Call, an eminent 
physician of Charlestown. Dr. Bartlett entered upon his work 
with the veiy best preparatory training. His standard of pro- 
fessional honor was high, and he never neglected a call of duty. 
Quackery or imposition of any kind gained his decided opposition. 

Although of a somewhat aristocratic bearing, he was one of 
the kindest of neighbors, and a man universally respected for the 
uprightness of his life. He possessed fine musical tastes, and was 
for many years chorister of the Unitarian Society. 

He was active in the cause of temperance and interested in 
education. 

He held the position of president of the board of trustees of 
Westford Academy for many years. He died Jan. 13, 1877, aged 
seventy-two. The esteem in which he was held by his medical 
associates was expressed in a series of resolutions adopted by the 
Medical Society. 

Dr. Levi Howard was bom in Bolton, Massachusetts, May 
26, 1820; was educated at Worcester and Bridgeton Academy, 
Maine; studied with Dr. Lewis W. Houghton, of Waterford, Me., 
and was graduated from the Dartmouth Medical College in 1846. 
He began practice at Stillriver, Mass., where he remained two 
years before coming to Chelmsford. Dr. Howard proved to be a 
worthy successor to the long line of successful Chelmsford physicians. 
He was thoroughly devoted to his profession, and possessed of keen 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 80o 

discernment and powers of observation which did not allow the 
slightest symptoms to escape unnoticed ; these qualities, combined 
with sound judgment, self-reliance and devotion to his patients, 
gained him the full confidence of the community, and he was re- 
warded by a wide and lucrative practice, which included not only 
Chelmsford, but all the adjacent towns. This he retained to the 
close of his life. In physique he was large and powerful, with 
that personal magnetism bom of robust health, quick sensibilities 
and ready tact. His mind was active and well developed in other 
fields beside the professional, and he was a lover of literature and 
music; in the latter he excelled, and his skill with the violin was 
of a high order. 

He practiced his profession to within a week of his death, 
which occurred Jan. 23, 1885, and was succeeded in practice 
by his son, Amasa Howard, M. D., who began to practice in 1882, 
and continues to do so. 

Dr. Charles Toothaker practiced for a time in Chelmsford, 
and was married here Dec. 13, 1841, to Eliza Perry of Methuen. 

Other physicians who have practiced at the Centre Village 
are Dr. Edward H. Chamberlain, from 1884 to 1903, with an 
interval of two years, and Dr. John H. Nichols, from Julv, 1892, 
to July, 1893. Dr. S. W. Pike followed Dr. N. B. Edwards at 
the North Village, and in turn was succeeded in Aug., 1894, by 
Dr. Fred E. Vamey, who practices there at the present time. 
Dr. James J. Hoban is also located in the North Village. Dr. 
Willard C. Cummings was for a time at the West Village. 

Dr. Arthur G. Scoboria began to practice in the Centre 
Village in Aug., 1897, and still continues. 

Dr. W. E. Buck practiced here for a few months in 1915. 

EARLY LAWYERS. 

In the early days the Clerk of the writs probably drew up 
legal papers, and later the Minister or other scholarly man, 
prepared such documents. 

Previous to the growth of so many manufacturing towns in 
the State, Chelmsford occupied a position of much greater relative 
importance than it does today. This is shown by the character 
of the men who were attracted to it as a place for the practice of 
the professions. 

As far as known, Chelmsford's, earliest lawyer was Oliver 
Fletcher, bom here, Sept. 10, 1708. See page 549. He graduated 
from Harvard in 1735. He was a man of high character, and 
received many honors at the hands of his fellow- townsmen. He 
was town clerk, selectman and assessor. He died Nov. 30, 1771. 
See Bridge's Diary, that date. The following notice was printed 
in the Boston Gazette of Monday, Dec. 9, 1771 : 
"Died at Chelmsford the first Instant, Oliver Fletcher. Esq; He 
had his education at Harvard College: took his Degrees in 1735 & 



806 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1738, has been many years a Justice of the Peace for the County 
of Middlesex and Quorum Unus : He was a Councellor in the Law, 
and, for some years a Member of the House of Representatives, in 
all which he sustained a good Character and Reputation. He 
has left a sorrowful Wife & a young Daughter; and his Death is 
lamented by his Friends a Acquaintances, and is a publick Loss." 

A few items from his account book will be found at the end 
of this voltune. 

In January, 1772, Stephen Scales, A. M., settled in Town to 
engage in the practice of the law. 

What promised to be a brilliant career was suddenly cut 
short by death, November 5th of the same year. Mr. Bridge 
records : 

"This morning died very suddenly Stephen Scales, at the 
house of Sampson Stoddard; he had been confined with the measles, 
was able to walk about the house, but took cold, seized with an 
apoplectic attack, fell out of his chair and died in a few minutes. 
He was Tutor at Harvard Coll., since studied law & was a prac- 
titioner in the business, a man of strong power of mind, a great 
scholar, & very considerable lawyer for his age & the time he hath 
practiced; he bid fair to be a very useful and serviceable as well 
as honorable man in life, but at once is at an end as to this life 
& world, an affecting stroke in Providence & may the Lord sanctify 
it." 

The following high tribute to his character and talents 
appeared in The Massachusetts Gazette and the Boston Weekly 
News-Letter, Thursday, Nov. 12, 1772: 

"We hear from Chelmsford, that on Thursday Morning last 
Stephen Scales, Esq., several years a Tutor at Harvard College, 
but lately in the Study of the Law, was seized with a Numbness 
in one of his Hands, which increased so fast that he died within 
ten Minutes. He was a gentleman of superior Genius, improved 
by a thorough Acquaintance with the various Branches of Science, 
— faithful in the Discharge of his Duty in the College, — of strict 
Integrity, and exemplary Virtue — and of so great proficiency in 
the study of the Law that he was truly an Honor to the Profession 
into which he had entered." 

His tombstone, upon which is a lengthy inscription in Latin, 
stands at the right, and very close to, the central path in the old 
cemetery. See his Epitaph in Chapter XVII. 

Within two weeks after the death of Mr. Scales, Mr. Jonathan 
W^illiams Austin, a young man of great promise, just admitted 
to the bar, took up his residence in Town to follow the profession 
of the law. Bridge's diary contains the following reference to 
him: 

"Nov. 18, 1772. Mr. Jona. Williams Austin, who came into 
town last night, dined with me and spent the P. M.; he comes to 
settle with us as a Lawyer. He brought letters to me recommen- 
datory from Rev. Dr. Chauncy & Cooper." 



EARLY AflNISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 807 

He was bom in Boston, April 18, 1751, and j^raduated from 
Harvard College in 1769. He studied law in the office of John 
Adams, and, doubtless, had imbibed something of the patriotic 
fervor of that illustrious statesman, as he immediately became 
prominent in the agitation then going on with the mother country. 
He represented the Town, with Samuel Perham, as delegate to the 
Middlesex Convention, which met at Concord, Aug. 16, 1774, 
and, though then but twenty-three years of age, he was selected 
by the convention for the chairman of the committee to draw up 
the resolutions expressing the sentiments of the people upon the 
grave questions which confronted them. The resolutions, which 
were adopted by a vote of seventy-four to four, conclude with the 
following ringing sentences: 

"Our fathers left a fair inheritance to us, purchased by a 
waste of blood and treasure. This we are resolved to transmit 
equally fair to our children after us. No danger shall affright, 
no difficulties intimidate us; and if, in support of our rights, we 
are called to encounter even death, we are yet undaunted, sen- 
sible that he can never die too soon who lays down his life in 
support of the laws and liberties of his country." 

He showed himself to be a man of action as well as of words, 
for he gave his life in support of those principles so dear to him. 
He entered the service upon the opening of hostilities; was a 
major in 1775, commandant at Castle William in 1776, and died 
in the army to the southward in 1778 or 1779. 

John Wythe, A. M. — A graduate of Harvard in 1760. vSettled 
in Chelmsford, 1778. Afterwards removed to Lexington, and 
from there to Cambridge, where he died. He was a preacher 
before he became a lawyer. 

Samuel Dexter, LL. D., the statesman, who occupied, besides 
other high positions, that of United States Senator from Massa- 
chusetts, practiced law for a time in this Town, coming here in 
1786. He removed to Billerica and afterwards to Charlestown. 
He died in the State of New. York in 1816. 

In 1800, Asahel Steams, A. M., opened an office at Pawtucket 
falls. He was bom June 17, 1774, and died Feb. 5, 1839. He 
was the author of a well-known treatise on Real Actions, and was 
profoundly versed in the Law. In 1814, he represented the dis- 
trict in the Congress of the United States. He removed to Charles- 
town in 1815, and three years later accepted the position of College 
Professor of Law in Harvard University. 

Joel Adams, A, M., was a son of Timothy Adams, of this 
Town. His birthplace was later known as the Sheehan place, in 
District 5. He graduated from Harvard College in 1805, and 
began the practice of law in 1808. His residence was that now 
occupied by his great-grandson, C. E. Bartlett. His office stood 
between his house and what was later Jonathan Larcom's. He 
was known as a sagacious counselor and shrewd man of business. 
He removed to Lowell, and was president of the Prescott Bank, 



808 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

and was connected with other financial institutions. Later in 
Hfe he reUnquished the practice of his profession and again took 
up his residence at his old home in Chelmsford. 

In 1813, Nathaniel Wright, A. M., bom at Sterling, Mass., 
Feb. 13, 1785, entered the law office of Asahel Steams, at Paw- 
tucket falls. When the latter withdrew to a wider field, Wright 
succeeded him in business. He at once became identified with 
the rising fortunes of Lowell; was the chairman of its first Board 
of Selectmen, and later its mayor. He died November 5, 1858, 
aged seventy-three years. 

CHARLES FRANKLIN EMERSON. 

This may be an appropriate place to include among the 
professional men of Chelmsford, Charles Franklin Emerson, Dean 
Emeritus of Dartmouth College. He prepared for college at 
Westford Academy, under Mr. John D. Long, afterwards Governor 
of Massachusetts; and at Appleton Academy, New Ipswich, N. H. 
He taught school in this Town and elsewhere three years before 
entering Dartmouth. His record there as given in the general 
catalogue, is as follows : 

Dartmouth, Class of 1868. 

Emerson, Charles Franklin, A. M., Phi Beta Kappa, b. 28 Sept., 
1843, Chelmsford, Mass. Tutor, 1868-72, Instr. Math., N. H. Coll. Agr. 
and Mech. Arts., 1868-74; Assoc. Prof. Nat. Phil, and Math., 1872-78; 
Instr. Astron., 1877-92; Appleton Prof. Nat. Phil., 1878-99; Dean of Acad. 
Faculty, 1893-1913; Fellow Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 1875; Life Mem. Am. 
Assoc. Adv. Sci. 1898; made Dean Emeritus, 1913; Mem. House of Rep., 
1914-15, and 1916-17. Res. Hanover, N. H. 

He is a son of Owen and Louisa (Butterfield) Emerson and was born in 
Chelmsford, Mass., September 28, 1843. 

The Emerson family originated in England and has been traced back 
to Johannes Emeryson, who lived in County of Durham, previous to 1300. 

1. The line has been traced to Thomas Emerson, born before 1540, 
probably son of Ralf of Foxton, who received the coat of arms in 1583. 

2. Robert, son of Thomas, baptized, Oct. 25, 1561. 

3. Thomas, son of Robert, baptized, July 26, 1584. 

4. Joseph, son of Thomas, born in England, but died in Concord, Mass., 
Jan. 3, 1680. Through his son, Joseph, he was the progenitor of Ralph 
Waldo Emerson. 

5. Edward, son of Joseph, born Apr. 26, 1670, lived for a time in Chelms- 
ford. 

6. Edward, son of Edward, born in Chelmsford, May 8, 1702. 

7. Joseph (Capt.), son of Edward, born, Sept. 13, 1731, died Nov. 22, 
1792. The Emerson Homestead, adjoining the Noah Spaulding place, a half 
mile north of the Centre, was deeded to Capt. Joseph in 1772. 

8. Owen, son of Capt. Joseph, born in Chelmsford, Oct. 3, 1773, died 
June 19, 1836. 

9. Owen (Jun.), son of Owen, born Oct. 24, 1796, died May 2, 1873. 

10. Charles Franklin, sixth child, fourth son, born Sept. 28, 1843, on the 
Butterfield homestead, a half mile north of the Emerson homestead referred 
to above (now the Frank Marshall place). He married Caroline Flagg, of 
North Chelmsford, in 1875. They have two daughters. 



EARLY MINISTERS, PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS 809 
GENEALOGY OF CAPTAIN BENJAMIN WALKER. 

1. Richard, one of the first settlers of Lynn in 1630. 

2. Samuel, a deacon of Woburn. 

3. Joseph, made an inhabitant of Billerica in 1667. 

4. Benjamin, born Oct. 29, 1686; died Aug. 2, 1750; married 1st, Dec. 
15, 1712, Susanna Baldwin of Woburn; 2d, Nov. 26, 1746, Joanna Ditson. 

5. Benjamin, born Jan. 23, 1715-16; died about 1755; married Oct. 2, 
1739, Hannah Frost of Tewksbury. Children: 

6 — Benjamin, born at Billerica, Oct. 6, 1741. 

William, born at Billerica, March 22, 1742-3. Said to have been a 
captain. 

Hannah, born at Billerica, March 26, 1745, 

Susanna, born at Billerica, Jan. 21, 1746-7. 

Zaccheus, born at Billerica, March 12, 1748-9. 1st Lieut., Capt. Joseph 
Moors's Co. 

Sampson, born at Billerica, April 4, 1751. Fitch's Co., Brewer's Regt. 

Eliakim, born at Billerica, April 1, 1753. Capt. John Trull's Co.; also 
Capt. Benj. Walker's Co. 

Hannah, died in infancy. 

All these brothers were in the Revolutionary Army. 

Sampson married Thankful Pierce of Chelmsford. 

6 — Capt. Benjamin Walker married Abiel Abbott of Andover, April 4, 
or Aug. 4, 1763, probably daughter of Ephraim, Jr., and Hannah, and lived 
in that town for a time as well as in Billerica and Chelmsford. They had 
six children: 

Benjamin, born at Andover, Nov. 15, 1763. 

Hannah, born at Andover, July 20, 1766. 

Abiel, son, born at Andover, March 26, 1768. 

Abbott, born at Chelmsford, July 24, 1770. 

Ephraim, born at Chelmsford, July 22, 1772. 

Rhoda, born at Chelmsford, April 12, 1774. 

The widow of Capt. Benjamin Walker married Samuel Fitch of Acton, 
whose first wife was Mary Blood, by whom he had seven children. Two 
children were born of the second marriage. 

David Walker of Capt. Benjamin Walker's Company was the son of 
Ezekiel of Billerica, son of Benjamin, son of Joseph, son of Samuel, son of 
Richard. 

ANCESTRY OF HENRY S. PERHAM. 

1. John, came from Coventry (?), England to Rehoboth, Mass., in 
1640-2. 

2. John, born 1633; m. Lydia Shipley, Dec. 15, 1664; was in Chelmsford, 
1666. 

3. Benoni, born 1676; m. Sarah Robbins. 

4. Samuel, born March 4, 1715; m. Sarah Richardson, April 11, 1741. 

5. Samuel, born July 25, 1756; m. Dolle Osgood, Aug. 7, 1777. 

6. David, born March 20, 1784; m. Rebecca Spaulding, April 19, 1809. 

7. David, born Dec. 16, 1813; m. Eleutheria Wait, Apr. 28, 1839. 

8. Henry Spaulding, born Nov. 16, 1843; m. Estelle Sophia Kittredge, 
Nov. 27, 1866. Their children are: James C, Walter, and David. 

He died Feb. 25, 1906. 



CHAPTER XX. 
ANNALS. 

IT was purposed to make this chapter a complete chronology of 
Chelmsford history, but this voltime having already exceeded 
the limits set by imposed conditions, it has been much condensed 
and a large part of it has been incorporated in the foregoing 
chapters. It contains some facts which could not be conveniently 
included in the preceding pages. 

1657. County Court Records. Liber I. 

Chenceford being pnted [presented] by the Grand Jury at 
the last Court, Apr. 7, '57 for not sending their votes for nominac- 
con of Magistrates the psentmt being called, James Parker 
appeared in the behalf of ye Towne, and pnted an order of the 
Genl. Court for ye abatemt of their fine tmto Twenty shillings, 
the wch the Court accepted. 

A similar fine was remitted to Billerica. 

1658. May 26. The neck of land desired, lying within a 
mile and a half of Nacooke, beyond the towne of Chelmsford, &c., 
granted to Samuel Cole by the General Court. 

1662. It was ordered that the minister shall have his main- 
tainance paid him twice every year — viz., on the last of March & 
last of September and have two lbs. of butter upon every 
milch cow. 

1663. Inhabitants of Chelmsford petitioned for the grant 
of a Township at Penacook, Bouton's "Concord" page 53. 

John Martin of Chelmsford allowed to come yn with such 
persons as shall move and settle a township at Pennycook or 
elsewhere. 

1664. The Inhabitants of Chelmsford and niimerous towns 
declare their good content and satisfaction in the present govern- 
ment. The ruling monarch was Charles II. John Evered, alias 
Webb, and Samuel Adams empowered to join persons in marriage 
in Chelmsford. 

1665. The Selectmen determined a rate of 8d. pr. acre for 
every acre of meadow to pay for land the Town bought of the 
Indians. 

"Chelmsford. No deaths in this Towne this yeare. Blessed 
be the God of life. Entered here by Thomas Danforth, Recorder. " 

1668. Mention is made of a road laid out this year to the 
place "where Mr. John Web had his ware [weir] towards Chelms- 
ford." [Book 3, folio 110 obverse.) 



ANNALS 811 

1670. An order was passed by the inhabitants in town 
meeting, that after this date there shall be no public meeting for 
the granting of land, but what is appointed on some lecture day 
before, and notice thereof given in public after lecture, any order 
to the contrary notwithstanding. A road was also laid out 
from New^eld Gate towards Dea. Waldo's farni to Dunstable, 
6 poles wide, according to town order. 

1677. Ensign William Fletcher, one of the first grantees 
and a most distinguished character, died Nov. 6. 

1680. Chelmsford was one of more than 20 towns which 
failed to make returns respecting the contributions to the College, 
and was ordered to report in Boston on Sept. 3, under penalty of 
£20. 

1683. Corn was 2 shillings per bushel. 

1691. The new charter commenced, which consolidated the 
Pl^-mouth, Massachusetts and Sagadahoc grants or colonies into 
one province. The taxation under this charter, was by single 
and double rates. A single rate is 12d. on the pole, Id. upon 20s. 
principal estate. 

1696. Indian, Mulatto, and negro servants were estimated 
as other personal estate. 

1699. May 10, To Comet Hill for transporting com to 
Billerica £0:8:0. 

1701/2. March ye 3. The inhabitants of Chelmsford being 
then assembled together : they did then by a voat Joyntly agree 
that Each Proprietor In the Towne shall have Three acres of 
Upland: to one Right: as it was formerly Agred Upone, by the 
first planters In the Towne: and forever, to be A Standing Rule. 

1704. Half the soldiers in Chelmsford and other towns 
"most able and of best estate" to provide themselves with snow 
shoes and mogginsons. 

1708. "Voted to devid the wholl comons." 

1711. Maj. Tyng was wounded by the Indians between 
Groton and Concord, carried to Concord and there died — Family 
Records, in possession of Robert Brinley, Esq. Tyngsboro. 
Hubbard and Hutchinson say that Maj. Tyng was killed in Chelms- 
ford. They were doubtless in error. A second division of the 
Commons made: an acre to an acre of right. There were four 
divisions in all. 

1716. More than three thousand (3,650) pine trees were 
loaned at 2-6d per hundred for the purpose of extracting turpen- 
tine. These were on the Town Common lands. Voated that 
the hy way between Chelmsford and Concord shall be laid out 
by verginea meddows. 

1720. Saml. Goold and wife, who came from Dunstable to 
Chelmsford, were the first persons maintained at the public 
expense. The town gave for their maintenance 8s. per week. 
A horse was provided for them to ride to meeting. 

John Davis did smith work. 



812 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

1724. Forty men in Chelmsford obliged by law to provide 
snowshoes and "moggasins" to be in readiness to go against the 
Indians. 

1730. A wall was built round the Ministry. 

The Town chose deer-reeves to prevent the destruction of 
deer. These were chosen every year until 1795. 

A committee was chosen "to let out the fishing place and 
take care of them." 

"Samuel Holden, Esq., of London, whose munificence was 
extended to other churches and incorporations in America, (he 
bestowed charities in New England to the amount of £4,847; his 
wife and daughter, £5,585,) presented to the church and congre- 
gation in Chelmsford the works of Richard Baxter in four folio 
volumes." [Allen.] 

1733. In 1733 and 1762 mention is made of Abbott's ferry, 
(see page 481). In 1761 at the desire of some of the inhabitants 
of Chelmsford and Dracut a Town Road was laid out from the 
meeting house in Chelmsford, easterly from the Long Causeway 
(Plain Street) by the neck houses as the road is now used, by 
the house of Henry Fletcher, to Merrimack river at Abbott's 
Ferry place. 

Probably the Hunt's ferry mentioned in the record of 1762 
was across the Concord river, and the road to Col. Jonas Clark's 
would be what is now Merrimack street in Lowell, continuing up 
Pawtucket street along the river. The "Bridle road," running 
northerly to Merrimack river, would be Bridge street at Abbott's 
ferry. 'The latter ferry also was at one time operated by a Mr. 
Hunt. In 1735 an entry in the Dracut records mentions the 
laying out of a road from Lt. Richardson's to Merrimack river at 
Hunt's ferry. The description shows it to have been the present 
Hildreth street to Bridge street and thence to the river. The 
same year John Colbum of Dracut conveyed to Robert Hildreth, 
100 acres of land, one of the bounds being a "black oak at the 
feiTy." The land extended eastward to Beacon street on Dracut 
heights, and from the river northerly as far as Tenth street. 
The ferry became known as Hildreth 's ferry, but in 1756 land 
and ferry were sold to John White. He in turn sold to Solomon 
Abbott in 1758, and in 1761 Abbott sold to Amos Bradley. His 
son Joseph operated the ferry for many years, but in 1827 con- 
veyed his rights to the Central Bridge Corporation. Thus the 
ferry was known successively as Hunt's, Hildreth's, White's, 
Abbott's and Bradley's ferry. Clark's ferry was at the foot of 
Clark's ferry road, or Baldwin street at Middlesex Village, (see 
Map No. 19). In 1759, when, on Oct. 22, Jonas Clark conveyed 
his farm of 280 acres, one bound was given as "at the Ferry way 
called Clark's Ferry, now in possession of sd. Jonas and Timothy." 

John Webb's ferry was one of the earliest on the Merrimack. 
His house, on the Dracut side of the river, was near the river 
bank, close to the Dttrkee or Old Ferr}^ road. In 1668 he peti- 



ANNALS 813 

tioned the selectmen of Chelmsford to lay out a road from the 
river to the Centre of the Tovm (see page 533) which was granted. 
This road may have been what is now Wood street. 

Hinchman's ferry was above Clark's ferry. 

Hamblct's and Ansart's ferries were the same and were below 
Clark's. 

Brown's ferry was across the Concord river near its month. 

Much of the above information is to be credited to Edwin 
M. Currier, of Dracut. 

1737. Road from Hunt's to Clarke's ferry, south side of 
Merrimack, laid out by order of the court of sessions. Col. Jonas 
Clark erects a pew in the meeting house, near Col. Tyng's pew. 

"For the stocks and mending the irons £0:10:6:0." 

1742. Gave Daniel Shute, £8 per month for teaching school 
— but in 1744, they hired him for £2 lawful money — which is the 
first record made on the town books in lawful money, after the 
depreciation of paper money. 

1743. The Town paid a fine of £10:5:0:0 "for want of a 
schoolmaster." 

1745. "Probably the Louisburg expedition did more to unite 
the Colonies and prepare them for the Revolution than any 
Colonial undertaking." 

1746. The Middle of the Town is described as extending 
two miles each way from the meeting house. 

The Centre Village is sometimes called "The Middle Town 
of Chelmsford," and two centuries ago was designated as "The 
Midst of the Town." "Chelmsford Old Town" is another phrase 
used. 

1748. The Town refused permission to the "Southerly side 
of the Town" to be set off for a separate precinct. 

1750. Town records, first dated according to the new 
style. 

1751. Road laid out through Concord-river-neck, from 
Billerica line, by Eben. Frost's to Zebediah Keyes' house. 

1752. A barrel of powder and 42 dozen flints bought for the 
town stock. 

1754. The To\vn accepted the highway laid out from Simeon 
Spaulding's house "to the Rhode that Ledes from Golden Cove 
to Carnal Clark's, provided that the Land is to be open for Pcple 
to pass." 

1755. Deac. Eben Gould, taught the first Singing school in 
town, which was continued for three months from the 7th day 
of April. 

He received for his services £1 : 12:0 lawful money per month. 
1756. Jean Landrie and a large family, being French from 
Nova Scotia, were thrown upon the town and maintained at the 
public expense, until the end of the war in 1763, at an expenditure 
of £200. which was reimbursed by the province, agreeable to an 
order of Counsel. 



814 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

John Parrot died Nov. 20. He was a poor man supported by 
the Town. The Town paid for "six pairs of gloves for John 
Parrot." This was an old fimeral custom. The gloves were worn 
by the bearers or mourners. 

1755. Robert Keyes of Chelmsford removed to Shrewsbury 
in 1740, and thence to the easterly side of Wachusett Mountain. 
In 1755 his daughter Lucy, between four and five years old, was 
lost in the woods, and never afterwards heard of. It was supposed 
that she was carried away by the Indians. 

1760. Benjamin Kemp built a cooper shop. 

The Town paid Silas Richardson for labour at the bridge over 
Stoney brook and for saving the plank and timber in the time of 
the great freshet, £0:9:0:0. 

1765. A new pound ordered to be built of stone. The old 
one was of wood, built in 1729, and called the new pound. 

1768. Wood per cord, about 87 cents. 

1770. Col. Simeon Spaulding, was present at the extraordinary 
session held in Harvard College. 

1771. The Town cleared up part of the ministry land, for 
which they paid £8. The occupant, Mr. Bridge, had agreed to 
mow the bushes annually, if the Town would clear it up faithfully 
by a stipulated time. — The condition not being fulfilled on the 
part of the Town, the occupant refused to perform his part. 
Thus it remained uncultivated and almost useless until 1803. In 
1763, Mr. Bridge addressed a letter to the Town relating to this 
matter. [Allen, p. 52.] 

In 1683 ten acres in Snake meadow was added to the ministry. 
It was leased to John Spalding and Arthur Crouch for four shillings 
a year, payable in com at two shillings per bushel. It was given 
to Westford when that town was set off from Chelmsford. 

1776. July 13, Joseph Emerson was paid £1 : 16 :0 for a drum. 

1777. Voted to accept the 80 bushels of salt provided for 
Chelmsford by the Government. 

1782. Isaac Chamberlain had a blacksmith shop. 

1784. In the Genealogical Section of the Boston Transcript 
of May 1, 1916, is the statement that Jeremiah Wier, (see page 
352) went to Antrim, N. H., and was murdered on his way home 
from New York with the pay for his military service in 1784. 
He married Esther Kidder of Chelmsford, April 6, 1775. 

Feb. 13, 1793. To Dr. John Betty for staking out the ground 
for the new meeting house £1 : 11:6:0. 

1793. There was purchased "a chain to confine Wm. Powers 
with." 

A letter was received from some Gentlemen in Westford ask- 
ing the Town to concur with them and petition the Gen. Ct. to 
have an academy established in Westford. 

1793. Voted that the Inhabitants of Chelmsford are not 
so well acquainted with the circumstances of the Towns of Groton 
and Westford as would be necessary to justify a complyance 



ANNALS 815 

with the request of the Committee yet they do not find in their 
minds any objection to the Incorporation of an academy in the 
Town of Westford. 

1794. £250 appropriated for building new school houses. 
Taxes are abated in some instances on account of sickness or 

absence in the army. 

William Bridge is constable. He held other town offices. 

"A chist with lock and Kee" to be provided in which shall 
be kept the military stores, and put in the meeting house. 

1795. From March, 1794, to March, 1795 there were ten 
Town meetings. A post was to be erected near the meeting 
house for posting up papers. 

1796. The Town dismissed a request to set off the north- 
easterly part of the Town to be a separate town with part of 
Dracut and Tyngsborough. 

Accounts are now kept in dollars and cents. 

Voted not to provide carriages to make use of at funerals. 

1798. Voted to kill all the dogs in town. This was no 
doubt on account of the severe laws and penalties recently enacted 
by the General Court. In January of that year the General 
Court passed an act to lessen the dangerous evils of canine mad- 
ness and other injuries occasioned by dogs. 

Those persons living near Merrimack river bridge were not 
freed from paying the minister tax. 

1799. Voted to lay out a road from the meeting house to 
golden cove. It was accordingly laid out but not made. 

1800. Jan. 20. The Town took into consideration the 
death of the worthy General Washington, and Mr. Mattathiah 
Spaulding was desired to deliver an oration in the Town on the 
22d of February next. A Committee was appointed to arrange 
the business of that day: Dr. Timothy Harrington, Lt. John 
Bateman, Lt. Cyrus Baldwin, Dr. John Betteys and Gen. Ebenezer 
Bridge. 

1812. The Merrimack Boating Company was organized Jan. 
17, 1812, John L. Sullivan, agent. The first boat reached Con- 
cord, N. H., in the autimm of 1814 and it was nearly a year later 
that regular trips were made. Business was continued until 1822, 
when it was bought by the Boston and Concord Boating Co.. 
which was to continue as long as the Middlesex Canal was kept 
open. 

[For description see Travels in N. E. and N. Y., by Timothy 
D wight. Vol. I., pp. 406-7.] 



816 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

THE MERRIMACK COMPANY'S RATES OF FREIGHT, 1816. 

Per Ton 
Names of Agents Landing Places Up Down 

Stephen Ambrose Concord (upper) $12 . 50 $8 . 50 

Samuel Butters Concord (lower) 12.00 8.00 

Caleb Stark Pembroke 1 1 . 50 7 . 50 

Richard H. Ayer Dunbarton 10.50 7.00 

Samuel T. Kidder Manchester 9.25 6.50 

N. Parker Merrimack (upper) 6.00 4.50 

Adams & Roby Thornton's 4.50 4.00 

James Lund Litchfield 4.50 4.00 

Cobum Blood Dracut 4.50 4.00 

Levi Foster Chelmsford 4.50 4.00 

Noah Lund Billerica 3 . 50 3 . 00 

JothamGillis Wobum 2.50 2.50 

William Rogers Medford 2.00 2.00 

Thomas Kettell Charlestown 

David Dodge Boston 

Furniture $24 to $30 per ton, according to weight and room. 
Empty hhds. from Concord, 50c. tierces, 25c. bbls. 18c. hf. bbls. 
lie. each. Hhd. staves, $10. per M. Barrel staves, $6 per M. 

J. L. Sullivan. 
Concord, N. H., April 20, 1816. 

"The boats employed on the Middlesex Canal were required 
to be not less than forty feet and not more than seventy -five feet 
in length, and nine feet and one-half in width. The boats coming 
to Chelmsford could carry twenty tons of coal, those going to 
Concord, N. H., from six to fifteen tons, depending on the height 
of the water in the river." The following are extracts from the 
"Regulations relative to the Navigation of the Middlesex Canal," 
dated 1830. 

Passage Boats are to be drawn at the rate of four miles an 
hour. 

Luggage Boats are to be drawn at the rate of two and an 
half miles an hour. 

Rafts are to be drawn at the rate of one and an half miles 
an hour. 

Passage Boats going the same way shall not pass each other. 

Luggage Boats going the same way shall not pass each other. 

Rafts going the same way shall not pass each other. 

No Boat or Raft shall be passed through any lock after dark. 

Travelling on the Canal being permitted on Sundays in con- 
sideration of the distance from home at which those persons using 
it generally are: It may be reasonably expected that they should 
not disturb those places of publick worship near which they pass, 
nor occasion any noise to interrupt the tranquility of the day. 

Therefore, it is established that no Signal-Horn shall be used, 
or blown on Sundays: but if the approach to the Locks is not 
perceived, the Lock-Tenders must be personally notified. 



ANNALS 817 

1817. A new hearse on an improved plan, at an expenditure 
of $100. 

The Town voted to give Rev. Wilkes Allen $500. for better- 
ments upon the ministerial land and depreciation in his salary, 
and he withdrew his request for a dismission. 

1818. The Board of Selectmen for the previous year received 
a vote of thanks. 

1819. This year was bom in Chelmsford, Sophia Elizabeth, 
daughter of John and Scynthia Thoreau. She was baptized 
September 27, and was sister to Henry David Thoreau, the hermit, 
naturalist and poet of Concord, in which place he was bom in 
1817. The family lived in Chelmsford for three or four years 
prior to 1821, when they moved to Boston. Sophia, says San- 
bom, had, along with her mother's lively and dramatic turn, a 
touch of art; and all of [the children] . . . were superior 
persons. They were John, Helen, Henry and Sophia. 

John, the English ancestor, their grandfather, was baptized 
in the Anglican Church of the parish of St. Helier, in Jersey, in 
April, 1754 and came to New England about 1773. 

Dr. Ripley, for half a century the minister of Concord, wrote 
this certificate for John, Jr., son of the above named. 

"Understanding that Mr. John Thoreau, now of Chelmsford, 
is going into business in that place, and is about to apply for a 
license to retail ardent spirits, I hereby certify that I have been 
long acquainted with him, that he has sustained a good character, 
and now view him as a man of integrity, accustomed to store- 
keeping, and of correct morals." 

Sanborn says of Henry : "When he was three or four years old, 
at Chelmsford, on being told that he must die, as well as the men 
in the New England Primer, and having the joys of heaven ex- 
plained to him, he said, as he came in from 'coasting,' that he 
did not want to die and go to heaven, because he could not carry 
his sled to so fine a place; for, he added, 'the boys say it is not 
shod with iron, and not worth a cent.' " 

In his "Week on the Concord and Merrimack" Thoreau says: 
Even we youthful voyagers had spent part of our lives in the 
village of Chelmsford, when the present city (Lowell), whose bells 
we heard, was its obscure north district only, and the giant 
weaver was not yet fairly bom." 

1820. Dec. 5. About half past six in the morning Messrs. 
Hale, Whipple and Tileston's powder factory took lire. The mill 
and coming house were destroyed. It is conjectured that it was 
caused by the friction of the pestle against the mortar. Four 
men were killed. About 2,000 lbs. of powder was destroyed. 
The report was distinctly heard 30 miles. 

1821. June 5. Between 6 and 7 in the afternoon the 
powder mill took fire and exploded. Three persons were killed, 
Fitzgerald, Howard and Farr. 



818 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Dec. 11. About 4 p. m., the drying house of the powder 
factory took fire from the oven and exploded. Thomas Sullivan 
was killed. The other buildings were much injured. Windows 
and bam doors in the neighborhood were burst open and broken. 

1821. The pound and land was exchanged for a strip of 
land belonging to Capt. Caleb Abbot between the pound and 
the meeting house. 

1821. Note by Allen. This year a new canal half a mile 
in length was partly made, taking the water out of the Concord 
river at the bridge leading to Tewksbury and carrying it in a 
northwestern direction until it returns to the river with a fall of 
20 feet. 

1823. A statement of the expenditures of the Town was 
ordered to be printed. 

1823. The new powder factory owned by Whipple, Hale 
and Tileston went into operation. 

The above notes (1820-1823) are by the Rev. Wilkes Allen; 
of these Mr. Perham had a manuscript copy. 

1824. Sept. 15, was organized the Beethoven Musical Society. 
75 gentlemen and 53 ladies became members. The society dis- 
solved December 5, 1827. [For list of members, see Vol. III., 
Old Res. Contrib.] 

1825. Note by Allen. The Classical School was opened Sept. 1 , 
by Mr. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who left Dec. 30. He was a very 
popular and useful instructor. He was bought off by some 
gentleman in Roxbury, who encouraged him to expect a profit 
of two thousand dollars per anntun. 

Jime 18, was incorporated the Middlesex Mechanics Associa- 
tion. [See Vol. VI., Contrib. to Old Res. Ass'n.] 

1826. Dec. 22. Whipple's powder mill exploded. One man 
was hurt. 

1830. Jan. 4. There was another explosion. The building 
was destroyed and Mr. Robinson was mortally injured. 

1832. The selectmen with Charles Bent and John T. Torrey 
were constituted a Board of Health. 

1835. Note by Allen. An inexhaustible bed of bog ore on 
the farm of Robert Richardson, late Mr. Andrew Spalding's. 
(Later Henry R. Hodson's.) 

1840. There were 214 men in Chelmsford liable to be called 
upon for military duty. [Book X.. p. 404.] 

1843. A stage coach upset near the house of widow Olive 
Chamberlain. The Town paid Wm. A. Farrell $25 damages. 

1861. The record of the Town in the War of the Rebellion 
was in the highest degree honorable. When President Lincoln 
issued the call for 75,000 men, a public meeting was called which 
was fully attended and all of the speeches expressed the most 
patriotic sentiments. Three thousand dollars was pledged by 
individuals present to encourage enlistments and aid the families 
of those who should enter the service. 



ANNALS 819 

Every call for volunteers was responded to. The records 
kept by the selectmen show that the total number of men who had 
entered the service accredited to the Town was 229, which was 
eighteen in excess of all the calls which had been made by the 
<i:ovemment, and that the Town had incurred an indebtedness in 
consequence of the war amounting to $27,623. Every dollar of 
this honorable debt was paid. 

The account of the selectmen is by no means a complete 
record of the services of Chelmsford soldiers. Some of the names 
of those who served for two different terms of enlistment, appear 
twice. In the "Record of Massachusetts Volunteers" by the 
adjutant-general, the names of Chelmsford men appear who are 
not upon the Town records. One of these, William R. Patch, 
was the first Chelmsford volunteer. He was not mustered in, 
but joined the ranks as they were marching to the defence of 
the capital, and was wounded at Baltimore upon the memorable 
19th of April, 1861. In another case the same published records, 
by an unfortunate error, class Elijah N. Day, who sacrificed his 
life for his country, as a deserter, one whom his comrades know 
to have been as true a man as ever faced the enemy. 

The following are the names of those who did not live to 
enjoy the gratitude of their coimtrymen : 

Albert E. Pike, Albert S. Byam, Henry Spaulding, James H. 
Barton, died at sea, July 17, '64; James Jackson, John T. McCabe, 
Henry W. Davidson, Patrick Barrett, Thomas Cochran, George 
E. Reed, George B. Lamphire, Patrick Derry, killed at Gettys- 
burg, July 2, 1862; George Curtis, killed at Battle of Wilderness, 
Webster C. Decatur, Jonas V. Pierce, James Gray, Peter McEnany, 
killed at battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 11, '62; Henry H. Ingalls, 
Charity L. Dimn, Colman S. Farwell, Philip Whelan, Elijah N. 
Day, Michael Martin. [Hurd's Middlesex Co.] 

In 1861 a voluntary military company was organized to drill 
two afternoons in each week for two months under a competent 
drill-master, and then offer their services to the Governor. The 
Town was to furnish each member of the company, who was an 
inhabitant of the Town, with the usual arms and equipment. 
$3,000 was appropriated for the relief of soldiers' families. A 
committee was appointed to procure enlistments: Royal S. Ripley, 
Christopher Roby and John W. Steams. Enlisted men were to 
receive $5 a month each; $8, while in active service. 

The selectmen, in their report for 1861, say in regard to the 
Volunteers : 

To those who were mustered early into the service of the 
United States, extra clothing not provided by the Government, 
and in other cases where a due regard to the health and comfort 
of our Volunteers, seemed to demand such assistance it has been 
furnished * * * Chelmsford has furnished 37 soldiers 
for the defence of the Constitutional authorities and liberties of 



820 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

the land and we are happy and proud to know from the testimony 
of those qualified to judge, that they are all, so far as heard from, 
giving the Town an honorable distinction. * * * The names 
of these * * * are to be found on the rolls of seven different 
regiments. ♦ * * ^ considerable portion of these soldiers 
have left families which have claim on our regard, several of them 
ntimbering five to seven children each, and some in very straight- 
ened circumstances. * * * Valentine P. Robbins in 
Co. A, 20th Regiment, who fought with the cool intrepedity of 
a veteran at Ball's Bluff, was carried a prisoner to Richmond, 
where he remained at a recent date. 

There were 250 men enrolled in the Militia, whose names 
are recorded in the Town books. 

In 1864 there were 268. Book Z. [See also Book A2, p. 1, 
1865.] 

1862, July 21 The selectmen were authorized to pay $125. to 
every person mustered into the service of the United States, 
as a part of the quota of this Town, not exceeding 25 persons. 

Aug. 25 They were authorized to pay $150. bounty to 
volunteers to fill up the Town's quota of 9 months men, not 
exceeding 40 in all, $25. to be deducted "from all those who 
may so enlist after 12 o'clock at noon of Tuesday next." 

Sept. 29. Another measure of the same import was 
passed in Town Meeting. 

1863. Voted, as before, to grant aid to the families of soldiers, 
$1000. to be expended in aiding families of deceased or dis- 
abled Soldiers. 

1864 Such aid continued. 

April 11. $125. bounty to be paid to each volunteer 
mustered in to fill up the Town's quota under the requisition 
of the President dated March 14, 1864, and under any subse- 
quent call previous to March 1st, 1865. 

August 15. Bounties to be paid in gold or silver if 
deemed necessary. 

1865, November 7. Voted that the Town raise and appropriate 
such a sum of money as may be necessary to refund to 
individuals, the several amounts contributed by them for the 
purpose of filling the quotas of the Town under the requis- 
itions or calls of the President of the United States during the 
year 1864. 

1875. The Village Improvement Association placed a num- 
ber of kerosene lamps upon the streets of Chelmsford. A citizen 
records the fact that he sat up all night to enjo}' seeing the lights 
shine. In 1907 a surplus in the treasurer's hands, after the 4th 
of July Celebration (of the Committee of which Charles Nichols 
was chairman and Wilson Waters, treasurer), was devoted to the 
introduction of gas lights in the Centre Village, and a few years 
Jater the Town was lighted by electricity. 



ANNALS 821 

Electric Lights, 1916. 

In the Centre Village there are 117 

In the North Village there are 134 

In the East Village there are 28 

In the South Village there are 36 

In the West Village there are 32 

347 

For which service in 1915 the Town paid the Lowell Electric 
Light Corporation S6,766.44. 

1881. The Town voted to postpone indefinitely an article 
relating to woman suffrage. 

The moderator of Town meeting, Edwin H, Warren, received 
a vote of thanks for the very satisfactory manner in which he 
performed the duties of the office. 

1884. The Town accepted the gift from T. J. Adams and 
the heirs of Benjamin Adams of the vacant triangular piece of 
land situated in front of their residence in North Chelmsford to 
be used as a common only. The donors received the thanks of 
the Town. 

1892. The N. E. Tel. and Tel. Co. authorized to erect poles 
and wires. 

1894. The North Chelmsford Library Association was 
granted $200. on condition that the books be free to all inhabitants 
of the Town. 

The Town conveyed to the proprietors of the North Chelms- 
ford meeting house all rights that the Town may have to the lot 
and building. 

1895. In Town meeting, Resolved: that the Town in accept- 
ing the gift of Mr. Amos Francis Adams of the land and building 
thereon, known as the Adams Library, and upon the condition 
named in his letter to the Town, hereby acknowledges with grati- 
tude the considerate generosity of the donor in this permanent 
provision for its educational interests. The munificence of the 
gift, its special adaptedness to its end, and the elegance of its form 
and furnishings, evinces a public spirit and love of his native Town 
that will endear his name to the latest generation. That the 
Town hereby assures him of its appreciation of his good deed and 
pledges him its best efforts to preserve intact and to perpetuate 
through coming time this treasure house for the noble object for 
which it is given. That the Town Clerk is directed to communi- 
cate the foregoing vote to Mr. Adams. 

1905. The Quarter-Millennial Celebration. 

On May 28, 29, 30 and 31, 1905, the Citizens of Chelmsford, 
in a quiet and dignified manner, celebrated the two hundred and 
fiftieth anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town. 

The Committee of arrangements printed a report of their 
proceedings. 



822 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

GENERAL PROGRAMME. 

1655-1905. 

Quarter Millennial Anniversary Town of Chelmsford, 

Mass. 

Programme, May 28, 29, 30, 31, 1905. 
SUNDAY, MAY 28. 

10.45 A. M. — Religious Services in the Several Churches. 

First Congregational (Unitarian), Rev. A. D. K. Shurtleff 
First Baptist, South Chelmsford, Rev. C. W. Williams 

Second Congregational, No. Chelmsford, Rev. D. A. Hudson 
Central Baptist, Rev. C. H. Ellis 

Methodist Episcopal, West Chelmsford, Rev. C. M. Merrill 
St. John's (Roman Catholic), No. Chelmsford, 

Rev. Fr. E. T. Schofield 
All Saints' (Episcopal), Rev. Wilson Waters, Rector 

Central Congregational, Rev. A. F. Eamshaw 

3 p. M. — Union Service, Pavilion 

1 Voluntary, — Gloria from 12th Mass, Mozart 

2 Invocation, Rev. C. H. Ellis 

3 Hymn, Rev. Fr. E. T. Schofield 

4 Responsive Reading, — 24th Psalm, Rev. C. W. Williams 

5 Chorus, — Festival Anthem, Buck 

6 Scripture Reading, Rev. Wilson Waters 

7 Chorus, — To Thee, O Country! Eichburg 

8 Prayer, Rev. A. F. Eamshaw 

9 Response, Ladies' Quartette 

10 Introduction of Speaker, Rev. D. A. Hudson 

11 Address, — The Glory of the New England Town, 

Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, D. D., Boston 

12 Hymn,— America, Rev. C. M. Merrill 

Chorus and Congregation. 

13 Benediction, Rev. A. D. K. Shurtleff 

Singing will be by chorus of 50 voices conducted by Mr. 
Hubert Bearce. 



ANNALS 823 

MONDAY, MAY 29. 

Sunrise. — Ringing of Bells. 

10 A. M. — Historical Exhibit Opened. Vestry, Unitarian Church. 
This will remain free to the public until 9 p. m., Wednesday. 

10.30 A. M. — Concert on Common, North Chelmsford Band, 

Air. Hubert Bearce, Conductor 

2 p. M. — Anniversary Exercises. Town Hall 

Music, North Chelmsford Band 

J. Adams Bartlett, President of the Day. 
Address of Welcome, 

Walter Perham, Chairman of Selectmen 
Response, 

Prof. Chas. F. Emerson, Dean of Dartmouth College 
Music, — Clarinet Solo. 

Address, — The Town Our Fathers Builded, Henry S. Perham 
Music, Band 

Sunset. — Ringing of Bells. 

8 p. M. — Concert on Common, Chelmsford Centre Band 

Concert at North Chelmsford, North Chelmsford Band 

8.15 p. m. — Informal Reception to Home Comers, Town Hall 



TUESDAY, MAY 30. 

9 a. m. — Memorial Day Exercises. 

Conducted by Veterans' Association, Francis Hutchinson, 

Commander. 
Address, Hon. Samuel L. Powers, of Newton 

Music, Chelmsford Centre Band, 

Mr. G. Thomas Parkhurst, Conductor 



CHILDREN'S DAY. 

12 M. — Collation to vSchool Children, 

1 p. M. — Children's Entertainment. 

Prof. F. O. Harrell, Magician and Entertainer 
Followed by Sports, Games, etc. 
Music, Chelmsford Centre Band 

8 p. M. — Concert, Town Hall 

Songs of "Ye Olden Time" by 40 singers in ancient costume. 
Conducted by Mr. Arthur W. Allen, of Everett, assisted by 
the Chelmsford Orchestra. 



824 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. 
Sunrise. — Ringing of Bells. 

9 A. M. — Excursions will be arranged for visitors to places of 

interest about the town. 

10 A. M. — Concert on Common, Salem Cadet Band 

1 p. M. — Banquet, Anniversary Pavilion 

Rev. Wilson Waters, Chairman and Toastmaster. 
His Excellency, William L. Douglas, Governor of the Com- 
monwealth, is expected, with other distinguished guests, to 
take part in the post-prandial speaking. 
Music, Salem Cadet Band 

2 p. M. — The pavilion will be open to the public before the speak- 

ing. 

8 p. M. — Concert and Reception, Town Hall 

10 p. M. — ^Anniversary Ball. 

Salem Cadet Orchestra, 8 pieces. Dancing till 2 a. m. 

Tickets to Old Folks' Concert, Tuesday evening, 25 cents. 
Tickets to Banquet, Wednesday, $1.00. 
Tickets to Ball, admitting lady and gentleman, $2.00. 
A restaurant in lower town hall, conducted by F. E. Harris 
of Lowell, will provide meals at all hours, at moderate prices. 

J. Adams Bartlett, 
Henry S. Perham, 
Joseph E. Warren, 
Harry L. Parkhurst, 
Geo. F. Snow, 
Arthur H. Sheldon, 
Hubert Bearce. 
Erastus a. Bartlett, 
Daniel P. Byam, 

Committee of Arrangements. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS. 

Page 1. In the first sentence Mr. Perham makes a condensed 
statement, which it may be well to expand. 

The Puritan exodus from England to New England ceased 
about 1640. It was in that year, with the meeting of the Long 
Parliament, that Cromwell began his active public career. King 
Charles I met his martyrdom, January 30, 1649. The Common- 
wealth was declared May 19, 1649. Cromwell became Lord 
Protector in 1653. Charles II was restored to the throne in 
1660. 

Variations in the spelling of proper names, and of other 
words, may be accounted for by referring to the original records 
quoted. 

Page 19. Jan. 1, 1656. At his request the land lying before 
his house over the brook is granted to Mr. Fiske as part of his 
house-lot. [Allen, p. 13.] 

Page 25. Third line, for Calvanistic read Calvinistic. 

Page 39. First line. For Russells' read Russell's. 

Page 51. Third line. For Prescotts read Prescott's. 

Page 52. Fourth line. The foot note is Hist, of Chelmsford, 

p. 22. 

Page 66. Fourth line. For Forefather's read Forefathers' . 

Page 76. Twenty-second line. For proprietory read propri- 
etorial. 

Page 92. Line 15. Dr. Abbott did not come to Chelmsford 
until 1770 or 1772. The date 1700 was found on several bricks 
when the house was altered. This leaves the matter uncertain. 

Page 101. Wepocositt, twice mentioned on this page, is the 
same as Wibecusit on page 109. 

Page 111. The writer has not seen the original of the first 
letter on this page, but he would hazard the guess that "nilk 
guns" in line five should perhaps be Ind gtms, i. e., Indians. 

Letter of Nathaniel Reynolds. 
Honor 'd Sirs. 

My humbell service with my Lieutt to yr honors these 
are to acquaint you that I received yr orders to march to Malber}^ 
& intend to march with my company tomorrow at Least part of 
ye way not else to troubell yr honors with at this time I Remaine 

Your humbel Servant to comand 
Nathanell Ra>'Tialls 
Chehnsford, ffeb: 25: 167i. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 68, p. 143*.] 



826 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Page 113. vSeventh line from bottom, for {sie) read {sic). 

Page 114. Bottom. 

Feb. 25, 1675-6. An attack was made by the Indians upon 
Chelmsford and several buildings were burned. Colbum's garri- 
son on the east side of the Merrimack was strengthened, but 
nearly all the outer settlements were deserted. A few days later, 
March 20, another attack was made, and Joseph Parker was 
wounded. There was no surgeon in the vicinity, and an express 
was sent to Boston to obtain one. The Council ordered Dr. 
David Middleton to repair forthwith to Chelmsford. [Fox's 
Dunstable.] 

Cowley, as quoted on page 110, seems to have used Fox's 
statement. The wounding of Joseph Parker evidently took place 
in February, and is mentioned in both letters on pages 110 and 
111. There seems to be a confusion of dates by the historians. 

Page 122. leboms = Coburn ? In the original document here 
reproduced, the name printed "leboms" appears to have been so 
intended, and the official copyist at the Boston Court House has 
it thus;* but on comparing this list of names with the tax lists 
of 1671 and 1672 and the powder list of 1674, it is evident that the 
name is Coboms, i. e., Cobum. There are no "leboms" in the 
Chelmsford Vital Records, and the Christian names, Edward, 
John, Robert and Thomas, correspond with those of the other 
lists. These were Edward Coburn and his sons Edward, John, 
Robert and Thomas, who lived in Chelmsford and Dracut. 

Page 167. The selectmen or overseers of the poor of the 
various towns were ordered to bind out to service all children "of 
the Acadians for whom places could be found. Many were taken 
from their parents to serve under hard task masters. Some of 
these parents sent to the General Court a petition which is here 
reproduced. It was signed by Jean Lendrey at Chelmsford, and 
by representatives at Oxford, Concord, Worcester, Andover and 
Waltham. 

"A son Excellence Le Gouverneur de la province de Massa- 
chusetts Bay de La Nou^'ell Engleterre et au honourable Gentil- 
homes du Consseile. 

Nous avons pris la liberte de Vous presente Cette Requeste, 
comme nous sommes en chagrin par Rapart a nos enfans. La 
perte que nous avons souffris de nos habitations et amen6 icy, 
et nos Separations Les un des autres n'est Rien a Compare a cell 
que nous trouvons a present, que de prendre nos enfans par force 
devant nos yeux. La nature mesme ne peut soufifrir cela. S'il 
etait en nostre pouvoire d'avoir notre chois, nous choisirions 
plustot de prendre nos corps et nos ames que d'etre separe d'eux. 
C'est pourquoy nous vous prions en grace et a vos honours que 
vous aye La bonte d'apaiser cette cruelte. Nous ne Reffusons au 
cumcement [commencement] de travailler pour I'entretienne de 
nos enfans, moyainant que si c'etoit sufitert pour nos families. 

*<>r to be exact — lehorn, omitting the s. 



NOTES A ND CORRECTIONS 827 

Vous priant en grace que d'avoir La bonte d'avoir egart a notre 
Requeste ; ainsy faisent ; vous obligeray votre tres humble et tres 
obeissent sennteurs. 

at Chelmsford Jean Lendrey" 
&c. &c. 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 23, p. 49.] 

In English it would read as follows : 

"To his Excellency the Governor General of the Province of 
Massachusetts Bay of New England and to the honorable Gentle- 
men of the Council. 

"We have taken the liberty of presenting you this request, 
as we are in sorrow on account of our children. The loss which 
we have suffered, of our houses, and brought here and our separa- 
tions from one another is nothing compared with what we meet 
with at present, that of taking away our children by force before 
our eyes. Nature herself cannot endure that. If it were in our 
power to have our choice we should choose rather the taking 
away of our bodies and our souls than to be separated from them. 
Wherefore we pray in pity and to your honors that you would 
have the goodness to mitigate this cruelty. We have not refused 
from the first to work for the support of our children, provided 
it were permitted for our own families. Praying you in mercy 
to have the goodness to have regard to our Petition, thus doing 
you will oblige your very humble and very obedient servants." 

Mr. Gridley and Mr. Tyng with others were appointed a 
committee to consider the petition, and to report. Their report 
was read and accepted in Council, April 15, 1756. It was ordered 
that there should be no more binding out, and the Acadians 
were to be provided with such things as they could work up for 
necessary clothing, and they were to be treated with kindness 
and hvmianity. 

The list on page 167 is from the Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 23, 
p. 485. A similar list is in the Town records. vSome of the state- 
ments on the two following pages are from the Chelmsford Eagle. 

Page 189. Eighteenth line from bottom. In Bridge's Diary 
it is stated that Jonas Spaulding "died in ye War." Others who 
died in the Province Wars were: John Spaulding, 1704; Jonathan 
Snow and Benj. Adams, 1755; Joseph Spaulding, son of Lieut. 
John, 1756. 

Page 198. Committees of Safety and Correspondence. 
Committees of Safety were formed before and during the Revo- 
lutionary War, to keep watch of, and act upon, events pertaining 
to the public welfare. They were of great benefit, and some- 
times had power to call out the Militia and provide means for 
defense. These committees were in constant communication 
with committees of correspondence. Massachusetts took the 
lead in these, forming a committee of Safety in the autumn 
of 1774, with John Hancock as chairman. Samuel Adams 
"bound the other towns of Massachusetts to Boston in a common 



828 HISTOR V OF CHELMSFORD 

organization for making and propagating opinion by means of 
committees of correspondence," through which they could ex- 
change views, and if need were, to concert action. This he pro- 
posed as early as 1772. "Committees of Correspondence sought 
out opinion, provoked discussion, forced men to take sides or 
seem indifferent; more than all, saw to it that Mr. Samuel Adams's 
opinions were duly promulgated and established by argument." 

[Woodrow Wilson : Hist, of the Am. People, p. 174 ff.] 

Page 200. Fourteenth line. For inported read imported. 

Page 201. Sixth line from bottom. For prople read people. 

Page 209. Eighth line. For Crowinshield read Crownin- 
shield 

Page 231. Second line from bottom for Jospeh read Joseph. 

Page 250. Eighteenth line. For oj read of. 

Nineteenth line. For Collections read Contributions. 

Page 250. Many legends and traditions are told of the 
events of that day (April 19, 1775), and the scenes witnessed by 
various soldiers. Charles Furbush, a private (afterward captain) 
of Joshua Holt's [Andover] Company, and another, said to have 
been Captain Ford of Chelmsford, were fired upon by a British 
officer from a house which he was plimdering. They rushed in 
and killed the man. They were used to the sight of blood, having 
served in the French war, but though veterans in the horrors 
of war, their souls revolted at some of the dreadful sights of that 
day. They related* that our men seemed maddened with the 
sight of British blood, and infuriated to wreak vengeance on the 
wounded and helpless. A fallen grenadier had been stabbed 
again and again by the passers-by, so that the blood was flowing 
from many holes in his waistcoat. Furbush and his comrade, 
cooler and more compassionate from experience in regular war- 
fare, and, perhaps, remembering the days when they had called 
these men companions-in-arms, gently lifted up the dying soldier 
and gave him water to drink, for which he eagerly begged. 
[Hist. Sketches of Andover, p. 307.] 

Trevelyan, in Vol. I, Part H of his History of the American 
Revolution, mentions some plimdering and burning by a Major 
Austin and a Captain Ford of Massachusetts at White Plains, in 
November, 1776. (See also Lossing's Field Book of the Revolu- 
tion and American Archives.) But these were not our Major 
Austin and Captain Ford. 

Page 289. Nineteenth line. Dele, except Isaac Barret. 
Page 290. Ninth line. Pradue is probably meant for parado, 
after the Spanish; an old form of the word parade. 

Page 299. Thirteenth line. For daughter read sister. 
James Pitts and Elizabeth Bowdoin were married Oct. 26, 
1732. 

Page 395 . Fourth line from bottom . For John read Benjamin 
Page 397. Third line. For N. W. read 5. 14'. 

*Thi8 story is told by the grandson of Captain Furbush. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 



829 



Page 401. Taverns. See also pages 395-7. 
1690. Cornelius Waldo. 
1712. John Hill. 

Asa Hill. 

Timothy Clarke. 

Dr. John Betty. 

Balch and Cobtirn. 

Jesse Smith. 
1820. Capt. Phineas Whiting. 
1826. William Parker. 
1842. Noah Robinson. 
1853. Moses Griffin. 

Jacob Howard. 

Enoch Merrill. 

Thomas Parker. 

Daniel Poor. 
Page 402. General Store-Keepers. 

Centre Village: E. T. Adams. 



North Village: 



South Village 



Supply C. Wilson. 

Chamberlain. 

S. T. Wright. 

J. F. Sleeper. 

Fred Marshall. 

Sawyer and Gay. 

Swift and Blodgett. 

Joseph Bennet. 

E. Shaw & Son. 

Watson Woodward. 

George B. Hall. 

John F. McManomin. 

M. A. Queen & D. F. Small. 

Charles F. Scribner. 

Mrs. A. A. Marinel. 



West Village: 1840. 



1852. 



Alpheus Nesmith. 
John Goss. 
David Simonds. 
Roby, Sawyer & Co. 
Asa Far well. 
William H. Brown. 
John N. Perry 
Marcus H. Winship. 
F. E. Bickford. 



James Robbins. 
Eldad P. Bean. 
Julius Parkhurst. 
Thomas M. Gerrish. 
H. H. Emerson. 
John B. Emerson. 



830 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Page 406. The Court of Assistants. 

By action of the General Court in 1631, practically all judicial 
and legislative powers were vested in the Court of Assistants. 
The Bible was their only law book. Juries were impaneled when 
capital crimes were to be tried before this court. It met four 
times a year — at Easter, Hilary, Trinity and Michaelmas — corre- 
sponding to the English terms of court, and was composed of the 
Governor, Deputy Governor and eighteen assistants chosen annu- 
ally by a General Court, consisting of the said officers and all the 
freemen of the Colony, on the last Wednesday in Easter term. 
This was the highest Judicial Court of Massachusetts up to 1692, 
when the second Charter took eiTect. Under that the Executive 
Council, which served also as the upper house of the legislature, 
was an elective body. It consisted of the Governor, Deputy 
Governor and twenty-eight assistants, and was also called the 
Great Quarter Court. It was a sort of Executive Council to the 
Governor. Cases were tried before it, with right of appeal to the 
General Court, of which it was a part. The General Court was 
so called because the Colonial legislature of Massachusetts grew 
out of the general court or meeting of the Massachusetts Company. 
Four times a year the Governor and Deputy, with the Assistants 
and all the freemen were summoned to a "greate generall and 
solemne assemblie." Under the second Charter the Supreme 
Court of Judicature took the place of the Court of Assistants. 

By a provision of the second Charter "a General Court was 
to be hoi den annuall}^ on the last Wednesday in May, and at 
such other times as the Governor saw fit, and each town was 
authorized to choose two deputies to represent them in this 
court. The choice of these deputies was conceded to all free- 
holders having an estate of the value of forty pounds sterling, or 
land yielding an income of at least forty shillings per annum." 

Thinking it not for the interest of the Colony that the chief 
officers should be elected by inexperienced men, the General 
covu-t voted that the Governor and Deputy Governor should be 
elected by the assistants. Later, in 1632, these officers and the 
assistants were to be elected by the whole court consisting of all 
these officers and all the freemen. 

Page 410. Public Worship. An attempt was made to follow 
this case further in the Court files at Cambridge, but nothing 
more could be found relating to it. 

Page 414. Second line. For be read he. 

Fifteenth line from bottom. For indentity read identity. 

Page 434. Fifth line from bottom. For State Highway read 
i'Ounty Road. 

Page 455. Frederick Fanning Ayer, in "Bell and Wing,"* 
has a poem entitled "Old Darby," in which he portrays a long- 
forgotten character who half a century ago made his hermit-home 
in the extreme northwest part of the Town. 

*G. p. Putnam's Sons, 1911. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 831 

The descriptive parts of the poem, some of which arc here 
given, are a true picture of the man. The interesting love-story 
with which they are interwoven is founded on fact. The poem 
should be read entire. The concluding lines, here quoted, voice 
Mr. Ayer's philosophy. 

How well I remember this man, 

His Pawtucketvillc stride. 

Hand open wide 

As a griddle-pan! 

At first I shied him, 

The boy-tribe guyed him. 

Women folk eyed him, 

Eyed his blue great eyes, 

His boot-black tie, 

His long look to the skies 

Like a longing to fly. 

Hat on and off. 

His little cough, 

His sorrow sigh! 

None feared him, none knew him who he was. 

Only Old Darby was his name, 
His purpose to make common cause 

With hard-luck people — that way he came 
To be known for his majesty part 

He played, his mighty human heart. 

Snug in his Chelmsford woods, 

In his bee-flower house. 

His hut of willow snoods, 

Of wild forest goods. 

To an owl for a friend 

His hand to extend, 

Swallows of nard 

In his forest yard, 

A whole heart to share 

His handful fare 

With the birds in air. 

He now, like each flower 

In his dusty-miller bower. 

Was a prince of power. 

So it was in Chelmsford I found him. 

At the fag-end, in his squirrel-hut! 
How each tempest tried to unground him! 

I saw his wide eyes open and shut 
As if the soul in him watched each gape 

To leap there for chance to escape. 
******* 
Spoke kindness always and great truth: 

"Only soul has perpetual youth; 
The child is likelier God 

Than your small soul in your lordly pod." 
And so on, as each way he went 

He preached of power by strugglement; 
Beauty was the thing to catch. 

New always, not made to match; 
Soul-foremost was the way to go. 

Would the world could see it so. 

*#****» 
Something in Nature makes for Right, 
Keeps always perfect Beauty in sight. 
So help it along all your soul and might! 



832 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Page 459. To Mr. E. K. Parkhurst more than to any other 
person, is due the credit of initiating the movement which resulted 
in the organization of the V. I. A. in Cheknsford Centre. This is 
a pioneer association of the kind in Massachusetts, the Laurel 
Hill association at Stockbridge being the only one previously 
organized, in 1853. In Chelmsford the V. I. A. improved the 
public squares, laid out sidewalks and planted shade trees, in- 
stituted street lights and otherwise aided the welfare of the 
Village. Twenty-three lamps were first placed on the streets; 
in ten years they had increased to forty-three. For twenty years 
the Association met the expense of maintaining these, and raised 
altogether about $6,000. An annual field day and picnics and 
other social features have marked the life of the V. I. A. 

Page 498. Central Bridge was first rebuilt in 1843; the 
covering was put on the bridge in 1849. The bridge was burned in 
the night between August 4 and 5, 1882. A history of this bridge 
and the burning of it may be found in Vol. II of the Contribu- 
tions of the Old Res. Hist. Ass'n. 

Page 505. Eighth line from bottom. The writer has seen 
the record of but one township so granted. 

Page 535. "Chelmsford Vital Records" gives the date of the 
death of "Weebe," John, ahas Everett, Oct. 16, 1668. 

Page 580. July 15, 1726. It was ordered that inasmuch as 
Jeremiah Miller has been duly warned out of the Town, and doth 
still continue in sd. Town contrary to the Law in that Behalf 
made and provided, that there be a Warrant obtained from a 
Justice of the Peace to convey sd. Jeremiah Miller to the Town 
where he had his last Residence before such warning was given 
as above mentioned. 

To Thomas Barrett, constable, for conveying Jerimy Miller 
out of Town and his assistance £00. 12 00. 

Page 586. Last line. For W. S. Packard read A. S. Packard. 

Page 589. The designer of the Revolutionary Monument 
was Greely S. Curtis, a well-known Boston architect. The model 
showed a higher base, and immediately above the machicolation, 
a stone which was left out when the monument was built. The 
inscriptions on the monument are all in capital letters. 

Page 594. Fifth line from bottom. For .55 read .45. 

Page 602. Fourth line from bottom. For Erving read Ervin. 

Page 659. The tanning vats mentioned belonged to Samuel 
Stevens, a tanner, who lived in the present home of Mr. J. A. 
Bartlett, and whose tan yard was near the house. 

Courts. 

Allen (page 150) says: The English Magistrate usually held 
his court at Wamesit annually in May. Mr. Eliot attended him 
to give advice to the magistrates, and to preach to the Indians, 
whom the occasion might call together in greater numbers. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 833 

"While many resorted to this ancient capital seat of the Indians 
to fish, he seized the opportunity to spread the net of the Gospel 
to fish for their souls." 

In the early settlement of New England the Pawtuckets con- 
sisted of about 3,000; and in 1674, 250. At Wamesit, when Mr. 
Eliot persuaded them to receive the Gospel, there were about 
75 souls. Their chief sagamore and civil ruler after they became 
Christianized was Numphow, "a man of a noble spirit." His 
son, Samuel, was their teacher. In the expedition against the 
Mohawks, in 1669, they were mostly destroyed. Being reduced 
to a very small number, they determined to remove farther to 
the north; and, that they might not go away with resentment 
and unfavorable impressions against the English, they were per- 
suaded not only to sell the lands assigned them by the Govern- 
ment, but also in 1686 to release by deed all right in the town- 
ships of Concord, Chelmsford, Groton, Lancaster, Stow and 
Dunstable. [Douglass.] 

The same year certain Indians, at Wamesit and Natick, gave 
a deed of sale of the township of Salem. [See Bentley's History of 
Salem. The Chelmsford or Wamesit Indians who signed tliis deed 
were David Nonnupanohow, Sam Wuttaannoh, John Jontoqunne, 
Cicily's son, grandchildren of George Sagamore; Cicily 
Petaghuncksg, Sarah Weittaquatinnusk, daughters of George Saga- 
more; and Thomas Wkqueakussennimi, alias Captain Tom.] 
This was probably done to prevent any futiu-e evil that might 
arise from the Indians on the pretence of injustice on the part of 
the English in taking away their lands by force or fraud, and 
without compensation. 

Allen (p. 157 ff.) mentions also the care which Lt. Hinchman 
and Goodwife Brooks bestowed upon an Indian girl who had been 
scalped, and who recovered after two years or more: and John 
Eliot's experience with an Indian woman and a brass idol. 



Chelmsford, England. 



By an act of Parliament about three years ago, a new diocese 
has been erected in the County of Essex, England, and Chelmsford 
is the See City. 

The old parish church of St. Mary is made the Cathedral of the 
"Diocese of Chelmsford." In England no town is designated by 
the term "city" unless it has a bishop's seat or cathedral. The 
limits of the new diocese are identical with those of the county, 
and Chehnsford is the shire town. In the same cotmty, or 
nearby, are the towns of Ipswich, Framlingham, Billericay, Need- 
ham, Braintree, Maldon, Dunstable, Sudbury, Haverhill and 
various others whose names have been given to New England 



834 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

towns. Chelmsford is about 30 miles northeast of London, and 
has a population of about 14,000. It takes its name from the 
river Chelmer which flows through the town and is connected by 
a canal with the Blackwater. A more euphonious name for our 
Heart pond would be Chelmer Lake. The town is situated at the 
confluence of the Chelmer and the Cann. Its corn and cattle 
markets are among the largest in the county. As early as the 
year 1199 the bishop obtained a charter for a weekly market, 
and in 1227 the town became the regular seat of assizes and 
quarter-sessions. In 1377 Chelmsford was given the right to 
send representatives to parliament. Early in the 12th century 
a bridge was built over the Chelmer, which brought the road from 
London directly through the town, and much increased its im- 
portance. The Shire Hall, Edward VI grammar school, the 
Museum and other handsome buildings give dignity to the place. 
But the church is the principal object of interest. Christian- 
ity had a considerable hold over that region at a very early day, 
and was more firmly established about the year 654 when Cedd 
was bishop of Essex, the country of the East Saxons. There is 
a small stone church still standing in the vicinity of Chelmsford 
which was built at about that date. It is probable that there was 
a Saxon church of wood at Chelmsford, replaced by a stone 
building, soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066, which was 
rebuilt about the year 1400. The lofty tower of the present 
parish church dates from 1427. In 1565 the church was somewhat 
damaged by a great storm, and in 1800, through the careless 
construction of burial vaults under the pavement of the church, 
the pillars of the nave gave way and almost the whole body of 
the church fell in a heap of ruins. It was soon rebuilt, and today 
is a fine example of an English parish church. The main portion 
of the edifice is 120 by 54 feet in dimension. It will, probably, 
be considerably enlarged to meet its new use. It has a ring of 
ten bells. 

[See page 14.] 

Cowley, in "Lowell, a city of Spindles," says that John Eliot, 
"the Apostle to the Indians," was baptized at Widford in the 
County of Hertford, England, August 5, 1604. He studied at 
Jesus College, Cambridge. "We next hear of him as a tutor 
[usher] in the school of Little Baddow near Chelmsford in the 
County of Essex, of which Rev. Thomas Hooker was master. 
The Rev. John Fiske, who afterwards became the first minister 
of Chelmsford, * * * was also a school teacher in [the 
English] Chelmsford. How many of the settlers of the American 
Chelmsford came from its English namesake we know not, but 
it probably owes its name to the connection of Eliot, Fiske, and 
Hooker with the English Chelmsford. Like nearly all the Puritans 
of that time, Eliot was a zealous member of the Church of 
England." Thomas Hooker was curate of St. Mary's Church. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 835 

Chelmsford, but was silenced for his non-conformity; as Cotton 
Mather says in his Magnalia : Bonus vir Hookerus, sed ideo malus, 
quia Puritanus. , ,-, tt i 

John Fiske, the first minister of this Town, was, like Hooker 
and John Eliot, ordained a priest in the Church of England. 
Fiske and Hooker and Eliot may have known each other at 
Cambridge, where the former two studied at Emmanuel, the 
great Puritan College, at which many of the early New England 
clergy were educated. 

SAMUEL ADAMS's GRANT. 

12—11 16()0 The Reccord of ye accomodation of upland and 

meddoe granted by the Towne of Chehnsford to 
Mr Samewell Adams witn the bounds and hut- 
ments of the same to him and his heyrs for euer. 
first his upland one which his Mills stand beemg 

his upland granted at three severall t>Tiies; the first grant 

being one hundreth acors in Consideration of his 
erecting and maintaining A com Mill for the 
Towns supplye: the secont grant beeing fowr 
hundreth and fiuete Acors of upland only wthout 
any reservance to towne privelidges propr to his 
first grant as to other accomodations granted by 
the Towne the which fowr hundreth and fiuete 
acors was granted in consideration of the said 
Samuell addams his erecting of a Saw Mill one 
the said Land for the Towns suplye as is specefied 
in the Towne Booke page the 8th : the third grant 
was by way of recompence for sum deffitientcy 
which did appeare to bee in his meddoe the which 
third grant was the extending the Lyne of former 
c^rants from the Northeast Comer ouer About 
the middle of the medo: called Longe meddoe, 
granted by the Towne to William fletcher and so 
to Billerikaie Lyne allso the Continuing the 
South Lyne of the first grants from A Little 
swampe one the east side of his Mills ponde & 
so along in A watery Rundlet till it reach Biller- 
ikaie Lyne all which said Land beeing Layd out 
Conteyning by estemation About 8 hundreth 
Acors more or less beeing bounded East by 
Billerikaie Lyne: South by the Towne Common: 
westerle by the Land of John Adams & one the 
Northwest by the meddo of Land of James Blood 
North by the Land of James Blood Iszak Lamed 
Joseph Parker Jacob Parker & John Nutting and 
prtly by the Towne Common. 



836 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



his meddoe 1 twelve Acors more or less Lying at the Mills tayle . 

2 fourtene Acors .... Lying at the head of the Mills 

pond 

3 a meddo called springe meddo, conteyning fowr 

acors 

4 four acors Lying at Great Tadmuck 

Addition the third addition proper to the first grant 

Lying on the pyne playne conteining 

sevente Eight x'Xcors 

this is A liuc Record aproved As attests clerke 
by the Selectmen 24:12:60 Jacob Parker 



PROPRIETORS IN THE NEW-FIELD. 



[Feb. 1. 1667. 
12:l:6f [O. S.J 



N. S.] 



Acres of Land. 214 



Leftent fifoster. 
Daniell Blogged: 
Jacob Parker: 



beeing A Comite ap- 
pointed by the Select- 
men to Rate to euery 
propriator in the New 

feild there proportions of fence due to them 

Lenth of fence 555 doe find the number of Acres & the Lenth 

of fence as in the margant 

due to a Lott of :6: the names of the Seuerall propriators with 
acres: 2 pole & :10 the number of Acres now in there possestion 
foot of fence wth the number of order as they Ly. 



1 Mr John Webb: 8:Acres 7:12:59: William ffletcher 

2 John Batts 6 Samuell fifoster 

3 Henery Boutall 12 Josiah Richardson 

4 Mineralls Lott mr Webb: 6 ware appointed A Comite to 

5 John Wright 9 state the fence one the other 

6 Henery ffarwell 6 parts of the said feild & they did 

7 Edward Spalding senr 6 find 2 pole and 6 foote to eury 

S Daniell Blogged 12 acre Lying in the same order 

9 John Shiple Senr 18 that the other doth — only sum 

11 Joseph Parkis 12 lots being sold have allowed 

12 Edward Spalding Jnr 6 som of them namely william 

13 Benjamin Butterfeld: 42 ffletchers then beeing the 9th 

14 Edward Kempe 6 Lott: beinge John Shiple to bee 

15 Jacob Parker 17 9 in this Last and so Daniell 

16 John Spalden 6 Blogged haueing his Lott: 

17 John Stephens 6 

18 Mr ffiske 6 

19 Josiah Ritchardson 6 

20 Samuell ffletcher 6 

21 John Burge 6 

22 John Perum 6 

10 Solloman Keyes: 6 

wch in order of \ 

fence is the 10th Lott / 

B Butterfeilds fence Lyeth in to 
places in number 13 for one Lott and 
the rest Lyeth at the Loer end of the feild 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 837 

Receipts. 
These may Certifie the Selectmen of Chelmsford that Ebenezer 
parkhurst as he was Constable hath payd what he was ordered to 

Collect and Deliver to the Tresurer for the payment of my 
[annuity] from the North part of the Towne in ye year 1699. 

Thomas Clark. 
Chelmsford. 
2 January 1701. 
August the 9 day 1705 

Receued of Stephen perce the sume of nine pounds In Come 
which the to\vne Bequethed to me 
I say Receued By me 

Elizabeth Clark 

ITEMS FROM THE ACCOUNT BOOK OF OLIVER FLETCHER. 

1750 To J dozen pigeons £0: 4: 6 

To Jenny the negro 0:0:8 

To Ginger Bred sent to Putnam's children 0:2:0 

To Chocolate 0:7:6 

To 7 yds Garlix wanting | Quarter 7:5:4 

Gave the Girl for fetching wine 0:0:6 

To a Pint & half of Madera wine 0:12: 

To a Boy at a Gate 0:0:6 

The whole cost [of materials for 2 English checkt cotton 

.shirts] 10: 7: 

To making the 2 shirts 0:14: 

To a Bilboa Handkerchief 1: 7: 

For myself & Lydia my Brother's Daughter to see a sort of 

a monkey : 3 : 

May 22 I went to Salem on my Brother's mare, got there before 

the Sun Set the same Day. 
May 29 I came from Salem got home to Chelmsford the Sun I2 

hour high. 
Paid Col Sampson Stoddard one milled Dollar which is 45 

shillings old tenor 2:5:0 

Nov. 15 I received my under stockings of Cousin Foster and 

paid her for spinning one pound of wool and knitting 

the stockings — old tenor 1:1:8 

For the pound of wool 0:10: 

To2 flints 0: 0: 8 

I lb of Powder & 1 lb Shott of Col Stoddard 0:7:0 

To pd Col Stoddard for 1 lb Shott 0:3:6 

To a worm for a gun stick 0: 1:6 

To lib sugar 0: 4: 

To paid Samuel Archer for making a wigg 5:0:0 

To buy a small wigg Box to send it to me in 0:4:6 

To paid Simeon (ioold for his hair, old tenor 1:2:6 — 0:7:6. 1:10: 

TooneP^ish hook 0: 0: 5 

To Fish lines 0:1:0 

Toa bunch of Dutch Quills 0:6:0 

To a cord for pigeon net & smaller cord 0:8:0 

To one mug of cyder to treat Capt. Butterfield 0:1:0 

To a pair of leather breeches 1:5:0 

To half a pint sallad oyle 0:5:0 

To a flat bottom tin Candle stick 0:9:0 

To a candle mould 0: 2: 

To h lb Powder 6/ & 1 lb. shott 2/6 0:8:6 

The Quails and Partridge fetched 10/6 



838 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Nov. 15 To 2 lb. of tobacco £0:4:0 

To ferriage at Colo. Clarke's [Middlesex Village] 0:1:0 

To pd John Parker for a Dram for James Tompson fetch- 
ing a Great Coat 

To pd for blacking ball of Doct. Tucker 0:2:6 

1751 3h yds broadcloth for great coate 10:11 : 3 

2 doz buttons 1:2:6 

Sowing silk 0:1:6 

5 yds shalloon 1 oz. English thread — 2 skeins of mohair . . 0:14: 

Joseph Pierce for making great coat 1:15: 

Buckram and stay tape 0:5:0 

Paid Aunt Parker for knitting a pair of woolen stockings. 

Gave her son Moses the money 0:15: 

Paid Aunt Foster in full 0:15: 

September 14, 1752 New Style 

Expenses to Concord at Brown's for cake and beer 0:1:3 

1752 2 yds 7/8 Garlix 2:7:0 

To pd Lieut. Minott for combing 1 lb worsted 0:6:0 

To pd Deborah Bates for spinning 1 lb. worsted 0:13: 

To Dinner at Roes 9/ wine with Dinner 2/ 0:11 : 

To Horse Keeping 3/ gave the Boy lOd 0: 3:10 

To wine 2/6 to cake to bring home 2/ 0:4:6 

At a Barbacew at Mr Parker's 

Gave Jeremiah Butterfield for fetching mare 0:1:0 

To Benja. Clarke for keeping mare & ferriage 0:1:8 

Snuflf 0: 1: 

Paid Andrew Batties for Tobacco ? lb 0:4:6 

Town meeting night at Parker's 2 mugs of flip 0:8:0 

Pd Andrew Battys for weaving 10 yds. J cotton & linnen 

at3pr 1:11: 6 

1 pair Jron snuffers 0:3:6 

To 1 lb Duck Shott 0:2:6 

To mending my bear skin coat 0:6:0 

To Ink powder 0:6:0 

To 6 Lemmons 0:5:0 

For moving the mare's shoose 0:4:0 

To pd for mug of flip in company with Maj. Read & Lieut. 

Spaulding 0:4:0 

Andrew Batties bought me a pound of Virginia tobacco 

8/ and I paid him 9/ 0: 9: 

To 2 sheep skins for lining breeches 1:2:6 

A Christmas Box to Murray, the barber 0:5:0 

To an ink horn 0:3:0 

May 19, 1755 To paid my Brother Robert for a salmon. 9 lb., of 
which I mad a present to Judge Sewall of Boston, 19/ 
& for carrying 6/ in all my said Brother delvd. at his 

House in Boston 1:5:0 

June 9th To paid John Parker for a pint of wine to treat Hannah 
Parkhurst, Betty Richardson & others who carried 

me a letter down to Col. Alford 0:7:0 

Shaving and dressing wiggs 0:3:0 

To paid for newspaper 0: 2: 6 

A Bushel ofTurnips 0:9:0 

I paid Mr Murry at Boston for making a wig 1 pistole ... 8:5:0 

6 one dollar & one pistereen 2:14: 

& I paid Cogswell for his hair 1:2:6 

The wigg cost me in all 12: 1 : 6 

Paid men at work at high ways 0:1:2 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 839 

July 7 Col Stoddard for a Testament for Olive £0:16: 

I made a present of a loafe of white sugar to Mr Bridge 

71b. @ 7/ p 2: 9: 

1 skein of mohair 0: 3:11 

1 pair of Temple spectacles 2:5:0 

1758 June 3 Gave French Prisoners in Boston Gaol 0:1:8 

To my Clubb at VVethered's with General Peperell &c ... 0:16: 1 
Oct. 18 I had Col. Stoddard's white mare and chair to Court, 

carried Mrs Stoddard with me. I paid all expenses. 

Sent her back by Eben. Foster's son. 
I had Col Stoddard's white mare to bring mc from Court 

Ebenezr Foster's son Ebenezer brought her down to 

me. 
1758 At the May sessions I dined out 

1 at James Bowdoin's Esq. Election Day 

1 at Mr John Ting's 

1 at Mr John Winslow's 

1 at Mr Speaker Hubbard's 

1 at Thomas Hancock's Esq. 

5 times this Court 
1758 Absent from home May 15 to May 20 at night 6 days. 

Absent from home at the General Court from May 31 to June 17 

at night 19 days. 
Absent from home at the Superior Court at Cambridge from July 31 

to the 5 of August 6 days. 
Absent from home at Concord Court from Sept 5 to 8th — ^at night — 

4 days 
Absent from home at the General Court (2d Sessions) from Oct 3 

to 18—16 days 
At other times he dined at Mr. Boucher's, Mr. Joshua Henshaw's, 

Mr. James Russel's, Charlestown; at the Governor's (Thomas 

Pownal), Treasurer Gray's, Col. Wendall's, Mr. William White's, 

Mr. Thomas Fletcher's, Col. Brattle's, Judge Sewall's; at the 

Lieut. Governor's (Thomas Hutchinson), Mr. Irving's, Mr. 

Oliver's (the Secretary), Mr. John Bridge's, at his honour's, 

Ede's Printers, Royal Tylor's, F"aneuil Hall, Mr. Osburn's, Mr. 

Wheelwrights; at young Mr.Quincy's, artillery election in Faneuil 

Hall, 1760, at the invitation of Col. Phillips, Mr. Cotton's, 

at his Excellency's, Mr. Dana's; at the Castle with Capt. Sheafe, 

T. Cushing's. 



He reckons each year how much he has saved by dining out. 

1760 At the January session of the General Court he records that he 
"dined out 22 times which saved me, 7/6 per, is £8:5:0. He 
was absent from home 52 days at this session and was sick at 
Mr. Loring's from Feb. 6 to 20. 

Jan'y. 1760. My attendance this session was 43 days @ 4/ £8:12:0 

Travel 30 miles [4/ every ten miles) 0:12: 

Lawful money £9:4:0 

"I had Colo. Stoddard's mare down this time went by 

Cambridge to Sampson & he rid the mare home: he 

took her at Charlestown." 
His itemized account of expenses while attending this 

session foots up £45:11:6. My whole wages this 

session £69: 0: 

Gained £23: 8: 6 



840 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

Feb. 19, 1760 Paid Mrs Polly who tended him while sick £2:5:0 

Paid for Dr. John Loring for medicine 1 : 1 :10 

I gave Mrs Allen's negro for going arrants&c 0: 4: 6 

I gave Battis, Mr Hancock's coach man, for driving me 

down to the ferry 0:7:6 

Feb. 21, 1760 I paid old Mr Edes for a Chaise I hired of him that 

day from Charlestown to Chelmsford 2:10: 

To paid him for his mare to draw the Chaise the same 

journey 3:0:0 

I paid him the sd. Edes for his servant man Baker to drive 

me to Chelmsford for two days 1 :14: 

TAVERNS MENTIONED IN OLIVER FLETCHER'S ACCOUNTS. 

Billerica: Osgood's. 

Wilmington: Hathorn's. 

Bedford: Pollard's. 

Woburn: Richardson's. 

Reading: Damon's, Bryant's. 

LynEnd: Newhall's. 

Salem: Cutler's, Putnam's, Flint's, Manning's. 

Concord: Rope's, Brown's, Minot's, Roe's, Hubbard's, Jones's. 

Lexington: Raymond's. 

Charlestown: Abraham's, Steadman's. 

Cambridge: Bowers's, Bradish's. 

Boston: Boyleston's was on the site of the Parker House, Adams's, Bracket's, 
Wethered's, Capt. Day's, Silsby's, Bowers's, Brown's, Stone's, Flint's, 
Ridgeway's, James Fowle's (Charlestown ?), Black Horse. The Lamb 
was kept by Col. Doty on the site of the present Adams House on Wash- 
ington Street. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 841 

ADDITIONAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS. 

Page 90. H. S. P., in the Chelmsford Eagle, stated that there 
was in the early days a garrison or block house on the high 
ground where All Saints' Church now stands, and also one 
where Thomas Moore once lived, towards West Chelmsford. 

Page 302. Admos, William is the same as Adams, William. 

Page 306. John Bridge engaged April 24, lyy^, not /77<5. 

Page 318. This Record should be added: 

Fletcher, Benjamin. Capt. 1st Co. 7th Middlesex Co., Regt. of Mass. Militia; 
list of officers, commissioned July 13, 1780. See also page 362. 

Page 350. This Record should be added : 

Warren, Isaac. 1st Lieutenant, Capt. John Minot's (1st) Co. (South Co. 
in Chelmsford), Col. Simeon Spaulding's (7th Middlesex Co.) Regt. of 
Mass. Militia; list of officers chosen by the several companies in said 
regiment; ordered in Council May 31, 1776, that said officers be com- 
missioned May 31, 1776; also, 1st Lieutenant, Capt. Stephen Russell's 
Co., Col. Samuel BuUard's Regt., Gen. Warner's Brigade; engaged Aug. 
14, 1777; discharged Nov. 30, 1777; service, 3 mos., 29 days, at the 
Northward, including 12 days (240 miles) travel home; also, same 
company and regt.; pay abstract for retained rations; rations allowed 
said Warren from Aug. 14, 1777, to Dec. 11, 1777; credited with 120 
rations. 

Page 353. For Clark, Col. Jonas, read Clark, ist Lieut. Timothy. 

Page 355. Third line from bottom. 

Foster, Ebenezer, born in Chelmsford, enlisted for Westford, so his record 
is not given. His death is recorded here. Probably there were numerous 
other natives of Chelmsford whose names do not appear here, although 
they served in the Revolution. 

Page 398. A few old Chelmsford families still live upon their 
ancestral acres: The Parkers and Bowers of Lowell; the 
Parkers, Perhams and Warrens of the Centre Village; and, 
until within a few years, branches of the Byam, Chamberlain, 
Emerson, Fletcher, Richardson, and Wright families, and 
perhaps others. 

Page 408. Seventh line from bottom. For John IT'. Wilson, read 
John H. Wilson. 

Page 445. Pigeon feathers constituted an article of commerce 
in 1787 at the store of James Robbins, South Village. John 
Mansfield had five pounds, ten ounces, to return as many 
of the same kind of feathers when called for. 

In 1824, a man and four oxen would do a day's plowing 
for $1.75. A man received 50 cents for a day's work. 
Potatoes were from 25 to 33 cents a bushel in 1830. 
In 1837, $4 would buy 100 lbs. of beef. 

Page 447. Sewall Parkhurst teamed the lime, made on Robin's 
hill and used in building the first mill in what is now Lowell. 
James Robbins also carted lime in ox-carts to the "Corpor- 
ation," and wood and hogsheads to the lime kiln for Artemas 
Parker in 1826. 

Page 456. Twenty-first line. For shirts read skirts. 

Page 569. Total Valuation of Chelmsford Schools, 1916, 
$154,568.45. Town Appropriation for Schools, 1916, $34,875.74. 



842 HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 

LIST OF TEACHERS IN CHELMSFORD SCHOOLS DURING THE YEAR 1916. 

*AIberto W. Small Genevieve E. Jantzen 

tCharles A. Holbrook Martha G. Roark 

fArthur W. Trubey Catherine E. McDermott 

tEvan W. D. Merrill Katherine M. Quinn 

Edith L. Hart Mary A. Underwood 

Alice M. Pease Margaret C. Gookin 

Neda B. Freeman M. Grace McCue 

Edna Currier Bertha H. Long 

Gladys A. Merrill Catherine E. Dunn 

Susan S. McFarlin Kathryn E. Howarth 

Dora M. Wentworth Sara D. Ivers 

Eva F, Ladd Esther A. Reid 

Helena B. Lyons Ruth D. Crawford 

Eva M. Godfrey Mabel E. Haggerty 

Florence M. Stites Gladys Jenkyn 

Clara E. Macomber Elsie S. Wilder 

Helen M. Robinson Regina B. Frappier 

Ellen E. Coles Jessie M. Agnew 

Eleanor Berg Hazel R. Knowlton 

Gertrude A. Jones Almira Fuller 

Laura B, Desmarais JM. Marion Adams 

Mary D. Sleeper §Jessie Atwood 
Ella A. Hutchinson 



MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1910-1916. 

George F. White William H. Hall 

John J. Monahan Charles H. Crowell 

John E. Harrington Celia B. Park 
Herbert E. Ellis 

Page 591. Ninth line from bottom. For H. P. read B. P. Hunt. 

Page 638. Twelfth line. Dele Naticot. 

Page 719. The names of Moses Davis and Hezekiah Thomdike 

should be added to the list of Revolutionary soldiers buried in 

Forefathers' Burying Ground, making the whole number 47. 
Moses Davis's grave is about 12 feet north of the Fiske 

montmient. 

Hezekiah Thorndike's grave is close to the Chamberlaine 

headstone of 1692, on Plan 21. 
Page 721. These records of Interments in Forefathers' Burying 

Ground, obtained after the others were printed, are here 

given for the sake of completeness. 

The Record here printed is supposed to end with 1913. 
Sarah Jane Bent. Dec. 31, 1913. Age, 83 yrs., 5 mos., 15 d. 
Frank W. Jenkins. May 13, 1893. Age, 47 yrs., 6 mos., 10 d. 
Sarah Tarbel Park. Dec. 26, 1913. Age, 80 yrs., 10 mos., 7 d. 
Henrietta M. D. Parkhurst. Dec. 13, 1913. Age, 80 yrs., 1 mo. 
Lucy Haywood Worthen. Oct. 12, 1898. Age, 2 yrs., 3 mos., 4 d. 
Page 752. Fourth line under W. For 1760, read I76g. 

*Super%nt«ndent of Schools. XSupervisor of Mutie. 

tPrincipai. iSuperviaor of Drawintf. 



NOTES AND CORRECTIONS 843 

Pages 588 and 832. 

THE REVOLUTIONARY MONUMENT. 
(From the Chelmsford Memorial, May 2, 1859.) 

"The design for the Monument, submitted to the consideration of the 
Directors of the Association, is intended to be characteristic of the Men and 
Times of the Revolution; — plain, massive, and in keeping with the material, 
the native granite of Chelmsford, in its rough state. 

From a slight mound rises a terrace of three broad granite steps, square 
in plan, and intended to elevate the whole structure above the general 
surrounding level; above it is a square Base, supporting the Main Shaft, 
the lower part of which is squared to give space for tablets on each side, — 
the upper part rising in octagonal form. The Cornice is heavy and over- 
hanging, with arched brackets, common to the warlike towers of the middle 
ages, and producing a battlemented aspect. 

Above the Cornice, and crowning the entire monument, rises an octagonal 
block, supporting a bold and simple chaplet of oak leaves. 

The architect, Mr. Greely S. Curtis of Boston, has endeavored to express 
in this design, a rough, rugged strength, with solidity and simplicity, avoiding 
elaborate decorations and highly finished surfaces, as inappropriate in a 
memorial of the men to whom the monument is to be raised. 

It is entirely different in design, — ^as it is in character, — from any of the 
Revolutionary monuments yet erected; and from its originality, completeness, 
and dignity, has been much admired by those who have seen it. 

Its extreme height, if the full design shall be carried out in the construction 
(and this only depends upon the liberality of the members of the Association,) 
will be about twenty-seven feet, with a terrace of thirty feet square in plan, 
and the main shaft four feet in diameter." 

A writer in the same sheet hoped to see, on that venerated spot (the site 
of the Monument) hallowed by the associations of former days, an appropriate, 
tasteful monument, dedicated to the memory of those who were wont to 
assemble there* in "the time that tried men's souls," to counsel and encourage 
one another, and to consecrate to the sacred cause to which they had pledged 
themselves a liberal share of their scanty substance. t 

Let us do something worthy of our relation to a town which, in its generous 
sympathy and appropriations for the public welfare and patriotic supply of 
the sinews of war, in the eventful period of our country's struggle, was equalled 
by few and surpassed by none. 

Another item from the same paper; 

Dr. Matthias Spalding of Amherst, N. H., in his ninety-first year, and one 
of the few remaining links, connecting the present time (1859) with the 
infancy of our country, as a nation, still retains a vigorous niemory and 
hearty interest in all that relates to his native town. He writes, "I am 
interested to learn that a meeting of the residents of Old Chelmsford is to 
be held this week, to provide means and measures for the erecting of a monu- 
ment, commemorative of those patriot citizens who lost their lives in defense 
of their country's freedom, during the Revolutionary war. The infirmities 
of four-score and ten years have not effaced from my recollection, the scenes 
and feelings of that eventful period. Though but a small boy when the 
Battle of Bunker's Hill was fought, I remember the anxiety and alarm which 
it excited, for we children all expected to be Killed. My father. Col. Simeon 
Spalding, was summoned home, I think from the General Court, to join the 
forces at [Cambridge]. My [step-] brother Wilson was in the battle, and I have 
heard him often say, that he fired till the gun was so hot that he could only hold it by 
the stock. There were frequent consultations at my father's. Col. Parker's, 
Capt. Walker's, and other resolute and patriotic men. The report of the 
cannon was heard distinctly at Chelmsford, and we children, left alone with 
our mother, were glad to learn before my father's return, that the battle was 
•Within a few feet of the spot on which it is proposed to erect the monument, atsada an ash 
tree, which was there in 1775, beneath the branches of which the Chelmsford patriots of 
that day were accustomed to assemble for consultation on matters i>ertainiai; to the 
public welfare, 
tin a hollow of this tree money was frequently deposited for the use of the patriot soloter 
about to enlist in his country's service. 



844 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



over. I well remember the deep interest felt in the incidents and final issue 
of the subsequent struggle. I recall with pleasure the names of my fellow- 
townsmen who were actually engaged in the cause of American Independence, 
and their determined bravery." 

Besides the losses at Bunker Hill mentioned on page 232, these also are 
recorded in the Massachusetts Archives: 

Joseph Osgood, £1. 6. John Adams, £2. 2. 

John Parker, 2. David Putnam, 1. 11. 

Samuel Haywood, 2. 14. Hezekiah Thorndike, 2. 5. 

Benjamin Peirce, 12. 

Daniel Keyes should be added to the list of those wounded at Bunker 
Hill (Page 355). Moses Barker and Elijah Hazelton were not of Chelmsford. 



A LIST OF MEN. 

May 1, 1775. Chelmsford. 

Timothy Adams 
Isack Barrot 
Samuel Adams 
Ebenezer Sheed 
David damon 
Salathiel Adams 
Ephraim Parkust 
Reuben Parker 
Beniamin Parker 
Jesse Spaulding 
Samuel Wilson 
William Bettes 
Nathen Crosby 
Beniamin Peirce 



Lewtenot John minot 
Ser. Silas Spaulding 
Ser. Jonas Pierce 
Oliver Adams 
David Parker 
Josiah Parkhurst 
Daniel Keyes 
John Spaulding 
Willard Peirce 
Moses Barron 
david Chambers 
Jams Chambers 
Jesse heywood 
Beniamin heywood 
Samuel heywood 

Teen Listed 
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 59, p. 521.] 

A RETURN OF OFFICERS. 

In Obedience to a late Act of the Colony of the Massachusetts 
Bay The Training Companies together with the Alarm Lists in 
the several Towns: in the Seventh Regiment of Militia in the 
Count\^ of Middlesex: whereof Simeon Spaulding, Esqr, is Colonel. 
The Before Mentioned Companies are Dignified in the Following 
Manner. (Viz) 



Chelmsford. South Company first in Dignity 



Billerica East Co. 
Billerica West Co. 



2nd. 
3d. 



Chelmsford North Company 4th in Dignity 



Dunstable East Co. 5th 

Dracut West Co. 6th 

Bedford Co. 7th 

Tewksbury East Co. 8th 

Dunstable West Co. 9th 

Dracut East Co. 10th 

Tewksbury West Co. 11th 



f John Minot, Capt. 

•I Isaac Warren, 1st Lieut. 

[ Elijah Porter, 2d Lieut. 



[ Samuel Stephens Junr. Capt 
■( Timothy Clark 1st Lieut 
[ William Manning 2d Lieut 



[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 41, page 155.] 

May 31, 1776. The Council ordered these officers to be Cora- 
missioned. 

In the original the officers of all the companies are given. 



INDEX OF NAMES 



This index does not include the four preceding pages. 

In a few instances no attempt has been made to distinguish between persons of 

the same name. 



Abbot, Abbott — 

Abial 248, 809 

Abicl (Dr.) 460 

Abiel (Rev.) 883 

Abigail 463 

BenJ 165 

Caleb (Capt.) 240, 448, 492, 
S62. 669, 684, 683, 722, 
763, 818. 
Caroline Livermore .... 669 

Cato 276, 284, 301 

Daniel 267, 289, 301 

Evelina Maria Antoin- 
ette 722 

Fletcher 448. 563 

Frank F 723 

Gardner 448 

George 432, 569 

George A 378 

Jamea 439 

Jeremiah 245, 301, 354, 360, 
366, 581. 622. 

Joanna 456, 780 

Josiah 257, 301 

Joaiah Gardner (Judge) 540, 
663, 666. 567, 569, 589, 
692, 713. 

Katherine M. Miaa 487 

Lucy Ann L 722 

Marcy M. R 732 

MeUnthaL 723 

Mercy 722 

Mercy F 669, 722 

Mercy Maria R 722 

Nathan 669 

Nehemiah (Dr.) 92. 237, 275, 
402. 461. 463, 546, 570, 
620. 622. 780. 790. 802. 
825 

Royal C 723 

Solomon 257, 289. 301. 378. 
812. 

Timothy 569 

Widow 456. 780 

Wm. 247. 288. 301. 354, 622 

William Staokpole 722 

Abbot Worsted Company . 657 

Abbot & Co 657 

Abbott & Fletcher 599 

Abbotfa Ferry 481, 812 

Aberjona River 638 

Abington 795 

"Abraham Davenport" .. 641 

Abraham. Heights of 201 

Abraham's Tavern 840 

Academy of Medicine .... 562 

Acadia 127, 138, 201 

Aoadians . . 167, 169, 543, 826 

ACKBOTD. George H 378 

Acton 211. 212. 217, 218. 219, 
268, 434. 441, 474. 476, 
478. 621, 650. 659, 660. 
701. 787. 809. 



Acton Street or Road 91. 92. 

421. 434. 436. 436, 438, 

439. 440. 472, 473. 546, 

802. 
Adams — 

Abel 209. 283, 301, 362, 620, 

719, 722, 761. 

Abigail 723 

Abijah 721 

Alice J. Wellington 585 

Alvin 722 

Amos Byam 723 

Amos F. . . 398, 585, 586, 821 

Annie L 723 

Benjamin 46, 148, 275, 353. 

360, 361. 362. 397. 457, 

476. 556. 580. 589. 601. 

620. 624, 625. 701. 721. 

757, 758, 759. 764. 821. 

827 
Benjamin, Jr. . 179, 180, 721 

Betsey 722 

Bettey 721 

(Capt.) with (Col.) Win- 
slow 165 

Catherine Mary 722 

Charles 685, 723 

CharlesE 722 

Charles Henry 723 

Charles L 369 

Clara L. Clouston 723 

David 65, 260, 301 

Eben (Dea.) 443, 457. 668. 

722. 

EbenT 767. 768. 829 

E. T. Mrs 586 

Edward Everett 593 

Emma J 723 

Ephraim 763 

Eather 415. 721 

Eunice Cole 722 

Frances Adelaide 723 

Grace Pearl 723 

Hannah 457. 720 

Henry 385, 698 

Henry K 722 

Isaac 398.685.723 

Jeaee (Capt.) 363. 413, 414. 

430. 
Joel 396. 492. 540, 561, 663, 

569, 589, 683, 684, 689, 

722. 763. 764, 807. 

Joel Mrs 369 

John 835 

John 172, 247. 348. 249, 257, 

260, 287, 301, 354, 360, 

445, 559. 620. 701. 720. 
John (President) 14. 190, 203, 

204. 807. 

John, JuD 360 

John, 3d 620 

John F 457 



Adams — 

John H 723 

John Quincy (President) 795, 

798 

John T. K 689, 723 

Jonas 167. 880, 620, 721, 

722, 759. 
Jonathan 89, 135, 276, 278, 

360, 408, 444, 445, 620, 

700. 
Joseph (Capt.) 65, 209, 263, 

301. 397, 416, 560, 620, 
678, 679, 719. 721, 723, 
756 782 

Joseph. Jr.' 287. 679. 759, 760 

Joseph, 2d 402 

Joseph E 369 

Leighton M 723 

Lucy 721, 722 

Lydia 721. 723 

L. Abby 732 

Marcha 708 

Martha Prentice 722 

Martha P 722 

Mary 26, 277, 278, 620, 721, 
726. 

MaryE 722 

Moses 212 

Mrs 13i 

Nancy P. Worthen 723 

Nancy Robbing . . . 685, 723 

Norris 722 

OUve 721.722 

OUver 179, 180, 240, 262. 

302. 361. 362. 620. 700. 786 

Oliver Mrs 672, 786 

Otis (Dea.) 225, 448, 563, 

569, 583, 588, 589, 690. 

592. 593. 683, 686, 723, 

763. 764. 765. 

Otis. Jr 240 

Felatiah 45. 90. 135, 302, 

355, 590, 617, 621. 694. 

721. 

Rachel 701 

Ralph P 408. 400 

Rebecca 95, 309 

Rebeokah 731 

Robert 247, 260, 302, 354. 

360, 621. 701. 
SaUthiel. .302, 599, 719. 721 
Samuel 20. 21. 22. 35. 36, 38, 

39, 42, 43, 46, 47, 62, 66, 

58, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67. 69, 

85, 95, 111. 112. 122. 127. 

131. 152. 163. 399, 401. 

415, 526. 528. 534, 578, 

585, 618, 678, 721. 764. 

755. 801. 810. 835. 
Samuel, the Patriot 199. 203. 

217. 454. 793, 794, 827. 

828. 



846 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Samuel. Jr 620 

Samuel (Lieut.) 159, 262, 302, 

360, 445, 670, 620, 720. 
Samuel, of Ashbumham 276, 
278 

Samud, 3d 621 

Sarah 721, 722 

Sarah C 723 

Simeon 722 

Solomon 209, 260, 302 

Stephen . . 163, 164, 166, 169 

Susanna 52, 399, 722 

Thankful 722 

Thomaa 3, 6, 9, 10. 11, 12, 
20. 30, 37, 40, 45, 46, 47. 
59, 74, 86, 90, 92, 121, 
122, 127, 494, 578, 685, 
617, 621, 764, 765. 
Thomaa 247. 248, 249, 250, 
277, 278, 302, 354, 360, 
397, 445, 585. 

Thomas A. (J.7) 457 

Thomas J. 402, 556, 588, 601, 
821 

Thomas Minot 587, 723 

Timothy 46, 91, 135, 240. 
256, 259, 262, 302, 360, 
586, 700, 720, 803, 807. 

Waldo 722 

William 721 

William 52, 273, 274, 275. 284, 
302, 397, 457. 582, 657, 
658, 666, 682, 719, 722, 
762. 

WiUiam 723 

WnUam, Jr 402 

William H 722 

Willie 240, 588 

Adams House, Boston 840 

Adams House, Charles. . . . 398 
Adams Library 156, 172, 198, 
205, 266, 285, 398, 435, 
456, 459, 514, 548, 570, 
585, 586, 589, 628, 796, 
821 

Adams' Mills 662, 664 

Adams' Orchestra 593 

Adams, (Dea.) Otis, House 398, 
583, 588. 

Adams Square 454 

Adams Street 38, 397, 435 

Adams' Tavern, Boston . . . 840 
Adams' Tavern, North 

Chelmsford 442, 668 

Adams & Chapman 585 

Adams & Roby 816 

Addington — 

Isaac 130, 149, 433 

Jas 128 

Addison, D. D. (Rev.) . . 492 

Africa 568 

Aiken — 

Curtis A 605 

Solomon 497 

AiKENS, James 527 

AiKiNS, Mr 793 

AiNOER, Robert 259 

ArvES (Lieut. Col.) 187 

Aix-la-Chapelle 157 

Albany 126, 127, 165, 167, 179, 
183, 186, 188, 201, 261, 
263, 786. 

Albany Flats 261 

Albany State Capitol 673 

Albro, John A. (Rev.) 704, 705 
Alcott — 

Amos BroneoD 566 

W. P. (Rev.) 655 

Alexander — 

Elias 158 



Alexander — 

George 369 

James 256, 269, 302 

Zachr 175 

Alexandria, Virginia . . . 799 
Alfohd — 

Jno.(Col.) 788,838, 

WiUiam 534 

Alhort, Alexander 93 

All Saints' Church, Parish 712 
715, 800, 822. 

All Saints' Rectory 396 

AUeghanies 72 

Allen (Ref. to his Hist, of 

Chelmsford) 4, 5, 7, 18, 
20, 21, 25, 49, 52, 53, 68, 
81, 91, 125, 150, 200, 203. 
230, 295, 355, 362, 363, 
422, 432, 476, 484, 495, 
497, 499, 505, 511, 514, 
518, 520, 522, 523, 525, 
541, 554, 557, 558, 626, 
627, 632, 634, 637, 642, 
650, 658, 660, 662, 665, 
688, 691, 693, 697, 703, 
772, 775, 776, 794, 797, 

798, 801, 812, 814, 818, 
825, 832. 

Allen, Allin — 

Arthur W 823 

A. W 240 

Benjamin 93, 158 

Calvin 371, 722 

Charles A. (Rev.) . . 686, 801 

(Dharles Hastings 800 

Children of Rev. Wilkee 

and Mrs. Mary 722 

Elnathan 467, 799 

George H. (Rev.) 702, 703, 
704. 

Israel 799. 800 

James Morrill 800 

Jeremiah 607 

John (Rev.) 9, 11, 17 

John Clarke 722, 800 

Liberty 799 

Louisa A 584, 586 

Lydia Pratt 467 

Malachi 249 

Mary 722, 800 

Mary (MorriU) 800 

Nathaniel Glover (Rev.) 712, 
800. 

Sarah 800 

Willces (Rev.) 35, 448, 467, 
482, 502, 516, 524, 540, 
541, 561, 563. 601, 681, 
682, 683, 686, 712, 722, 

799, 800, 801, 817, 818. 

Ambrose, Stephen 816 

America 13. 72, 162, 195, 207, 

214, 217, 238, 241, 296, 
489, 502, 503. 504. 512. 
534, 573, 581, 613. 659, 
669, 698, 769, 772. 
American House, Lowell. . 442 
"American Revolution," 

History of (Trevelyan) 828 
American Statistical Aseo- 

ciation Collections . . . 627 
Ames — 

John 662 

Josiah, Jr 765 

Nathan, Junr 360 

Nathan P 475, 662 

Amesbury 138, 174 

Amherst 143, 223, 261, 363, 634 
Amherst, Jeffrey (General) 162 
Amherst. N. H.. . 440. 689, 802 

Amherst Stage 440 

Amoskeag (Manchester) . . 609 



Amsterdam, Holland 774 

Anabaptists 697, 699, 784 

Ancient and Honorable 

Artillery Company . . . 534 
Anderson — 

Cornelius 115 

W. A. (Rev.) 715 

Andover 74, 85, 110, 116. 117. 
118, 124, 135, 138, 154, 
248, 249, 271, 274, 432, 
548, 550, 569, 802, 809, 
826, 828. 

Andover Conference 714 

Andover, Hist., Sketches of 828 

Andover Line 523 

Andover, Vt 550 

Andre, John (Major) .... 274 

Andress, Ezekiel 288 

Andrew, Old (Indian) 632, 657 
Andrews — 

Ammi 700 

Bildad 168 

Edward 621 

Ezekiel 257, 303 

John 378 

Juliette E 723 

Leonard 723 

Leonora A 723 

Nathaniel 168 

Rebecca 723 

Viola R 723 

Wm. (Rev.) . . 685, 686, 687 
Andros, Sir Edmund (Gov.) 

132, 622. 
Androscoggin River, Little 163 
Annanniesumsick Pond (New- 
field) 633 

Annapolis 670 

Annas, James 257, 288, 289, 
303. 

Anne, Queen 138, 623 

Anne Street 712 

Annis — 

Ezra 353 

Jacob 271, 353 

Phinehas 249 

Ansart's Ferry 813 

Antilles 564 

Anti-paedo-baptists 697 

Antrim, N. H 814 

ApLiN, Isaac 158 

Appleton — 

Ebenezer 488 

F. H. (Gen.) 221 

Nathan 486 

William 488 

Appleton Academy^ New 

Ipswich 585, 808 

Appleton Street 78 

Appomattox Court House . 368 
Arbuthnot, Marriott (Col.) 
230. 

Archer, Samuel 837 

"Ark," The 92, 456 

Arkwright, Richard .... 486 

Arlin, John 483 

Armagh, County, Ireland . 698 
Armstrong, C. (jeorge 598, 663 
Arnold — 

Clara 723 

John 676 

Ashbumham 261, 276, 278 

Ashby 212, 261, 357, 585 

AsHURST, Henry 477 

ASHWORTH — 

Christina 723 

James 723 

Assanunnickcom-misick, 

Annannieumsick .... 638 

Atherton, Jonathan 124 

Athol 356 



INDEX OF NAMES 



847 



Atlantic Coast 73 

Attantk Ocean 72, 73, 107 

Atwood, Joehua 165 

Augusta, Female Academy 

of 799 

ATreoooD — 

Benjn 247, 303, 354 

Joeeph 247, 303, 354 

ArsTiN — 

Charles 378 

Jonathan Williams 193, 195, 
198, 200, 203, 204, 205, 
206, 207, 303, 620, 760, 
791, 806, 807. 

(Major) 828 

Samuel 204 

AvEBY, John 254 

Ayer 376, 645, 671 

Frederick 485 

Frederick Fanning 397. 567, 
713, 830, 831. 

James H.B 763 

J. C. (Dr.) 397 

J.C.Mre 397 

Richard H 816 

Ayer, Farm, J. C 533 

Ayer Home 397, 493 

Ayer, J. C. Co 665 

Ayer's City, Road 400 

Atnger, Robert 256 

Atotte. E 408 

Babee, Nurse 790 

Bachelder, Samuel 563 

Bachelor, Benj 175 

Babcock (Archdeacon), 

S. G 715 

Backe, John 55 

Bacon, John 303 

Bagden, Thomas 562 

Baoi^t, Jonathan (Col.) 182, 
183. 

Bagnet, Benjamin 134 

Bailxt — 

Charles 725 

David 249 

Ebenezer 701 

Eliiabeth 701 

George D 588 

James . . . 249, 267, 288, 353 

John 249 

Joseph 395, 396, 725, 763 

William 353 

Baker — 

Benj 175 

Ephraim 776 

Erastus D 390 

George E 378 

James, Jr 175 

John 257, 303 

John 459 

John M 378 

Mary 298, 777 

Mary Bridge 776 

William 27 

William 408 

Bakewell, T 288 

Balch, Daniel 408 

Balch and Cobum's Tavern 
397, 493, 829. 

Batcom, Stephen W 408 

Balcomb, Horace A 378 

Baldinob, John 3 

Baldwin, Bauldin, Badlb- 
win, boldwin — 

Benj 152 

Cyrus 407, 479. 682, 688, 
705, 816. 

EMeabeth 705 

Jacob 262, 304 



Baldwin — 

John 271, 363 

Joshua 392 

Loammi (Col.) 216. 240, 497. 
498, 501, 503. 606. 

Mrs 801 

Susanna 809 

William 693, 694 

William (Capt.) 178 

Baldwin House 479 

Baldwin Manufacturing 

Company 588, 667 

Baldwin Mill 667 

Baldwin Street 7. 33. 41. 480. 

517, 525, 626. 569, 660, 
704, 812. 

Ball, Abner 408 

Ball's Bluff 820 

Ballard — 

Joseph 460 

Willjam 93 

Ballou, Russell A. (Rev.) 686 

Balser, Charles 408 

Baltimore 819 

Baly, Thomas 672 

Bancroft — 

Caleb 270. 363 

Ebenezer (Col.) 212. 270, 
272, 363, 361, 791. 

James 210 

Jonathan . . . 262. 303. 362 

Kirk H 374 

Samuel, Jr. (Capt.) 170. 238 

Bank of England 623 

Bankers' Trust Company. 673 
Banks, N. P. (Governor) . 692 

Bannister, Louisa 725 

Banvard's Mississippi . . . 607 
Baptist Church, Central 203, 
435, 563, 693, 714. 

Baptist Parsonage 583 

Baptist Pond 692, 632 

Baptist Society, First 700 

Baptist Vestry 468 

Baptists (see Anabaptists) 697. 
714. 

Barbenb, John 93 

Barber, Barboub — 

Charles H 763 

Robert 158 

R. B 664 

Bare or Bear Hill 633 

Barke, John 617 

Charles Alford 373, 378 

David 175 

Enoch 303 

Joseph 303 

Mary 793 

Moses 256, 267, 258. 260, 
289, 355. 

Mosea, Jr 256. 268. 288 

Nathaniel, Jr 784 

Sarah 260, 252 

Barks, John 578 

Barnard — 

John 613 

Mr. (Rev.) 676, 792 

Barnes — 

James R 408 

Moses 134 

Nathaniel 83 

Thomas 700. 701 

Barnstable 426 

Barnstable County 468 

Barb, John 378 



Barrett, Bahatt, Barrat, 
Barhatt, Barett, Bar- 
ret, Babit, Barite, 
Baritt, Barrit, Barhitt, 
Behret, Berrett, Ber- 
ritt. Barrot, Barrott — 
Benjamin 124, 159, 162, 169. 
174. 245. 255, 265. 267,' 
303, 304, 354. 580, 695. 

Christopher 171, 620 

Colburn 175 

Ebenezer 724 

Elizabeth 695, 701 

Eph 152, 153 

Fiske (Rev.) 686 

Fransis 573 

Hannah 547, 724 

Isaac 256, 269, 279, 280, 
289, 303, 304. 621. 828. 

James (Col.) 221 

Jno 787 

Jno. Mrs 787 

Joel 214,369.620,701 

John 45, 49, 51, 60, 63, 90, 

94, 95, 134, 148, 150, 162, 

189, 353, 404, 412, 817, 

621, 679, 700, 754, 766. 

Jonathan 51, 134, 152. 403. 

678. 724. 756. 
Joseph 60, 62, 63, 89, 134, 
163. 164. 178. 190. 267, 
287. 288, 308, 363, 617, 
622. 

Josiah 476 

Lemuel 273. 274. 30S 

(Lieut.) 132. 134 

Lydia 620, 723. 724 

Margreatt 573 

Martha 96. 673. 574 

Mary 696, 700 

Moses . . .134, 531, 652, 677 

Moses, Mrs 631, 652 

Oliver 158, 280 

Patrick 378, 810 

Rachel 724 

Samuel 134 

Sarah 723 

Simeon 247. 272, 303, 304, 
364, 620, 700. 

Stephen 257, 353 

Susan B 726 

Thomas 40, 56, 60, 89, 134, 
573, 674, 575, 617, 678, 
724, 758, 832. 

William 164, 178, 258 

Barre 441 

Barron, Barren, Baron — 

Abigail 724 

Abigail (Proctor) . . 244, 785 

Benjamin 260, 288, 304 

Charles 163, 165, 169, 171, 
174, 175, 178. 

Edward H 378 

Ellis or Eliseus 158, 244 

Grace 244 

Isaac 723 

Jonathan (Lt.) 165, 189, 244, 
363, 401, 402, 543, 544, 
724, 768, 785, 786, 792. 

Jonathan Mrs 544, 785 

Mary (Learned) 244 

Mary Bunker (Richard- 
son) 244 

Moses (Capt.) 39, 45. 55, 60, 
89, 174, 244, 245, 304, 354, 
396, 413, 430, 553, 654, 
656, 617, 676, 677, 678, 
723, 755, 766, 767. 
Moses, Jr 244, 4.30 



848 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Babbon — 
Oliver (Capt.) 163. 169, 174, 

193. 196. 198, 201. 207. 

208, 209. 213, 214, 215. 

220. 221. 244. 245. 246. 

262. 273. 281. 291. 293. 

304. 354. 361, 362, 366. 

401. 416, 463, 542. 584. 

609, 621, 680. 681, 698, 

699, 724, 760, 761, 763, 

783, 785. 787. 789, 790, 

793. 

Oliver, Jr 361 

Rebecca Prescott . 244, 544 
Samuel 148. 149. 152, 153, 

556, 757. 758. 
William 47, 174, 175, 188, 787 
Barron's Tavern, Oliver . . . 542 
Babrowb — 

Charles 166 

CD. (Rev.) 714 

Babbt — 

Luoretia Caroline 725 

William 725 

BaBTXiETT — 

Charles E. 38, 598, 802, 807 
Charles E. A. (Capt.) 370, 

371, 373, 379, 396, 585, 

586. 726. 
C. E. A. Mrs. (Harriet M.) 

458, 584, 586, 726. 
Erastus A. . . . 370. 379. 824 

E. C. (Rev.) 715 

George H 459 

John Call (Dr.) 459, 464, 588' 

686, 726, 804. 
J. Adams 92. 240, 369, 379, 

397, 437. 458, 459. 585. 

586. 602. 766. 767, 768, 

823, 824, 832. 
J. C. Mr8.,(Maria J.) 369. 726 

William 609 

Bartlett Street 92, 435, 439, 

659, 802. 
Babton — 

George H 372 

George H. (Prof.) . . 459, 661 

James H 372, 379, 819 

Bassow, Joseph 151 

Basteb, William 175 

Batcheldeb, O. S 586 

Batchelob, David 94 

Bateman — 

Charlotte 398, 597 

John (or Jonas) (Lt.) 93, 94, 

169, 398, 701, 725, 816. 

PoUey 725 

Bates, Battes, Bats — 

Abigil 545, 548, 621 

C. H 458 

David 159 

Deborah 838 

Hannah 143 

John (Corp.) 19. 38. 49. 59. 

89, 94, 115. 134. 247. 266. 

258, 289, 290, 304, 354, 

355, 403, 404, 512. 656, 

581. 590, 616, 678, 723, 

836. 

Jonathan 724, 759 

Joseph 158 

Lydda, Lydia 545, 725 

OUve 725 

Reuben 176 

Robert (Sert.) 294, 648, 621, 

724. 
Rates House 394, 395 



Battis, Betteys, Bkttt. 
Batties, Bettbt, Bet- 
ties, Battts — 
Andrew 192, 279. 280. 286. 
415, 416, 417, 444, 446, 
620, 725, 784, 791, 792. 
799 838 
John '(Dr.) 277. 278. 279. 
280, 285, 286, 287, 294, 
305, 360, 392, 398, 446, 
447, 460, 461, 462, 463, 
622, 641, 720, 802, 814, 
815. 
Mary ....285, 416, 726, 784 

MoUey 726 

WilUam . . 277, 278, 306, 620 
Battles, John Q. . . . 766, 767 

Baukb, John 60. 90 

Baxter — 

Mr. (Rev.) 777 

Richard 812 

Wm 173 

Bay State Street Railway . 671 

Bayles, James 479 

Batlet — 

Enoch (Capt.) 164, 167 

Samuel 249 

Beach, Richard 93 

Beacon, Reuben 249 

Beacon Hill 451 

Beacon Street 674, 812 

Beal's Tavern 440 

Beals, Thomas 497 

Bean — 

Caleb 169, 162 

Eldad P 597, 766, 829 

Minot A 408. 603. 605 

Beab, John 93 

Bear HiU Road 472. 473 

Bear Swamp 633 

Beabce, Beabse — 

Elijah D 376, 377, 666 

Hubert 822, 823, 824 

Beabd — 

Daniel 364 

Jonathan 249 

"Beaver" (brig) 299 

Beaver Brook 39. 40, 52, 393. 
435. 439, 440, 613. 633. 
635. 660, 662, 664, 772, 
773, 790. 
Beaver Brook Bridge 39, 40, 541 
Beaver Brook Meadows ... 39 
Beaver Manufacturing Com- 
pany 663 

Bedford, Beadford 74, 146. 160. 
212, 218, 219, 221, 222. 
249, 292, 439, 474, 489, 
644, 840. 

Bedford, N. H 711 

Bedford Road 440 

Beebes (Capt.) 97 

Beethoven Musical Society 712, 

818. 
Belchbb — 

Caroline 668 

Daniel 668 

Jonathan (Esq.) . . 155, 156 
Bell — 
Alexander Graham .... 583 

Joshua 271, 353 

"Bell and Wing" (Ayer) .. 830 

Belleville, Wm. E 606 

Bellino, Titus 168 

Bellows (Rev. Dr.) .... 667 
Belnap, Samuel (Capt.) . . 211 
Belvidere 80, 81, 135, 422, 486, 
559. 

Belvidere Hill 647 

Bemia's Heights 366 



Bennett — 

David 171 

Joseph 826 

Bent — 

(Capt.) 174 

Charles 726, 764, 818 

Bent & Bush 448, 479, 483 

Benton. J. H 579 

Berkshire County 362 

Berkshire Medical Institute, 
662, 804. 

Bermudas 299, 3(M> 

Bebnabd, Francis (Governor) 
191, 202, 203, 788. 789. 

Berry House 398 

Berwick, Me 194 

Betooeom, Simon 100 

Beverly 166. 238, 485 

Bewkwell, Bewkell, Bbw- 
kel, Thomas. . .266, 259, 305 

BiCKFOBO, BlQFOBO 

A A. (Rev.) 702 

Frank E., F. E. 603, 604, 829 

John 445 

Jonathan 213, 294, 621 

Biddeford, Maine 799 

Bigelow Carpet Company . 656 
Billerica, Bellricke, Bilricka, 
Billiraca, Billirace, BiU- 
ireca, bilrioa, Billirrikey, 
Billericae 1, 4, 5, 6, 7. 13. 
33. 34, 42. 46, 49, 70, 74, 78. 
80, 86, 92, 94, 108, 110. 
Ill, 112, 117, 118, 120. 
124, 126, 135. 136. 148, 
150, 164, 164, 166, 169, 
171, 174, 176, 212, 218, 
219, 222, 224, 229, 233, 
235, 237, 242, 243, 248, 
256, 259, 266, 268, 275, 
277, 278, 298, 299, 376, 
399, 411, 436, 439, 443, 

468, 469, 470, 471, 478, 
474, 476, 478, 481, 490, 
494, 496, 496, 497, 502, 
503, 505, 612, 518. 622, 
523, 528, 547, 672, 580, 
619, 621, 622, 627, 629, 
634, 662, 701, 702, 704. 
780, 781, 789, 792, 796, 
801, 807, 809, 810, 811, 
833, 835, 840. 

Billerica Bridge. . 116, 494, 505 
Billerica-Chelmsford (Line) 434, 

469, 470, 472, 835. 
Billerica-Chelmsford Road 436, 

437. 

Billerica Mills 602 

Billerica Road 38. 39, 396, 397, 

434, 435, 436, 438, 443, 

803. 
Billerica Street 91, 392, 396, 

397, 398, 439. 443, 624, 

713. 

Billings, John T 374 

BiLLSON, David 898 

BiBCH, James 379 

Bird — 
Charles T... 669, 764, 795 

Francis W 682 

BiBOE, Joaiah 151 

Birge's Pond 633 

BixBT, Thomas 158 

Black Brook 30, 41, 42, 443. 

479, 514, 526, 527, 628, 

530, 633, 634, 635. 

Black Brook HiU 519, 633 

Black Horae Tavern 840 

Blackmeb, Warren A. . . . 871 

Blackpoint Garrison 128 

Blackatone Street, Bostoa . 697 



INDEX OF NAMES 



849 



Blackwat«r 834 

Bladdbn, Thomaa G. ... 379 
Bl&isdell, Blabdell, Blask- 

DELL, BlaSSDELL, BlAZ- 

DEL, Blazdbll, Blaze- 
del, Blazedell, Blas- 

DALL — 

Aaron 305 

A. M 54 

Henry 165, 266, 267, 277, 

278, 306, 356, 401. 700. 

Jacob 167 

John 162, 163, 164, 168, 174, 

175. 

Moses 167 

William 174, 260. 266, 268, 

305. 355. 620. 

Wm., Jr 288 

Blake — 

Caleb (Rev.) 681 

Elizabeth (Bridge) Mrs. 224. 

298. 776. 
Increase 776 

BULNCHABD 

Cuff 271, 353 

Eleazer 622 

Jeremiah 271, 353 

John 39, 40, 45, 60, 89, 141, 
611, 616, 773. 

Joseph 152, 153 

Justus 249 

Mary 580 

WiUiam 497 

Blanchard's Meadow .... 634 

Blandford 650 

BUnd Bridge 519 

Bliss — 

Pliny C 603 

Roy 408 

BLODaETT, Blochet, Blod- 
OET, Bloged, Bloooed, 
Bloqobt, Bloooett — 

BenJ 152. 153. 431 

Children of Simeon and 

Lydia 724 

Daniel 3. 8. 9. 11, 37. 57. 
60. 151, 724. 836. 

Ebenezer 723 

EUzabetb 724 

Ezra 457 

FloyerF 588 

Frederick W 588 

(G) 457 

Hannah 724 

Hattie M 588 

Henry 354,457 

Jacob 160 

John W 765 

Joseph 167, 158 

(Lieutenant) 239 

Lydia 725 

Marie 8 

MoUy 705 

Nathanel 723 

Nehemiah .... 170, 171. 182 

OUve 724 

OUver 168. 162, 163. 181, 182 

Orlando 228. 559 

Reuben 724 

Ruth 724 

Simeon 294. 354, 421, 621, 
705, 726, 735. 

Simeon, Jr 361 

Thomas 136. 168 

William (Lt.) 168. 353. 421. 

621, 724, 758. 
Zaocheus 158, 159, 160, 181. 
189. 
Blodgett's Brook 666 



Blood. Blod, Bloode. Blcd — 

Able 270. 353 

Benjamin 506, 720 

Betty 724 

Charles. . .457. 665. 763. 764 

Coburn 816 

Edmund 265. 267. 353 

Elizabeth (WUlard) ... 473 

Ephraim 570, 724 

Isaiah 360 

James 2, 9, 37, 39, 764, 835 

John 473 

Joseph 94 

Josiah 247, 248, 249, 277, 
278. 305. 354. 356, 621. 

Mary 809 

Robert 172. 473 

Samuel L. (Estate) 436 

Shattuck 265. 267 

S. L 458 

WiUard 724 

Blood Farm 5. 7. 473 

Blood Place, (Captain) . . 633 

Blue HUls of Milton 638 

BOABDUAN. Sarah W 725 

Bockenegont Plain 633 

BoDOE, George Madison 

(Rev.) 94, 95. 96. 97. 110. 
116. 116, 123, 126. 130. 

BoiET. Mr 447 

Boise. Boies. Andrew J. 369, 
379. 

BoKETT, Jamea 379 

Bolen, John 277, 278 

BoLiriELD, Samuel . . 272, 305 
Bolton 649, 650, 660, 661. 804 

Bolton Limestone 660 

Bond. Phineas 8. ... 379. 588 

Bond Street 440 

BooMEK. J. C. (Rev.) 702 

BOOTT 

John W 486. 488 

Kirk 63. 407. 408, 440. 486. 
486. 487. 488. 489, 492, 
493, 494, 561, 582, 711. 

Boott Canal 78 

Boott Mills 485, 486 

Borden, Thos 240 

BoROnoHS, Nathaniel . . . 260 
Boston — 

James L 374, 379 

John 175 

Boston 19, 23, 26. 36. 38. 40. 
41. 42. 65. 70. 78. 79, 81, 
83, 87, 96, 97, 99, 101, 
102, 106, 107, 108, 112, 
114, 119, 124. 127. 128. 
129. 131. 132, 133, 136, 
142. 146. 148. 156. 164. 
172, 176. 178, 181, 182, 
190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 
195, 196, 197, 198. 199. 
200. 202, 204, 205, 206, 
207, 210, 215, 217, 218. 
219. 223. 224. 230, 231, 
233, 234. 235. 237. 238. 
240, 241. 249. 251, 256, 
258, 265, 278, 281, 284. 
299, 300, 355. 359, 364, 
377, 392, 395, 398, 400, 
403, 404, 406, 407. 412. 
419. 432. 439, 440. 441. 
442. 448, 451, 452, 454, 
455, 463, 477, 479, 480, 
484, 488, 489, 500, 501, 
502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 
507, 510, 520, 528, 533, 
534, 535, 539, 554, 563. 
570. 572. 573. 581. 582. 
586. 586. 588, 590, 592, 
593, 594, 596, 597, 607, 



Boston — Continued 

611, 619, 623, 625. 627, 
628, 630, 634. 639. 649. 
650. 663. 666. 670. 671, 
672. 673. 674. 679. 693. 
699. 707. 710. 711. 714. 
773. 774. 775. 776, 7TT. 
781, 782, 784, 785, 787, 
788, 789. 791. 792. 798. 
795, 803, 807, 811, 817. 
822, 826. 827, 838, 840. 

Boston Academy 797 

Boston and Albany Stages . 441 
Boston and Brattleborough 

Stage Line 441 

Boston and Concord Boat- 
ing Co 815 

Boston and Keene Stage 

Line 441 

Boston and Lowell Rail- 
road 241, 397, 455. 470. 
500, 504. 509. 510. 673. 
Boston and Maine Rail- 
road . . . 455. 470. 645, 670 
Boston and Maine Station . 663 
Boston and Ontario Rail- 
road 609 

Boston, Clinton and Fitch- 
burg Railroad 510 

Boston Common .... 451, 698 
Boston Court House 623, 674, 

826. 
Boston Gaol 233, 364, 574, 576. 

576, 839. 
Boston Gazette . . 197. 198, 806 
Boston Harbor 366, 502. 629, 
636, 648. 

Boston Ice Co 671 

Boston Market 444 

Boston Marriages 776 

"Boston Massacre" 193 

Boston Neck . . . 193, 217. 233 
Boston Patriot and Daily 

Chronicle 228 

Boston Port Bill 206 

Boston Prison (See Boston 

Gaol.) 
Boston Public Library ... 619 

Boston Records 776 

Boston Road 38. 47, 55, 91, 

398, 400, 434. 435. 
Boston. Second Church in. 701 
Boston Society of Civil 

Engineers 502 

Boston Society of Natural 

History 651 

Boston Stage 441 

"Boston Tea Party" . 192. 299 
Boston Transcript 223. 721. 814 
Boston Transit Commis- 
sion 456 

Boston Weekly News Let- 
ter 806 

BoBWELL or BUBWELL. 

J. C 378 

BoawoRTH. Henry E 688 

Boucher. Mr 839 

BouTON. Tilton C. H. 

(Rev.) 718 

Bouton's Concord 810 

boutwell. botttall. bootel. 
Boutell. Bowtall. Bow- 
tell — 

George S. (Hon.) 469 

Henry 41. 55. 56. 60. 627, 
628, 529, 632, 577, 836. 

John 176, 408 

Thomas 176 

Boutwell'a Meadow 632 



850 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



BOWDOIN— 

Eliaabeth o^** 

James (Gov.) 202. 205, 215. 
299. 356. 357, 364. 788, 839 
Bowdoin CoUege 795, 796, 799. 
804. 

Bowdoin Square 674 

BowEN.D.V. (Rev.) .... 686 
BowBN or Btjbn (7). James Idb 
BowEB (PowBK?) , Walter . 135 

*°S'~ 172.529.678 

Charles ^^ 

EU«abeth527. 529. 547. 723 

nnonre 528. 547 

SeF 547.548.598 

George Roby 726 

Hannah 529 

Hannah Barrett M7 

Hannah Kidder 547 

Hannah R. F 726 

I/ena 457 

tee8:::::::::::475.487 

Jerah.Jr •••• 530 

JerathmeU (Capt.) 6. 41. 42, 
43. 47. 57, 60. 70, 89. 95, 
lib. 120, 133, 134, 137, 
138. 145, 146, 413. 431, 
448 457, 481, 512, 513, 
514. 521. 528, 529, 530, 
631 532. 547. 553. 579. 
617. 678, 723, 756, 758. 
John ........153.260,353 

John Frye ' ■^^ 

Jonathan (Lt.) 153. 353. 474. 
475, 629, 547. 658, 678, 

Jol^h (Col.) 42. 547. 548, 
642, 725. _-„ 

Joeiah Fletcher • 726 

Lu^ ..178.294,306,529 

mS:: .529.545.621 

Mary Grimes 547 

Micajah • • • 475 

Nathaniel 529, 723 

Oliver (Corp.) 272, 294, 306. 
529, 621. 

Rhoda Butterfield 548 

Samuel ^^%^ 

slwair.41.527.528.530,548 

Sylvia Fisher • • • • 548 

William 165. 166. 167. Ib9. 
171 180, 244, 260. 272. 
306, 354, 360. 529. 545, 
547. 621. ^26 

Bo™'House"47.""397;'398. 
478. 695. 642. 

Bowers Mills 4fo 

Bowers Saw Mill 489 

Bowers Tavern . »4U 

BowLFT, Leander U O''' 

Bowman — „„ 

Ebenezer 260. 306 

Edwin fj. 

Boxborough °^ 

Boy Scouts '*°% 

BoTD, WilUam 15^ 

Boyleston'B Tavern H4W 

Bracket's Tavern 840 

Brackett. Priscilla 11^ 

Bradbury. Rolfe . ... . ■ • 768 
Bbaddock, Edward (Gen.) 16/, 

Bradford "0 

Bradford. Alden 6°" 

Bradibh. Jon o'o 



Bradish's Tavern 840 

Bradlet — 

Amos 266. 268. 812 

Joseph 499 

Moses 174 

Nathaniel 174 

Peleg (Dr.) • • 467 

Bradley's Ferry 484. 485. 498, 
812. 

Bradstbeet — 

Catherine 446 

Mary 446 

Sally Mrs., (Sarah) 239, 446 

Samuel 446 

Sary 446 

Simon (Gov.) 129. 446 

Simon (Rev.) 446 

Bradt — 

Barnabus 725 

Henry 725 

Margaret 725 

Bbagq, Maynard 408 

Braintree, Brantry 18, 39, 40, 

85. 110. 241, 512. 573. 

769. 833. 

Brattil. William (Col.) . . 461 

Brattle — „ , „ . 

(Cornet) Thomas 103. 104, 

538 
Thomas, of Boston 771. 839 
William (Rev.) . . . 676. 771 

Brattle Street • . 674 

Brattle Street Church 70. 204, 

771. 
Bream (or Btam?), BenJ.. 289 

Breed's HUl 225. 227 

Brennan, George 708 

Brenner, William 726 

Brenon, Samuel 306 

Brenton, William 82 

Breton, Cape 157. 161, 181, 
189. 250. 

Brett, John ■ • 45 

Brewers (Capt.) . . . 180, 185 
Briant— 

JcrGiny j.*"-* 

S. IngersoU (Rev.) 584, 586 

Brick-kihi Road 436 

Bridge — __„ ___ 

Abigail. 776,777 

Benjamm 77b, 784 

Ebenezer (Rev.) 15. 20. 59 
67. 91, 189, 190. 202, 221 
223, 229, 235, 238, 244 
246, 251, 289. 295, 298 

299, 300, 354, 355, 363 
395, 412, 414, 419, 439 
446, 456. 464, 542. 545 
546. 648. 657. 658, 570 
672, 583, 606, 622, 639 
640, 642. 679, 680, 682 
690. 693, 696. 697, 698 
700, 710, 719. 725. 761 
762, 770, 775. 776. 777 
779 780. 781. 782, 783 
784, 789, 792, 794, 814 
815 

Ebenezer, Jr. (Col.) 200, 203 
222, 224, 228, 229, 231 
232, 236, 238. 242, 243 
246, 249, 250, 252, 2r,b 
258, 270, 271, 286, 290' 

300, 306, 355, 402, 782 
787, 788. 789, 791, 792. 

Elizabeth 724, 770, 776, 777, 
780, 784. 

Esther • • • <.°' 

Experience 77b, 777 

Hannah 770 

Jerusha ''° 



Bridge — 

John 224. 228, 236. 237, 

243. 292. 306. 402. 621, 

640. 777, 780. 788. 791. 

John (bro. of Rev. Ebene»er) 

776. 785. 786. 787. 839. 

Katherine 724. 780 

Lucretia 246. 780 

Mary 776. 780 

Mary Maccarty 776 

Mary Mountfort . . 300. 792 

Mary Pitts 300 

Persis 776 

Rachel 396 

Samuel 224, 776 

Sarah 300. 640. 724. 776, 
780. 784. 

Sarah Elizabeth 290 

Thomas 679 

William 223. 224. 236. 277. 
278. 279. 283, 300. 306, 
354, 366, 395. 622. 682. 
770, 776, 780, 791. 815. 

WUUam Stoddard 300 

Bridge Family 770 

Bridge Street 436. 440. 484, 

486. 498, 664, 812. 
Bridge's Diary 298, 643, 648, 
802, 805, 806, 827. (See 
"Diary," Index of Topics) 

Bridge's Sermons 642 

Bridgeman. Laura 682 

Bridges. George W 374 

Bridgeton Academy 804 

Bridgewater . .53, 85. 712. 796 

"Bridle Road" 812 

Brigade Band 591 

Bhiggam, Thomas 3. 8 

Brighton 444, 452 

Brimstone Corner 597 

Bbindlet. James 603 

Brinlet — ,„„ 

Elizabeth Pitts 299 

Francis 582 

Nathaniel 299 

Robert 299. 811 

Sarah Elizabeth Bridge. 299 

Bristol, R.I 1^2,795 

British 217. 219, 220, 221, 222, 
223, 225, 226, 227. 229, 
231, 233, 234, 235, 241, 
250, 251. 

British Colonies 202. 223 

British ParUament 207 

Briton. Britton — 

Samuel 245. 256. 258. 289. 
306. 354. 

Broad. Aaron 364 

Broadstrebt (Rev. Mr.) . 676 
Brocklebanck (Capt.) . . 123 
BBOMriELD. Henry (Col.) 239. 

298. 
Brookfield 84. 85. 96. 96, 97. 
116, 118. 536. 

Brookline 788 

Brooks — „_„ 

Charles A 379 

Charles T 567 

Col 228 

Eleazer 212. 213 216 

General 792 

Goodwife • • »^<> 

John (MaJ.) 228, 229. 242. 
503. ,_- 

Simeon t'^ 

Brooks Estate 506 

Brookside 67.^ 

Brown. Browne — 

Aaron 506 

Alexander 260. 306 

Arthur (Rev.) 711 



INDEX OF NAMES 



851 



Bbown — 
A. E. 96. 145. 222 292. 367 

Benjamin 366 

Col 791 

Edmund H 379 

_-Eleazer 41. 65, 90. 94, 404, 

430. 612. 617. 553. 617, 

765 756. 

Ephraim 426 

Faustina A 726 

Frances E 726 

Frederick C 379 

George P 379 

Jacob 174 

Jacob P 726 

John .... 94, 270, 353. 704 

John T 379 

Lydia M 726 

Marmaduke (Rev.) 710, 711 

Moses 509 

Samuel 175. 260. 270. 284. 

306, 720. 

Susan Kittredge 726 

Thomas 605 

Timothy 485 

William 116, 174. 256, 259, 

307. 605. 

WilUam H 829 

Brown House, "Old Joe" . 485 
B own University . . . 585, 586 
Brown's Ferry. . . 485, 497, 813 

Brown's Tavern 840 

Brownell, George 408 

Brunswick, Maine. . . 795, 799 
Bryant — 

Elirabeth Widow 298 

Joseph 362 

Lucinda 725 

L. I. (Rev.) 705 

Bryant's Tavern 840 

B Street 220 

Buchanan, James 605 

Buck, W. E. (Dr.) 805 

Buckley John F. 370, 373, 
374, 379. 

BucKMAN, Joses 94 

BuCKMASTEB, Patrick 374. 379 
BncKMiNiBTEB, Lawsscn . . 212 

BULKLEY 

Capt 172 

Edward (Rev.) of Concord, 

died in Chelmsford, Jan. 2, 

1695—6. 

Peter (Major) 127, 477 

Bull, Amos 174 

BuLLARD, Peter 266, 268 

Bunker Hill 222, 225, 227, 228, 

229, 231, 232, 233, 235. 

240. 241, 246, 248, 250, 

355. 395, 455, 546, 590. 
Bunker Hill, Battle of 208,218, 

225, 230, 240, 250, 550, 

689, 781, 795. 
Bunker Hill Day Outing . . 200 
"Bunker Hill Monument 

Association" 240 

Bunker Hill Street 597 

BURBANK 

Jonathan 407 

, Samuel 763, 764 

BuRDQ, Bubo. Bubge — 

David 244. 307. 354. 621 . 698. 

John 22. 60, 90, 109, 122. 

260, 353, 521, 656, 618, 

694, 695, 700, 724, 755, 

785, 836. 

John, Senr 50, 121 

Lucy 786 

Richard 162 

Samuel 44, 135, 431 

Sarah 695, 786 

Sarah, Junr 696 



BUKOESS — 

Jno 134 

WilUam B 726 

William Lott 725 

BuBooYNK, Sib John (Gen.) 
Surrender of 228, 238, 263. 
300, 590. 

BUBK, BUBKE 

John 168 

Richard S. (Rev.) 709 

Burlington 222. 780 

BuBN. James 160. 153 

BUBNES, BUBNS 

Owen 370 

Richard 374 

BuBNET, Charlotte L 705 

BuRNBAM, Roswell S. 372, 374, 
688. 

BuBB, David 158 

BuBRiLL, John 175 

BUBROUOHS, BUBBOWS 

Francis 477 

Michael 374 

Nathaniel 307 

BuBT — 

Arnold 402 

J. M. (Rev.) 706 

(?) Moses (7) 307 

BUSSELL, BUZZELL 

David A 396. 459. 796 

David A. Mrs 458. 459 

George W 379 

Bussell Place 19 

BuswELL or BoawELL. J. C. 373 

Buwell House 396 

Butler — 

Benjamin F. (Gen.) 488 

Hezekiah 401 

Priscilla Mrs 401 

BUTMAN. BuTTMAN, BuTT- 
UON, BOOTNAM 

Amey W 705 

Edw 288 

Jona 705 

Zebulon . . 166. 167. 169, 184 
Butman Road 438 

BUTEEFILD, BUTTERFEILD, 

BUTTEBFEILDE, BUTTER- 
FIELD, 

Anna 26, 621 

Benjamin 2, 8, 9, 11, 30, 37, 
39. 57, 60, 165. 166, 167, 
169, 184. 185. 186, 236. 
247. 256, 259. 262, 288, 
289, 294, 307. 354, 516, 
532, 545, 617, 621. 720, 
723, 754, 836. 

Benj. Children of 724 

Benjamin, Jr 361. 362 

Benjamin Mrs 545 

Berabin 37 

Captain 785. 786. 837 

Children of Benjamin 

and Olive 724 

Cyrus 765 

C. Frank 698 

David 621 

Deborah (Underwood) 139 
140. 

Dexter 767 

Eb 166 

Ehjah 189 

Emeline 725 

Ephraim 621 724 

George F 374 

G. W 240 

Jeremiah 170, 173. 178, 787, 
838 

Jesse 260. 262, 307 

Jesse B 766 



BUTTEHFIELD 

John 150, 166. 166, 361, 362, 
457, 521, 563. 570. 599, 
682, 724, 725. 

John H 372, 588 

Jonathan (Capt.) 41, 43. 60. 
140. 151, 152, 163, 163. 

164. 165. 166. 169, 171, 
174, 176, 180, 184, 186, 
187, 189, 230, 444, 445, 
630, 532, 644, 617, 724. 

Jonathan, Jr 431 

Joseph 44. 89, 121, 135. 139, 
152, 162, 178, 260, 262. 

307, 512, 532. 

Keciah 621 

Laura L 458 

Leon 178 

Levi 270 

Lewis 475 

Louisa 457 

Lydia (Ballard) 139 

Mary 8, 726 

Mercy 724 

Nathaniel 60, 89, 121, 134. 
140, 159, 162, 163. 164, 

165, 166, 167, 169, 173, 
189, 353, 612, 632, 556, 617. 

Philip 260, 307 

Rhoda 547, 548 

Robert 165, 166, 167. 169, 

189. 
Samuel 89, 134, 145, 146. 

147, 163, 277. 278. 512. 

632, 621. 725. 

Sarah 529. 723. 724 

Simeon 529 

Wm 173, 174, 175, 178 

Butterfield'sCo., (Capt.) . . 787 
Butterfield's Highway ... 34 
"Butterfields of Middlesex, 

The" 532 

Butters, Samuel 816 

BuTTEHwoRTH, John H. . 409 
Buttrick — 

Grosvenor 408 

Nathan 725 

William 3, 8, 10 

Buttrick's Hill 221 

Byam, Biam, Byham, 

Byum, Bream — 
Abraham 49, 89, 135. 404. 694 

Albert S 819 

Amos 550. 725 

Amos Adams (Capt.) . . . 714 
Benj. 159, 162, 164, 174, 175, 

257, 288, 289, 307, 570, 786. 

Bernard Haines 726 

Charles W. 41, 55, 280, 399, 

426, 726, 802. 
Charlotte Bateman 398, 597 
Daniel P. 369, 374, 379, 672, 

720, 824. 

Edith M 726 

Ehza H 726 

Ephraim A 372, 380 

Ezekiel 398, 402, 463, 492, 

696, 597. 

E. G 596 

Frank C 586, 605 

George 11, 21, 37, 39, 40. 48, 

55 ,69 ,61, 616. 
George A. 55, 374, 380, 438, 

726, 706. 

George H 726 

Henry 445. 620 

Isaac 398 

James S 408, 603. 606 

John 40. 265. 267. 294, 307, 

308, 360, 620. 

John 435, 436, 

John, Jr 282, 360 



852 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Lovina 725 

Mary Mrs 725 

Mary Jane Proctor 726 

Mary J 726 

Mar^S 582.583 

MiloF 642 

Otis 726 

Rebecca, Rebeckah 697, 725 

Relief Spaulding 726 

Revere Colby 726 

Rufus E 372 

Samuel L 713 

SewaU.. 459 

Simeon 398, 725 

Solomon 701 

Solomon E 564. 765 

StiUman 372, 374, 380 

Thomas 169, 162, 164, 171, 
173, 176, 178, 209. 

Widow 572 

Willard 238, 264, 308, 597, 725 

WiUiam 697, 725 

Byam, Billy. Place 398 

Byam. Carlton & Co 596 

Byam. C. W., House 398 

Byam, D, P., House 398 

Byam, Ex eldel, House 394 

Byam, F. C, House 398 

Byam, John, Place 398 

Byam Road 439 

Btfibld — 

John 458, 663 

Mildred Armstrong 726 

8. Jennie 726 

Byfield Manufacturing 

Company 663 

BTiNaTON,EiraHoyt(Rev.) 693 
Btlks, Mather (Rev.). 641, 775 

Cade, John 380 

Calacumbine 119 

Calhoon, Martha 714 

California 803 

Call, John (Dr.) 804 

Callahan — 

BartlettO 380 

James 380 

Michael (Rev.) 709 

Callendeb — 

John (Capt.) . . 225, 227. 228 

Calvert, William 673 

Calvin. John 690 

Calvinistic Methodists . . . 697 

Calwbll. William 249 

Cambel. Cambell. Camp- 
bell — 

Hannah 622 

Archibald, Lt. Col. . 223, 240 

L. W 372 

Robert 158 

WilUam (Corp.) 232. 245. 
255, 258, 290, 308, 354, 
670, 622. 
Cambridge 1, 11, 14. 24. 41, 
67, 73, 74. 76, 82, 94, 95, 
101, 114, 116 136 142, 
143, 144, 204, 207, 211, 
216, 223. 224, 225. 228, 
229, 232, 235, 236, 238, 
243, 246, 260, 261, 256, 
257, 263, 266, 268, 270, 
271, 274, 284, 289, 290, 
292, 293, 295, 300, 355, 
357, 366, 401, 412, 419, 
439, 461, 477, 480, 627, 
528, 529, 549, 654. 555, 
563, 590, 612, 650, 666, 
668. 674, 676, 699. 700. 
769, 770. 771. 775, 780, 
790, 791, 795, 803, 807, 
830, 835, 839, 840. 



Cambridge Cadets 241 

Cambridge, Church of . . . 27 

Cambridge Registry 514 

Camden, Maine 799 

Camden Court House . . . 673 
Cameron, Allan .... 377, 552 

Camp Suffolk 368 

Canada. Cannada, 83, 127, 

162, 169, 171, 173, 174, 

237, 242, 275. 601, 602. 

631, 642, 639. 647. 669. 

787. 

Canada Expedition 787 

Canadian Line 433 

Canady. Mr 704 

Canal Road 436 

Canterhook, Kinderhook . . 185 

Canton 704 

Cape Breton 543, 787 

Cape Cod. . . 420, 425, 647, 651 

Cape Haytien 568 

Capbn, Jo8iah(l8tLt.) . . . 211 
Capron, Jonathan 265, 267, 

353 

Cakoill, Hugh 279, 280 

Cabit (7) (Barit (7)), 

Joseph 308 

""tl^- 260 

Joseph 260, 308 

Carl. Anthony 380 

Cablbton. Carlton — 

Amos 589. 684. 686. 7o3. 764 

Betsey Sumner 753 

David 371, 727 

Dorothy 727 

Electa M 727 

George 753 

John 353. 727 

John. Jr 257.353 

Joseph 408 

Mary J 727 

Sarah 727 

Susan 727 

Susannah '27 

William 370. 727 

Carleton Place 399 

CarUsle 7. 29. 45. 51. 74. 155. 
200. 218, 219. 376. 377, 
426, 455, 468, 469, 470, 
472, 473, 474, 478, 548, 
664, 566. 660, 627, 634, 
635. 660. 701. 714, 779. 
785. 

Carlisle Copper Mine 659 

CarUsle Line 435, 436, 438, 664 

Carlisle Pines 648 

Carlisle Road 438. 472 

Carlisle Street 399. 400. 436. 

472. 
Carlyle's Sartor Resartus . 666 

Carney. Thomas 374 

"CaroUna P ain" 88. 433. 625. 
656. 633. 

Carpenter. Thomas 168 

Cabtbb — 

Col 788 

Jabeii 249 

Michel 360 

Carter's Hotel 402, 441 

Jonathan (Capt.).. 178, 620 

Mary Davis Mrs 299 

Casoo, Treaty of 126 

Caselton 261 

Casey. James 380 

"Cassenobia," N. Y 229 

Castle, WiUiam 807 

Castle Island 204 

CathoUc Cemetery 619 

Cathorn, John 289 

Catun, John (Capt.) 159 



Causeway Street 454 

Cavendish 261 

Caverly, Indian Wars .... 77 
Cazeacx — 

EUiabeth W. Pitts 300 

Gerard 300 

Centennial Celebration, 

Social Library 585 

Central Baptist Church 706, 

822. 
Central Bridge . . 498, 499, 832 
Central Bridge Corpora- 
tion 498, 812 

Central Congregational 

Church 714, 822 

Central HaU 369 

Central Hotel 458 

Central Square 395, 396, 397, 
439, 595. 

Central Street 620 

Centralville 559 

Centre Street 434, 435. 437, 

439, 440. 714. 
Centre Village 220. 373, 393. 
439, 440, 444, 459, 510, 
557, 601, 663, 664, 672, 
703, 705, 706, 714, 720. 
805, 813, 820, 821. 
"Century of Population 

Growth" 628 

Chadbocbn, Chadbocbne — 
B 254 

George S. ".'.'. '. '.'.'.'. '. '. '. '. 707 
Chamberlain, CHAMARLiNa, 
Chamberlan, Chamber- 
laine, Chambeblayne. 
Cbamberlin. Chamber- 
line. Chambeblino. 
Chamblinq. Chambblin — 
Aaron 171. 191. 195. 209. 
214. 222. 247, 262, 309. 
354, 361. 362, 416, 699. 
620. 621, 699. 760. 761. 
Aaron, Jr. ... 615. 701. 762 

Abel 294. 308. 309. 360 

Abigail 726 

Adams 713 

Anna 726 

Asenath 738 

Asenath Manning 727 

Benjamin 150. 152, 153, 164, 
171, 175, 265, 267, 276, 
278, 279, 287, 289, 308, 
309, 355, 445, 492, 520, 
560, 620, 683, 719, 726. 
727. 758. 759. 763. 764. 

Benjamin, Jr 308, 620 

Benjamin, 3d 309, 397 

Bettey 726 

CaroUne 738 

(Deacon) 236, 793 

Edmond 27 

Edmonde 3, 9, 27, 37, 40, 60, 
567. 

Edward H 458. 805 

EU«abeth 141, 154 

Harriet M 727 

Ichabut 726 

Isaac 271, 309, 354, 360, 496. 
541. 681, 719, 727, 761. 
793, 814. 

Jacob 620, 726 

John 154, 155, 172 

Joseph 151, 153, 727 

Judeath 726 

Loammi 373, 589, 766 

Loammi Mrs 369 

Lydia 726 

Mary 27 

Mary (wife of Edmond) 26, 
27. 



INDEX OF NAMES 



853 



Chamb erlain — 

Mary (wife of Joseph) . . 727 
Mary (wife of Thomas) 26, 
717, 726. 

Moriah J 727 

Nathaniel 361 

Olive 567, 727. 818 

Phineas 279, 280, 360. 620. 

727. 
Rebecka, Rebeckah ... 726 
Samuel 134, 141, 148, 149, 
160, 167, 169, 160. 161, 
162, 264, 265, 267, 277, 
278, 309, 363, 360, 414, 
446, 463, 476, 481, 626, 
625, 726. 767. 758, 759 

Samuel, Jr 767 

Sarah 727 

Sarah (Proctor) 141 

Susanna 701 , 726 

Thomas 3, 9. 11, 22, 37, 40, 
51, 69, 132, 141, 162, 153, 
164, 361, 617, 717, 765. 
Thomas. Jr. 59. 90, 121, 135, 

617. 
Thomas. Sen. 90, 109, 121. 
122. 135. 362. 

William 3, 8 

Chamberlin's Corner 5, 46, 436, 

631. 558, 633. 
Chambers — 

David 245, 256, 258, 309, 

364, 621. 
James . . . 256, 259, 289, 310 
John 245, 255, 258. 289, 310, 

354, 622. 
Joseph 256, 259, 289, 294, 
310, 485. 

Matthew 354 

William 232, 245, 255, 258, 
260, 262, 294, 310, 354. 
Champlain, Sieur de. . . 73, 75 
Chancellor, F. (Mayor) . 14 
Chandler — 

Abigail Ann 727 

Bert Warren 367 

Eph 152 

Isaac 266, 267 

James 408 

Moses 260, 311 

Seth 408 

WilUam 118 

Chaney. John 260, 311 

Chapin, Arthur B 370 

Charles. A. G 369 

Charles I, King 72, 410, 613. 

825 
Charles 11, King 64, 410, 613, 

826. 
Charles River 72, 123, 500. 503. 

504, 606. 613. 
Cbarlestown. CharlsToune 1, 
74, 99. 102, 116, 118, 119, 
207, 211, 215, 231, 235, 
236, 237, 266, 268, 298, 
364, 392, 406, 410, 411, 
412, 413, 441, 442, 444, 
445. 446, 500. 504. 505. 
506. 529, 538, 572, 589, 
697, 612, 627, 637, 699. 
710, 711, 712, 773. 803. 
804. 807, 839, 840. 

Charlestown Court 413 

Charlestown Ferry . . 298, 838 
Charlestown Mill Pond 501, 

602, 606. 
Charlestown Neck 221, 222. 226 

Charlestown, N. Y 261 

Charlestown, W. Va 704 

Charlestowne, Church of . . 27 



Chase — 

Ada F. L 458 

C. C 219, 260, 493 

Joseph A. (Rev.) 458, 464, 
686, 687. 
Chaunct (Rev. Dr.) 791, 806 
Checkley, John (Rev.) . . . 692 
Checkley, Slafter's Memoir 

of John 692 

Chelmer River 834 

Chbver, Cheever — 

Ezekiel 499 

Moses, Jr 475 

Cheever's Land 489 

"Chelmsford Academy" 564, 

665, 567, 583. 
Chelmsford Agricultural 

Society 584 

Chelmsford Appolonian 
Temperance Brass 

Band 479 

Chelmsford, The Baptist 

Church of Christ in . . 703 
"Chelmsford, Bells of Old" 688 
Chelmsford-Carlisle Line. . 473 
Chelmsford, The Central 

Baptist Church of . . . 706 
Chelmsford, The Central 
Congregational Church 

of 714 

Chelmsford Centre (See 

Centre Village). 
Chelmsford Centre Band . . 823 
Chelmsford Centre Meet- 
ing House, Proprietors 

of 685, 686 

Chelmsford Church 250 

Chelmsford Church Record 226, 

229. 
Chelmsford Classical School 

540, 563, 564, 818. 
Chelmsford Committee of 

Correspondence (See Index 

of Topics). "Committee." 

"Chelmsford Company". . 673 

"Chelmsford Coons" .... 459 

Chelmsford Courier 441, 461, 

593. 
Chelmsford Directory . . . 663 
Chelmsford Eagle 460, 594, 

596, 630, 827. 
Chelmsford, England.. 14,833 
Chelmsford Farmers and 
Mechanics' Associa- 
tion 464 

Chelmsford Fire Depart- 
ment 408 

Chelmsford Foundry Co. 659, 

666, 671. 
Chelmsford Free Public 

Library 584, 586 

Chelmsford Glass Company, 
Works, Manufactory 484, 
658, 718. 
Chelmsford Granite . 506, 637, 

673. 
Chelmsford High School . 643 
Chelmsford, Allen's His- 
tory of 448, 482, 516, 
540, 693, 825 (See Allen). 
Chelmsford Limestone. 643, 662 
Chelmsford Literary Union 458 
Chelmsford-Lowell Line . . 471 
Chelmsford Meeting House 629 
Chelmsford Mill Company 664 
Chelmsford Minute Men 240, 

241. 
Chelmsford Monument 589, 

590. 591, 692, 843. 
Chelmsford Monument, 

Inauguration of 589 



Chelmsford Monument As- 
sociation ... 241, 588, 589 

Chelmsford Neck 712 

"Chelmsford Old Town" . . 813 

Chelmsford Phoenix 693 

Chelmsford School for Deaf 682 
Chelmsford, Second Con- 
gregational Church in . 704 
Chelmsford Social Library 583, 

584, 585, 587, 796. 
Chelmsford Social Library, 
Centennial Celebra- 
tion of the 796 

Chelmsford Spring Com- 
pany 663 

Chelmsford Street 228, 396. 

402, 434, 436, 437, 470, 

541, 548, 559, 560, 645. 

649. 

Chelmsford Town Meeting 497 

Chelmsford-Tyngsborough 

Line 472. 649 

Chelmsford Veterans'Asso- 

ciation 369. 370, 823 

Chelmsford Village Im- 
provement Association 832 
"Chelmsford Vital Records" 

721, 826. 832. 
Chelmsford Water District 698 
Chelmsford-Westford Line 472 
Chelmsford Woolen Mills . 673 

Chelsea 224 

Chenceford and Misticke 

Bridges 494 

Cheney, Leroy A 727 

"Cherokee" (steers) 444 

Cherry Valley 355. 690 

Chester 660 

Chesterfield 363, 650 

Chesterfield, N. H 802 

Chestnut HiU 393, 426, 440, 
633. 676, 680. 

Chioopee 662 

Child, Linus (Hon.) 592 

Chizm or Chizen, William. 311 

Choate, Alfred R 588 

Christ Church, Boston ... 217 
Christie, Christy — 

Chas 240 

Lieut 237 

Christophe, Henri, King 568 

Church, Jon 174 

Church of England (See Eng- 
land). 
Church of England, Mem- 
bers of, in Chelmsford 710 

Church Street 437 

Churchill, Samuel S. . . . 407 
Cincinnati Medical College 662 

City Hall, Lowell 485 

Civil War, The . 223, 378, 596 

Clancey, Daniel 380 

Clap, Clapp — 

Elisha 681 

John 176 

Clapper, Clark 373 

Clarendon 261 

Clark, Clarke — 

Abigail 770 

Adrian 743 

Benjamin 271.363,838 

B. F. (Rev.) 705 

Charles Danforth 370, 371. 
713, 727. 

Edwin R 686. 598, 603 

E. R. Mrs 459. 686 

Eli«abeth 143, 407, 480, 

482, 483, 545, 648, 621. 

726, 770. 

Eliiabeth A. Prescott . . 727 

Elitabeth Cook ... 770. 837 



854 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



CtABK — 

Frances 586, 603 

Isaac 212, 360 

John 93, 403, 408, 583, 770 
Jonas (Col.) 67, 143, 163, 
353, 397, 401, 479, 480, 
481, 482, 483, 521, 622, 
524, 548, 678, 694, 726, 
767, 758, 770, 776, 812, 
813, 838. 

Jos 174 

Joseph W 727 

Lucy (or Lucia) 87, 143, 
770, 773. 

Margaret 770 

Mary Mrs 70, 726, 770 

Nicholas 770 

(Rev.) Mr. of Lexington 786 

Sarah 770 

Thomas . . 157, 158, 260, 311 

Thomas (Dep. Sec) 172 

Thomas (Rev.) 15, 65. 66, 

67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 87, 101, 

134, 137, 143, 144, 404, 

407, 473, 477, 480, 482, 

612, 513, 528, 539, 548, 

674, 675, 726, 770, 771, 

772, 773. 837. 

Thomas March Rt. Rev. 713 

Thomas M. . . 486, 489, 499 

Timothy 191, 277, 483, 559, 

670, 621, 726. 755. 760. 

770, 812, 829, 841. 

William E 374 

Clark School at Northamp- 

_,, ,ton 682, 583 

Clark Tavern 478, 480 

Clark's House 788 

Clarke's Ferry 480, 484, 494. 
812, 813. 

Clark's Ferry Road 812 

Clarson, Josiah 93 

Cleubnt — 

Arthur M 377 

Daniel 171 

George W. (Dr.) '.'. 533 

Moses 174 

Wm ' ' 174 

Cleveland, Clbavland, 
Cleaveland — 
Enoch 247, 256, 258, 289, 

290, 311, 312, 354. 
Grover (Ex-President) . . 45 

Josiah 65, 134 

Moses 46, 92, 93, 121, 157 

Samuel 44, 46, 66, 93, 94. 
„ 121. 157. 
Clintok — 

De Witt 504 

William 713 

Clinton 441, 656. 657 

CLOasTON — 

John G 727 

Manr J 727 

^ WilUam H. S 380 

Clocoh — 

Daniel 171. 257. 312 

David 271, 358 

WiUiam 257 

Cobb, Edward (Capt.) ... 795 
CoBBBT, CoBBETT, ThomaB9, li 

CoBBT, James 270 

CoBBK, Josiah 360 

COBOBN, COBORNS, COBURN, 
COLBORN, COLBURN 

Alfred (Rev.) 706 

Asa 260. 312 

Caleb 171.257,262,288.312 

Daniel 497 

Edward 69. 90, 115, 131, 



COBDRN 

Edward, Jr 536, 617 

Edward, Sen. 59, 90, 636, 

617. 

Eleazer 260, 353 

Ezra 135, 410, 411 

Franklin 549 

George B 380 

Henry 373,493.681 

Henry Adams 370 

Henry H 390 

Henry Mrs 681 

James 457 

Jeptha 266, 268 

Jerahmel 353 

John 59, 90. 135. 143. 149, 

152, 168, 531, 617, 812. 826 

John H 374 

Lucy 529 

Moses 153 

Moses B 497 

Nathan 265, 267, 353 

Peter (Captain) 227 

Peter, Jr 497 

Robert . . .59, 536, 617 826 

Sally 457 

Samson 287 353 

Silas 277 

Thomas 59, 90 142, 143, 

152. 431, 617, 826. 

Walter 707 

Warren 489, 561 

Zachariah 162, 171 



Concord 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 27 
33, 35. 65, 73. 74, 75, 82*. 

85, 86, 87, 94, 108, 110. 

115, 116, 118, 120, 123, 

126, 141, 144, 145, 162, 

168, 175, 200, 203, 204 

207, 208. 211, 215, 216 

217, 218, 219. 220, 221 

222, 223, 232, 237, 264 

266, 281, 283, 356, 362* 

365, 397, 404. 419, 421 

426, 430, 443, 457, 473 

474. 475. 477. 478, 494. 

549, 552. 659. 563, 567 

574, 578, 580, 588, 591 

619, 621, 633, 656, 657 

710, 718, 788, 791, 793' 

794. 799. 807. 808. 811 

816. 817, 826. 833. 838.' 
840. 

Concord Bridge 222, 494 

Concord Court 579, 839 

Concord Fight, The 216ff 

Concord Gazette 490 

Concord, History of (Shat- 

^ tuck) 658 

Concord Iron Works 657 

Concord Neck 75 

Concord, N. H. 96. 439, 442 
452, 454. 501, 502, 503' 
505. 509, 670. 815, 816 ' 



CoBBON, Willard . . ' 461 Concord, N. H. Stage Line 441 

Cobum House, Houses 394, Concord River 1. 2, 4, 6, 7, 33, 



398, 548, 549. 
Cobum's Tavern, Balch & 397 
Cocheca, Cocheeckee. Co- 

checo 120, 130, 539. 
Cochitawit (Andover) Co- 

chituate 74. 709 

Cochran, Thomas . . 799, 819 
Cochrane, Thomas. ..... 380 

CoPKEY, Henry 380 

Cofmn — 

Dorcas 727 

Peter Ift9, 130 

COGQIN — 

Jacob 680 

Mr. (Rev.) 793, 794 

Cohasset 650 

CoLBT, James 353 

Cole — 

Joseph (Capt.) 795 

Samuel 810 

Cole and Nichols 594 

College of Physicians in 

New York City 562 

CoLLBR, James 153 

Collier — 

George L. (Rev.) 707 

John A 380 

Collins — 

Benjamin 116 

John C 380 

Moses 175 

Colonial Dames, Massa- 

chusetts Society of . . 136 
Colonial Laws of the Ninth 
Year of Queen Anne, 

(1710) 445 

Columbian Centinel 440 

Columbus Avenue, Boston 241 

Combs. Medad 171 

Committee on Naming 

Streets 434 

Commonwealth Avenue. 

Boston 448 



Company F. Unattached 

,00 ,„ . ., - ---I Cavalry 241,376 

133, 136, 142, 143, 535, Compton. R. 1 285 

5.36, 538, 826. ' Conavt (Col.) 237, L>39 



34, 38, 42, 74, 78, 80, 116. 
393, 422, 443, 469, 470 
471, 485, 486, 490, 493* 
496, 497, 499, 502, 503' 
505, 511, 512. 514, 516, 
519. 523, 625. 528, 540 
541, 560. 607, 632, 634* 
635, 636. 638. 649, 662! 

812, 813, 818. 

Concord River Bridge 494, 562 

Concord River Mill Pond. 506 

Concord River Neck 517, 540 

541, 552, 559. 560, 632.' 

813. (See also Neck in 
Index of Topics.) 

Concord Roadway 45, 392. 435. 
436, 443. 

Concord Street 472 

Congregational House . . . 674 

Congregational Order 697 

Congregational Society, 

„ First 10, 675 

Connecticut 64, 76, 499. 601, 
571. 

Connecticut Colony 579 

Connecticut River . . . 502, 503 
CoNNELL. Charles M. 370, 372 

Connellt, James 380 

Constitution of 1780. . 570, 693 
Continental Army . . . 204, 295 
Continental Congress 204, 208. 

209. 
Converse, James (Major) 6. 
32, 136, 138, 149, 477. 

CoNWAT, Michael 380 

Cook — 

Charles R 727 

Clement H 727 

Elisabeth 770 

James (Mayor of Lowell) 592 

Nelson C 370, 727 

Coolet — 

B. F. (Rev.) 459, 460. 694, 
713. 

John 174 

Coolidoe, Owen 632 

CooMB«. William 499 



INDEX OF NAMES 



855 



Cooper — 

John, Jr 529 

(Rev. Dr.) 791 

COPELAND 

David A 371 

David B 727 

CopLET, John Singleton . . 299 

Copper, Thomas 60, 017 

Copperas Mine 659 

CoRBETT, William 175 

CoRBiN (stage driver) 443 

CoRET, CoART, Core, Corret, 

CORT, COBRT 

Benjamin 157, 158, 162 

Elijah 257, 353 

Ephraim 152, 153, 178 

Esther 700 

E«ra 178, 260, 312, 355, 620 

George 727 

Harriet L 727 

leaiah 171 

John 134, 151, 153. 158. 171 

Josiah 153, 700 

Josiah Mra 787 

Mr 445 

Oliver 173, 175, 176, 177, 
178, 256, 259, 273, 274, 
289, 312, 313, 362. 

Reuben i65 

Samuel '. . . 353 

Simeon 165, 166, 167, 169. 
189. 

Solomon 171, 174, 175 

Stephen 312 

Thomas 45, 60, 90, 134, 553. 
578, 617. 

WilUam 164, 366 

Zebadiah 164 

Corinthian Quartet of 

Boston 586 

CoRLKT, Hepaibah 264 

Corlew, Rufus E 599 

Corliss — 

John 250 252 

Lawyer (H. G. F.) 251 

Cornell. H. A. (Rev.) 586, 706 
C0BNWALLI8, Lord Charles 

(Genl.) 300 

Corporation Hospital 485 

CoRTHELL, William E 380 

CoBTL, Alexander H 657 

Cottage Row 437 

Cotter — 

John J 380 

Cotton — 

John (Dep. Sec.) 788 

John (Rev.) 239, 573. 791, 



793. 

Maria 573 

Mr. 839 

Roland (Clerk, House of 

„ Rep.) 159, 161, 789 

Samuel 497 

"Country Way" 527, 528 

County Court Records 85, 494. 
•^i 495, 496, 810. 

County Road 439, 830 

Courier-Citi«en History of 

Lowell 468,489 

Court of Common Pleas. . 232 
Court of the Massachusetts 
Catholic Order of 

Foresters 710 

Court Wannalancit (No. 

^ 171) . 710 

Coventry, England 809 

CovERLT, Nathaniel 299, 593, 
703. 



COWDRBY, COUDHE, COWDRE, 
COWDRT 

Ebene«er 398 

Matthias 150, 726 

Nathaniel 313 

Saml 165, 174, 175, 178 

CowiN, James 158 

C0WIN8, Job 175 

CowLET, Charles 73, 75, 78, 
110.486,826,834. 

Cox, Mary 576 

"Cragie" Farm 480, 482 

Crane Meadow 634 

Cranney, William 158 

Chanson, Amasa 211 

Craven's Falls 509 

Crawford, Craford — 

John 271,. 353 

Roy P. (Rev.) 707 

Crehen — 

Dennis 374 

^ John 374 

Cressy, J. J. (Rev.) 713 

Cromwell, Oliver. .1, 410, 825 
Crooked Springs Brook 633. 634 
Crooked Springs Road 436, 438 
Crosby, Crosbe — 

AbbieF 435,4.58,459 

Benjamin 620, 700 

Danl 157, 158 

Ephraim 240 

Jacob 249 

Joel 257, 266, 268 

John 272, 284, 313 

Mary 701 

Nathan 701, 790 

Nathan, Jr 620. 700 

Nicholas 143 

Samuel 172 

Simeon 622 

Simon 94 

Solomon 178 

William O. (Prof.) . 643, 645 
Crosby House 12, 38, 394, 395 

Crosby Lane 394, 439 

Crosby Place 38, 435 

Crosby, Nathan, Place 398 

Cross, Nathan 153 

Cross Bridge 527 

Cross Bridge Road 440 

Cross Meadow 634 

Cross Street 437 

Crossman, Abishai (Rev.) 360, 

702, 791. 
Crosswell, Andrew (Rev.) 712 
CROtrcH, Arthur 44, 93, 135, 
814. 

Crowell, Charles H 603 

Crown Point 157, 162, 163, 
165. 169, 179, 180, 182, 
183, 184, 186, 188, 189, 
201, 460, 543, 544, 785, 
786, 788. 
Crownshell (Crownin- 

8HIBLD ?), Mr 209, 828 

Crysler, H. Stanley 669 

Crystal Lake 658, 671 

Cuba 156 

Cumber, George 380 

CcMMiNos, Comings, Cum- 
inos — 

Abraham 164, 189 

Caleb 270 

Henry (Rev.) 780. 782, 791, 
792, 794, 801. 

James 260, 313 

John 767, 793 

.Tonathan 151 

Josiah 143 

Leonard 173 

Samuel 402 



CuiiMINOS — 

Sarah Bridge 780 

Simeon 262, 363 

Willard 582 

Willard C 808 

Currier, Edwin M 813 

Curtis — 

Benjamin 176 

Caleb 304 

George 373, 381, 819 

George T 667 

Greely S 592, 832 

CUSHINO 

Caleb 253, 264 

Edward F 381 

Jos 254 

J 263, 264 

Leonard 408 

Mary E 669 

(Rev. Dr.) (of Waltham) 794 

Stephen 408 

Thomas 215, 839 

William 624 

Custom House Tower. 

Boston 629, 630 

"Customs of New England" 544 

Cutler — 

A.B 150 

B. C. (Rev.) 712 

Benjamin P 381 

George F 604 

Jacob 313 

Cutler's Tavern 840 

Cutter — 

Andrew 266, 268 

Nehemiah 266, 268 

Dabney's Collection of 

Hymns 683 

Dadman — 

Belle A 728 

Martha Ellen 458, 728 

Martha L 728 

Nathan Clifton 728 

Nathan P. 240, 373, 894, 
663, 728. 

N. P. Mrs 369, 469 

Dadmun Family 176 

Dakin, Levi 360 

Dale, T. Nelson 646 

Daley, Daly, Dallby — 

Cornelius 390 

Edward 381 

James P 437, 603 

John T 657 

Simon 381 

Dalhouse Lodge of Masons 686 
Dalton- 

206, 208, 210. 
564, 585, 588. 



Charles H. 
376, 448, 
589, 591. 
John Call 242, 448, 540. 
561, 563, 589, 683. 800. 
803. 804. 

John C, Jr 891 

Madam 464 

Dalton Road 435, 438 

Dalton Street 46, 98 

Dam, Melvin E 370 

Dame — 

J. E. (Rev.) 708 

Lorin L 600 

Dame and Collins 661 

Damon, Damman, Dammon — 
Daniel ..244, 260, 313, 384 

David 313 

Samuel 93, 178 

Timothy 175 

Damon's Tavern 840 

Dana, Mr 839 

Dandelen, John 249 



856 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Dane, Joseph 475 

Danforth, Danford — 

David 245. 262, 277, 278, 
313, 354, 622, 642, 679, 
791. 
Jonathan 34, 313, 477, 495, 
519, 533. 

Joseph V 374 

JoBiah 257, 288 

Judge 785 

Mr 771 

Nich 152 

Samuel 171 

Thomas 33, 100, 108, 114, 
129, 136. 473, 810. 

Daniel, Richard 80 

Danielson, Timothy .... 232 

Danlet, Jamea 270 

Danvers 490 

Darling — 

John 93 

Joseph 171 

Dartmouth College 585, 587, 

804. 808, 823. 
Dartmouth Medical College 804 
Davidson, Daverson. 

Davison, Davisson — 

Alberto 374 

Alexander .... 228, 255, 258 

Francis 232, 236. 245, 256, 

259. 313. 314, 354, 355. 

Henry W 381, 819 

John 270 

William H 372 

Davis, Daues, Davise — 
A. H. ...458, 459. 586, 603 

A. Q. (Rev.) 713 

Alonzo A 374. 381, 765 

Andrew 381 

Betsey Fletcher 548, 728 

Betty 728 

Cornelius 265, 267 

Eleazor 158 

Elisha 727 

Elizabeth 727, 773 

Ezekiel 164 

Gershom 181 

Henry Prescott 729 

Hopewell 92, 93 

Jabez 153 

James 260, 314 

James A 377 

Joanna 299 

John 152, 265. 267. 556, 581, 
811. 

Johnson 548, 728 

. Jona. S 373 

' Joshua 244, 314, 354, 621, 
728 

LuellaA 728 

Mary 140 

MitcheU 260 

Moses. 264. 314. 401, 521, 
622, 546, 621, 728, 761. 

Nathaniel 680 

Noah 300 

Persia M 729 

Persia M. Griffin 729 

Phebe 728 

Reuben 360 

RUey 370. 563 

Samuel 94. 140. 284. 314. 
396. 580. 598, 719, 728, 
763, 764. 

Sarah Chardon Pitts 300 

Sidney 620, 524, 548 

Simon ... 94, 115, 118, 536 
"The Sam. House". 299. 394 
Thomas . 272. 314, 679. 728 

. Walter 93 

Davie' Corner . .521, 524, 546 



Davis' "Currency and 
Banking in the Prov. 

of Mass. Bay" 623 

Davis Home 524 

DAT- 
Alfred 370, 371, 728 

Benjamin F 377, 381 

Elijah N. 371. 374. 381. 728. 
819. 

George W 664 

John 728 

Martha 728 

Timothy 93 

Day's Tavern. (Capt.) 840 

Dean, Deane — 

Eliza T 728 

Horace Comstock 729 

Thomas 534 

Dearborn, Henry 228 

Dearden, Children of 

William 728 

Decatur, Webster C. 381, 819 
Dedham 9, 11, 112, 118. 686. 

687. 
Dedham, First Parish of. . 687 
Deep Brook 57, 633, 635, 668, 
666. 

Deerfield 138 

Deer Island 87, 108, 109 

Deery, Patrick 381 

DeLand, Fred 582, 583 

Delaware 564 

Dell or Dill, Peter. . 135. 578 
DeMonts. Sieur Pierre de 

Cast 73 

Denibon, Daniel 97. 123 

DeNormandie, E. F 458 

Depew. W. a. (Rev.) 702 

Derby, Richard 254 

Derry, Patrick 819 

Debsalines. Jean Jacques 

(Emperor) 668 

Devericks. John 116 

Devine, Charles F 768 

Devon. County of 613 

Devon Mr 445 

Dexter — 

(Rev. Dr.) 19 

Samuel 583. 807 

"Dial. The" 564, 567 

Dickens, Charles 491 

DiCKEHMAN, Ann 579 

Dickie, Robert 153 

Dickinson, Dickenson — 

Augustine M 728 

Barney Prescott 729 

David 416 

Elvira Stanley 729 

Henry Ware 743 

DiDsoN (See Ditson). 

Dike, (Col.) 264, 265, 267 

Dill or Dell, Peter. . 135, 578 

DiLLEWAY, Benj 249 

Dinsmore, J. E. (Rev.) ... 702 
District School No. 5. 418, 560 
Ditson, Didson — 

Benjamin 262. 288, 314 

Bridgett 728 

Joanna 809 

John 171, 260, 314, 353 

Seth 260, 353 

Dix— 

Joel 475 

Jona 253 

R. Wilson 240, 458, 686, 
604. 766, 767. 768. 

Dix and Rand 509 

Dixon. Lukey 796 

DixwELL, John, Jr 65 

Doane, Dennis 408 

DoDD, John 158 



Doddridge, Philip 714 

Dodge — 

David 816 

J. S 688 

James C 666 

Joseph M 407 

DoHERTY, MichaelE.(Rev.) 709 
Dorchester 9, 63, 140, 264, 
710, 771, 800. 

Dort 774 

DoTT, (Col.) 840 

Douglas, William L.(Gov.) 824 

Douglass (quoted) 833 

Dover. . 99, 126, 129, 498, 639 

Dover, N. H 147 

Dow — 

Jesse 256, 269 

Joseph 174 

DowNE. Mr 788 

Downing — 

Emanuel 773 

Mary 773 

Sir George 17. 773 

Dracut. Dracutt, Dracot, 
Drawcutt, DrawCutt, 
Darcutt 91, 141, 143, 148, 
149, 158, 164, 212, 227, 
250, 255, 256, 258, 259, 
261. 266, 268, 272, 275, 
285, 362, 366, 376, 377, 
432. 457, 461. 474, 476. 
476. 484. 485. 495. 498, 
511, 533. 535. 536, 627, 
700, 710, 777. 784, 785, 
791, 793, 812, 813. 815. 
826. 

Dracut Heights 812 

Dracut Nickel Mine 659 

Drake — 

Caroline 668 

F S 300 

Lincoln' '. '659, 665i 668, 672, 
705. 

S. G 76,- 113 

Drake's (S. A.) Middlesex 

County 204, 222, 487, 489, 
538. 
Draper — 

Roger 2, 8 

William L 688 

Drew, George 632 

Driscoll Place 230 

Drogheda, Ireland 711 

Drowned Cow Hole 634 

Drum Hill 5, 42, 438, 528. 633 

Drum Hill Road 440 

Drurt. Luke 364 

Dryden. Artemas 364 

Dublin Road 438 

Dudley. Dudly — 

Daniel 266. 267 

Francis 94 

Jesse 266, 268 

Joseph 144, 146 

Lewis J 683 

O. B. Mrs 697 

Theresa 583 

Dudley Farm 49 

Duke D'Anvil 543 

Duke of York's Regiment. 489 
"Dumb No Longer," De 

Land 582, 583 

DUMMER, DuMMIR 

John 408 

Richard W 408 

William (Lieut. Gov.) 160. 
151, 152, 522. 

Dunbar, R. W. (Rev.) ... 705 

Duncan — 

Fred T 588 

John 680 



INDEX OF NAMES 



857 



DuNKiNSON, Mr 237 

Dt7NKL£S, Parley 1 361 

DuNKUN, Nathaniel .... 116 
Dtjnh, Dtjn — 

Betty 727 

Charity L. 371, 374, 381, 
728, 819. 

David. Sen 359 

Elieabeth 727 

F. M 254 

Jamee 256, 258, 314, 355, 

719, 728. 
James, Jr. ... 245, 314, 354 
John 175, 178, 244. 272, 277, 
285. 294, 314, 354. 

John J 768 

Jonaa 727 

Joseph 163, 164. 173, 175. 

264. 314. 679, 728. 

Rachel 284 

Sabia 728 

Samuel 728, 735 

Sarah 588 

Timothy 381 

William . . 246, 272, 314, 354 

DUNNIGAN, DUNIGAN 

James P. 409, 597, 602, 604, 
768. 

W 437 

Dunnigan Road 438 

Dunstable, Donstable 8, 42, 
46, 52, 64, 83, 86, 91, 92, 
97, 103, 104, 126, 129, 131, 
133, 136, 139, 141, 142, 
143, 144, 145, 147, 148, 
149. 150. 151, 153, 154, 
166. 168. 169, 174, 176. 
189. 212, 219, 223, 237, 

265, 266, 267. 268, 299, 
363. 377. 468. 469. 472. 
474, 478. 495. 512, 515, 
518, 528, 529, 532, 544. 
553, 555. 580, 611, 622, 
627, 658, 666, 668. 699. 
702. 710, 773, 782, 785. 
811. 833. 

Diinatable Band 586 

"Dunstable Highway". . . . 527 
Dunstable. History of 

(Fox) 826 

Dunstable, History of 

(Nason) 658 

Dunstable Road. . .54, 397, 437 

DcNTON, Samuel 94 

DUPEE 

Edmund F 765, 766 

Georgiana 728 

Julia M 728 

Dupee House 91, 642 

DuRAN, Asa 249 

DUHANT — 

Cyrus 728 

John 353 

Joshua 247, 248, 249, 257. 

260. 267, 315. 354, 621. 
Thomas . . 174, 175, 189. 588 

Durham. County of 808 

DuRKBE, William H 533 

Durkee Place 412 

Durkee Road 812 

Dt78TlN 

Hannah 433 

Jerusha 728 

Nathaniel 728 

DUTTON, DUTTEN 

Abigail 416. 417. 728 

Almira R 728 

Amos W 728 

Benjamin 257 

Bertha Hutchinson 729 

Carl 728 



Ddtton — 

Caroline A . Parkhurst . . 728 

Charley 728 

Darius 728 

David . . . 175, 398. 701, 728 

Edwin E 398. 664. 728 

Elbridge 634, 728 

Elizabeth 728 

Francis 604 

Grace S 728 

Hannah 728 

Hildreth P 728 

Isaac 240 

James 50, 149, 165, 166, 

167, 169, 189, 316. 416. 

579.621. 

James, Jr 621 

John 178, 264, 293, 315, 621 

Jonas 238, 264 

Jonathan 249 

Joseph 621 

Laura M 728 

Lewis M 664, 729 

Lizanna Perhani 729 

Mary 727 

Mary E. Perham 728 

Paul 589, 603, 604 

Rebecca 621. 790 

Royal P 459 

.Samuel L. (M. D.) 370, 371, 

381, 397. 706, 729. 

Stephen 720 

Surviah Parkhurst 

(Stevens) 729 

Susan A 728 

Thomas 124, 495 

Timothy 249 

Warren 486 

Dutton House 398 

DWIGHT 

John S 667 

Sarah 112 

Timothy 815 

DwYMELL, Charles 176 

Dyar, Albert A 381 

Dyar House 399 

Eagle Mills '673 

Earl, Josephine H 250 

Eahle, Alice Morse ^544 

"Early Mining Operations 

near Lowell" . . . 656, 666 
Eahnshaw, Albert F. (Rev.) 

715. 822. • «,.< 

East Chelmsford 370, 399. 
400. 402, 426, 435,'M36, 
437, 438. 4.39, 441, 447, 
458, 475. 486, 487, 489. 
492. 493, 547, 552, 594, 
629, 633, 711, 714. (See 
East Village.) / >'■. 

"East Chelmsford Advance" 

458 
East Chelmsford Literary 

Society 458 

East Chelmsford Road .... 599 

East Meadow 634 

East Meadow Brook 633 

East Merrimack Street 

Bridge 485 

East Saxons 834 

East Village 672, 821 

"East and West India 

Goods" 229, 781 

Easton 657, 659, 668 

Eastward, The 124. 239 

Eaton. Jonathan 315 

Ebert, H. F 240 

Eclipse Chemical Manu- 
facturing Company . . 664 



Ennv — 

Caleb 506 

Daniel C. (Rev.) 706 

Edes, Mr 840 

Edes Printers 839 

Edgecomb, Maine 228 

Edson — 

E. M.MisH 713 

Theodore (Rev.) 492, .561 
711, 712, 713. 

Edson Cemetery 519 

Edward Vl Grammar 

School 834 

Edwards — 

Benjamin 178, 516 

Darius C 598 

Fred W 604 

Jonathan 697 

Nathan B. (Dr.) 373, 587, 588, 

597, 765, 804, 805. 
Thomas Scott 714 

Edwards' Place 437 

Elizabeth, Queen 571 

Ellingwood, Samuel 260, 288. 
315. 

Eliott. Eliot, Elliott, 
Eljott — 

(Deacon) 119 

Ephraim 730 

John (Rev.) 3, 4, 30, 32, 
33, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 
84, 93, 100, 101, 103, 106, 
108, 469, 511, 514, 519. 
524, 525, .537, 629, 693, 
832, 833. 834, 836. 

John. Jun 3.3 

.Joseph 730 

Samuel A. (Rev.) . . 459, 822 

Eliot Church 78 

Ellis — 

Charles H . ( Re v.) 593. 706, 822 
George E. (Rev.) . . 218, 686 

Herbert E 698 

John 92 

Elm Street 441 

Emerson, Emmerson, 
Emeryson — 
Adams 370. 381. 584. 729. 803 

Addie E 4.58, 730 

Addie L 729 

Agnes B 729 

Arthur 1 661 

Asa 26R, 268 

B. K. (Prof.) 645 

Bradford 459 

Bryant 729 

Burt 369, 382 

Caroline (Flagg) 808 

Charles Franklin 585, .587, 

808, 823. 
Children of Bryant and 

Hannah A. B 729 

Children of Owen and 

Louisa B 729 

Dudley B 729 

Edward . . . 95, 552, 773, 808 

Edward Waldo 566, 592 

Elizabeth 729 

ElizerJane 730 

Emma 729 

George Edgar 730 

Hannah A. Bradford ... 729 

Hannah Bradford 730 

Harry Bry.ant 730 

Helen M 729 

Henry Harrison 382, 603, 829 
Henry Herbert 240, 369, 370, 
371. 374, 376. 377, 382, 
730. 
J. Bradford . . . 382. 729, 766 
James A 730 



858 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Embbson — 

James P 369, 382 

Johannes 808 

John 729 

John B 603, 604, 829 

Jonathan 270, 729 

Joseph 209, 214, 292, 353, 
361, 362, 621, 679, 719, 
729. 808, 814. 

Joseph, Jr 361. 362 

Jos. B 371,383,729 

Levander 729 

Louis F 729 

Louisa (Butterfield) ... 808 

Louisa B 729 

Lucy A 729 

Martha BaUey 729 

Martha L. 585, 591, 593, 
631. 729. 

Mero Chapman 729 

Nath 152 

Owen 563, 589, 682, 689, 
729. 742, 764. 808. 

Owen, Jr 808 

Owen Mrs 369 

Parker 255, 258. 277. 278, 
288. 289. 315. 621. 

Rachel 729 

Half 808 

Ralph Waldo 95. 540. 562. 
563, 567, 588, 689, 591. 
692. 698, 808, 818. 

Ralph W 408 

Rebecca Kittredge 729 

RhodaA 729 

Robert 808 

Robert Bulkeley 565 

Robert M 729 

Rufus Francis 730 

Rufus W 381 

Ruth 729 

Sarah Mrs 459 

Sarah P. Byam 730 

Susie M 458 

Theodore 271 

Thomas 808 

Walter B 768 

WiUiam (Rev.) 639, 698 

Emerson and Weed 651 

Emerson Family 398, 552 

Emerson Homestead .... 808 

Emerson House 46, 92 

Emerson's Journals 592 

Emert. Emmbrt — 

Ambrose 167, 171 

Anthony 802 

Ebenezer 620 

James . . . 165, 189, 544. 786 

Leonard 189 

Samuel 189, 621 

Zechariah 153. 181, 544, 
620. 678, 697, 710, 786. 

Emmanuel Chapel 713 

Emmanuel College ... 16. 835 
Encyclopsedia Brittanica 241, 

639. 
Endicott, John (Gov.) . . 2, 9, 
11, 449. 

Endor, Witch of 571 

England 13, 14, 15, 25. 127, 
138, 156, 157, 162. 186, 
190, 201, 299. 420, 486, 
492, 503, 510. 532. 534, 
643, 571, 575, 581, 612, 
613. 622, 656, 657. 700, 
769. 773, 787, 808, 825, 
833. 
England, Church of 690, 692, 
693. 697, 710, 711, 771, 
772, 835. 



English and West India I 

Goods 448.490 

EngUsh. Jo (Indian) 138, 147, 
532. 

Essex, Bishop of 834 

Essex, County of 14, 264, 834 

Essex County, Mass 366 

Essex Register 490 

ESTERBROOK, EaSTEBBROOK, 
EASTERBEOOKa, EsT.A- 
BROOKS, EsTEhBrOOKS. 
ESTEBBBOOKS. EsTHER- 
BROOKS 

Benjamin 265, 268 

Joel 260, 270, 316, 622 

Joseph or Josiah 260, 316, 

353, 477, 620. 
Moses 245, 256, 257, 259, 

315, 316, 354, 360. 622. 

(Rev.) 676 

Samuel 169 

ESTMAN 

Joseph 93 

Thomas 93 

ESTT — 

Children of John N. and 

Sarah B 729 

John 370 

John N 729 

Sarah B 729 

Europe 562, 574, 581 

Evans, Eavens — 

Jonathan 260, 316 

M. H. A. (Rev.) 707 

Sherebiah 315 

Evelyn, John 420 

EvERED, John (alias Webb) 41, 
82, 83, 375, 412, 420, 533. 
534, 535, 754, 810, 832. 
Everett — 

Edward 448. 706 

Jerry 382 

Everett 823 

Evergreen Street 435 

Exeter. N. H 147, 574 



Fair, Zach 134 

Fairbank, Jabez 162 

Fairbanks — 

Calvin 408 

Stephen 668 

Fairbanks 448 

Faibeweatheb, John 119, 536 
Faneuil Hall 192, 639, 784, 789, 

791, 839. 
Farley, Farly — 

Benjamin 247, 256, 258, 288, 
289, 316, 354. 

Caleb 445 

George 2. 27 

Moses 253 

Samuel 175 

Timothy 172, 681 

William 316 

Farley's Brook 38, 39, 435, 633 
Farmer — 

Aaron 260, 288, 316 

Charlotte 735 

Elijah 735 

Jacob 164 

John 152. 266. 268, 361, 362 
John (the Author) 495. 605, 
537, 581, 629. 630, 773, 
774, 801. 

John Mrs 581 

Jonas 171, 175, 621 

Jonas, Jr 173 

(Major) 791 

Mary 732 

Oliver 317 



Farmer — 

Samuel 271 

Simeon 621 

Solomon. .256, 259, 317, 621 

Farmer's Geneologioal Reg- 
ister 226 

Farmer's Historical Me- 
moir of Billerica. 495, 801 

Farnsworth, David .... 158 

Farr, Mary 588 

Farrab, Farab, Farrbr, 
Farror, Farrow — 

Deborah 732 

EUzabeth 732 

George 154 

J. T. (Rev.) 702 

Jacob 116, 154 

John 556. 720, 732 

John P 154 

Jonas 731 

Joseph 154. 245. 270. 621, 731 

Joseph E 732 

Nathaniel ... 317, 354, 621 

Oliver 463 

Peter 294, 317. 719, 731 

Simon 162 

Timothy 260, 270, 273, 274, 
317. 

Farrar House 672 

Farrell — 

Michael J 382 

Wm. A 818 

Farrington, Ferinqton — 

Isaac 67S 

Jeremiah 580 

Thomas 178 

Farrington's Company . . . 27$ 

Farson — 

Frank E 382 

Frederick E 382 

Farwell — 

Asa 82w 

Benja 265. 267 

Coleman S 382. 81» 

Eleazer 262, 288, 317 

Ephraim 265, 267 

Henry 21, 22, 37, 39. 48. 
141. 152, 578, 836. 

John 672 

John Thurston 763 

Jonathan 169 

Joseph 51, 60. 90. 128. 134, 
137. 512, 616, 765, 766. 

Josiah 141 

Oliver 141, 288 

Thomas 270 

Farwell-Adams House . . 398 

Farwell Place, Old 91 

Fascutt, Peter 517 

Faset, Fabsett — 

Asa 249 

Samuel 170, 173, 680 

Fadlkneb, Liuher Mrs. 299 

689. 
Fat— 

Edgar G 713 

John 382 

(or Tat), John J 390 

Sam 210 

Wm « 

Federal Constitution .... 660 

Feltonville ■.4*1 

Fknnick, Charles 436 

Ferguson, Daniel W. ... 408 

Ferry Lane 498 

Fields, Peter 20 

Files. Everett Richardson 732 
"Financial History of 

Mass.," (Douglas) . 615 
Finnkoan. .lohn 367 



INDEX OF NAMES 



859 



Fips or Phipps, Charles 260, 

317, 353. 
First Baptiet Church 706, 822 

First Baptist Society 700 

"First Church in Boston, 

An Historical Sketch 

of the" 698 

First Congregational Church 

685. 714, 822. 
First National Bank of 

Boston 673 

First Parish of Chelmsford 700 
First Society 683, 684, 685 

686, 705. 
First Squadron of Cavalry 376 

First Street 435 

First Universalist .Society 683, 

684. 

Fl8H— 

Frank P 382 

Hamilton (Secretary) 564,568 
Fisher — 

Albigence W 408 

Edward 377, 768 

JabeJ! 253 

John 662 

JohnP 374 

Samuel 408 

Sylvia 548 

William 92, 93 

FisK, Fiske — 

Anna 18 

Anne Gibbs .... 17. 769, 770 

Benjamin 735, 770 

Benjamin Minot 395, 587, 

664. 735, 770, 828. 

David 770 

Ebenezer 770 

Ebenezer, Jun 172 

Eliezer 18 

Eliza Mrs. 369, 712, 735, 770 

Elizabeth 769 

Elizabeth A. Parkhurat . 770 

Elizabeth Bridge 770 

FredM 781 

Harriet Locke 735 

Henry A 588 

Jaffrey 770 

James 27, 28 

John (Rev.1 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 

18, 19, 20. 21, 22, 23, 24. 

25. 26, 30, 37. 38, 45, 48, 

56. 61, 65, 66, 86, 90, 118, 

120, 125, 404, 413, 474, 

512, 513, 519, 531, 651, 

675, 693. 716. 730. 769. 

770. 772. 775, 801. 834. 

835 
John. Jr. 18, 19, 60, 115, 

120, 124, 127, 530. 536, 

616, 755, 775. 
John Minot . . . 395, 735, 770 

John Minot Mrs 396 

Jonathan 485 

Joseph Winn 735 

Lidiah Fletcher 769 

Moses 18, 19, 27, 512, 513, 

519, 769. 
Moses, bro. of Rev. John 413, 

776. 

Rachel Minot 770 

Robert 770 

Samuel 19 

Sarah 18 

Simon 770 

Symond 770 

WiUiam 26.531,770 

Fiake Family 267, 770 

Fiake House 394, 395, 396, 397 
Piske Pai>ers and Records 266, 

270. 366, 427. 537. 776. 



Fiske and Spaulding 594 

Fitch — 

Ebenezer 249 

Elizabeth 299 

Joseph 94 

Samuel 248. 809 

Zachariah 210 

Fitchburg 261,441.672,705.802 

Fitchburg Academy 569 

FiTzaERALD, FitzGer.vld— 
Ezekiel (Rev.) 240, 460, 594, 
686, 688. 

James 298, 354 

Flaog — 

Caroline 808 

Timothy 688 

Flaggy Meadow 634 

Flatt Hill 633 

Flechahd, Roland 148 

Fleming, Patrick 277, 278, 318 
Flemings, Howard Brooks 732 
Fletcher, Flecher, 

fflecher 

Aaron 731 

Alvin H 604 

Andrew 167, 360, 521, 621, 
731, 759. 

Angle, A 732 

Asaph 701 

Benj 732 

Benj. (Lieut.) 164, 178, 209, 
239, 281, 362, 481, 660, 
587, 588, 620, 731, 759, 
761, 762. 

Benjamin M 370, 372 

Betsey 548, 732 

Charles 247, 248, 249. 288, 

318 354 
Charles F.'371, 374, 382, 732 

Daniel 171, 186 

Diantha E 732 

Eb 159 

Elijah 262, 318 

D. Elizabeth 732 

Daughters of Wm. and 

Diantha E 732 

Eliza A. Warren 732 

Eliza E. Streeter 732 

Elizabeth .... 570, 621, 731 

Emily 665 

Ephraim 156, 731 

Esther 541, 730 

Ezekiel H 732 

Frances G 732 

Frank A 688 

Fred L. . .434, 602, 603, 767 
Gardner 367, 588, 589, 674, 

732 
Gideon . . 163. 164, 170. 171 

Grace 620. 772 

Hannah 731. 732 

Harriet A 732 

Henry 220. 247, 262. 294, 
318, 354, 355, 392, 401, 
521, 548, 590, 621, 731, 
812, 

Jemima 731 

John 157, 158 

Joanna 730, 731 

Jonathan 730, 731 

Jona. T 688 

Joseph 150, 178, 220, 361, 
489. 683. 703. 

Joseph. Jr 678 

Joseph Mrs 369 

Joseph Merrill 435, 732 

Jo.shua 44, 59, 90, 135. 142. 

266. 267, 412, 476, 477, 

517, 531, 617, 624, 730, 

755. 758, 757. 

Joshua Mrs 631 



Fletcher — 

Josiah 256. 259. 262. 272. 
282. 284, 294, 318, 364. 
361, 366, 395, 412, 422, 
475, 485, 486, 489, 512, 
521. 556, 663, 569, 670, 

588, 589, 621, 642, 682. 
719, 731, 732, 757. 

Josiah, Jr 245, 318,497 

Josiah, 3d 362, 783 

Josiah Richardson 369, 370, 
371, .374, 382, 394, 588, 

589, 593. 732, 765, 766. 
Levi 170, 178, 262, 272, 294, 

318, 720. 

Lovell 402 

Lucy 545, 732 

Lydia 731, 769, 837 

M. Katie 732 

Mary .... 621. 730. 731. 732^ 

Mercy 569 

Mirriam 782 

N. M 596 

Nehemiah 265. 267 

Olive 839 

Oliver 245. 272, 319. 354. 622 
Oliver (Justice) 168, 178, 

180, 186, 189, 230, 417, 

520, 549, 557, 622. 710. 

731, 7.'.9. 760. 772. 782. 

785. 788. 790. 805. 808. 

837, 840. 

Paul 89,94,142, 150 

Peter 157, 158, 159 

Raymond 265, 267 

Remembrance 731^, 

Robert 9, 10, 37, 178. 240, " 

.370, 372, 382, 521, 821. 

731, 759, 838. 

S. Josiah 732 

Sampson 319, 730 

Samuel 38, 44, 60, 89. 94. 

Ill, 134, 160, 163, 164. 

171, 237, 244, 249. 267. 

270. 277. 288. 319. 364. 

404, 430, 445, 512, 513. 

551. 552, 616, 621, 717. 
730, 756, 836. 

Samuel, Jr. 5. 90, 94, 531. 

552, 756. 

Sarah 242, 545, 548, 730, 731 

Sherebiah 257, 288,319 

Sherman H 376, 377 

Simeon 446 

Solomon 265, 268 

Stephen 178. 621 

Susa 731 

Susana 545, 621 

Tabitha 730 

Thomas . .521. 730. 731. 839 

Timothy 159. 162 

Uriah 178 

Walter 408 

William 2. 6. 9. 10, 12, 13. 
20, 30, 32, 33, 34. 35. 37, 
38, 42, .50, 59, 62, 71, 86. 
88, 89, 101, 111, 112, 134. 
137. 222. 251. 257. 262, 
288, 319, 354, 361, 396. 
413, 422, 448, 496. 612. 
626, .')33, 556, 563. 564. 
584, 588, 589, 607, 616, 
621, 675, 677. 678, 719, 
730, 732, 754, 755, 756, 
757, 758, 759, 761, 762, 
765, 811, 835, 830. 
WilUam, Jr. ..431, 621, 679 

William Mrs 369 

Wm., 3d 247, 319, 354 

ZaccheuB 247. 248. 249 
260, 319, 354, 360. 621. 



860 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Fletcher, Capt. Bill, House 12, 

35, 38, 393, 394, 395. 
Fletcher Farm, Joseph. . . 489 
Fletcher Farm, Josiah . . . 489 

Fletcher Genealogy 674 

Fletcher, H. E. & Co. 671, 673 
Fletcher, Oliver's Account 

Book 649. 837 

Fletcher Street 434 

Fletcher, Wm. & Son 684 

Flint — 

Charles W. .'>87, 588, 766, 767 

John 249, 275 

Wm 166 

Flint's Tavern 840 

Flushing Meadows 634 

Flushing Pond 633, 634 

FOOTB, FOOTT 

Frank G 605 

John 152 

Forbes, Darius (Rev.) . . . 686 
FoBD, Foord — 

Deborah 252 

Elisha . . .252, 487, 581, 762 

Esther Davis 250 

John (Capt.) 201. 210, 215, 
220, 221, 222, 225, 226, 
227, 228, 229, 231, 232. 
237, 241, 244, 250, 251, 
252, 253, 254, 255, 257, 
258, 260, 261. 262, 263, 
285, 289, 290, 291, 292, 
293. 319, 354, 363. 364, 

365, 366, 475, 485, 487, 
497. 621, 790, 828. 

Prudence 262 

Robert 250 

Sarah 249 

Ford Papers 257, 260, 263, 

277, 288, 290, 292. 

Fordway 494, 495, 490 

Forefathers' Cemetery 71, 371, 

375, 562, 697, 664, 712, 

716, 717, 721. 799, 842. 

Forge Company 657 

Forge Pond 7, 51, 632, 649, 

656, 667. 662. 668. 

Forge Village 51, 666 

Forge Village Horse Nail 

Company 657 

FoBSTTH, Thomas A 713 

Forsyth Dental Infirmary 673 

Fort Dummer 161 

Fort DuQuesne 162 

Fort Edward 166. 168, 184, 

186, 189, 261, 786. 
Fort Frederick . . 176, 177, 230 

Fort Frontenac 230 

Fort George 261, 263 

Fort Hill 62, 81, 633, 647 

Fort Miller 201 

Fort Richmond 158 

Fort Stanwix 185 

Fort Sumpter 368 

Fort Warren 367 

Fort William Henry 162, 168, 

170. 171, 189, 786. 

Forty Acre Meadow 634 

FOBTBR — 

Aaron 731 

AmoB 249 

Andrew 171 

Aunt 838 

Bennet 266, 268 

Daniel 170. 171 

(Deacon) Mrs 652 

Dudley 766 

Ebeneier 167, 173, 178, 238. 

366, 414. 431, 566. 731, 
786. 839. 

Ebeneier, Jr 160 



Foster — 

Edward 40, 94, 132, 151, 

403, 404, 430, 431, 612, 

617, 666, 620, 730, 766, 

757, 758. 

Enoch 766 

Esther 730 

Hannah 731 

Henry 3, 8, 171 

Isaac 247, 265, 267, 268, 

269, 271. 320, 364, 621. 

Isaac, Jun 289 

Isaiah 256, 267. 268, 288, 

320. 354. 360. 621. 731. 
Isaiah. Jr. 245, 320, 621, 719 

James 366 

Jed'h 253 

John 163, 395 

Jonath 353 

Joseph 94, 151, 320, 360, 

566, 701. 
Josiah 157, 158, 175, 294, 787 

Levi 816 

Lydia 730 

Mary 731 

Moeea 476 

Nathaniel 164, 247, 266, 

268. 286, 320, 364, 431. 
Noah 238, 266, 269, 294, 

321, 355, 590, 719, 731. 

Rebeckah 730 

Remembrance 431 

Reuben 247, 256, 2,59, 321, 

354 

Robert 620 

Samuel 11, 37, 42. 49, 50, 
57, 60, 62, 88, 90, 112, 
120, 121, 137, 164, 189, 
423, 512, 528, 553. 617, 
676, 677, 718, 730. 754, 
755, 836. 
Samuel. Junr. 430. 512. 617 

Sarah 446 

Simeon 730 

Smith 265, 267 

Thankful 696 

WiUiam 93, 238, 279, 280, 
620, 731, 759, 760. 
FowLK. William R. 370, 371. 

732. 
Fowle's Tavern, James . . . 840 

FowLBJi, Philip 240 

Fox— 

Abijah 260, 353, 499 

Colo 213, 239 

Edward 708 

Etekiel 499 

John 163, 260, 353, 373 

Joseph 228. 242, 243 

William 373 

Fox's History of Dunstable 826 

Foxborough 660 

FoxcROFT Mr 785 

FoztoD, England 808 

Framingham 212, 216, 300, 357. 

441. 
Framingham ii Lowell 

Railroad 510 

Framlingham, England .... 8.S3 
France 127. 136, 167. 162, 196, 

454, 612. 

Frances (Indian) 34 

Frances Hill 43, 44, 46. 01, 

427, 433, 633. 
Frankford. Philadelphia . . 568 
Fbankmn, Benjamin . 197, 199 

Franklin, N. H 78 

Fredarickaburg, Battle of. . 819 



fbbei.aj4d, fbsla.nd, 
Fbbblon — 
John 173, 176, 178. 24/, 
321, 364, 361, 621. 67», 
731. 

Mary 732 

Fbbbuan — 

Luther (Rev.) 707 

Samuel 231, 262 

French — 

Amos B 374, 383 

Frederick 662 

Jessee 171 

John 262, 270, 321 

Jona 172 

Samuel .93, 262, 321. 421 

Wm 162. 270 

French Cemetery 39» 

French and Indian War 216. 
221. 230, 828. 

Fbeshold, David 578 

Frick Mansion 673 

Fbink, Thomas 567 

Frost — 

Charles A 2S4 

Ebenexer 162, 293, 360, 621 , 
621, 813. 

Hannah 399, 809 

Jacob 249 

Jere 164 

Jonathan 249 

Joseph 249. 363 

Thomas 116 

Frost House 399 

Froth inoham — 

Jabes 265, 267, 363 

Richard 222. 233 

William 266. 268 

Frte — 

Jonathan 154 

Joseph 162. 164. 176 

Frye's Tavern 441 

Fryeburg, Maine ." 184 

Fucham, Samuel 408 

FCLLER — 

Abraham 216 

Edward 211 

Fulling Mill 61 

Fdrbbb, G. D. Mri 369 

FCRBUBH 

Charles (Capt.) .... 271, 828 
George 360 

Gaoe — 

AbbieA 733 

Thomas (Gen.) 193, 217. 232 

Gage Ice Company. Daniel 672 

Gale. Henry 364 

Galusha, Gallusha. 

GOLUSHA — 

Ana .* 680 

Daniel 64. 134 

Ebenr 174 

Elijah 178. 189 

Jacob 147 

Rachel 64 

Gardner, Aaron 212 

Garey, Joseph 321 

Garfield, Benjamin .... 6 
Garland, Samuel J. . . 370. 372 

Garner. J. W 199 

Gasson, Wm 162 

Gates, Horatio (Gen.) . . 238 
Gat— 

Edward 383 

Emma L 586 

Frederick T 687. 888 

Ira 668 

Ziba . 687. 588, 668, 669, 766 

Ziba, Jr 669. 764 

Gay Street 437 



INDEX OF NAMES 



861 



Qatmondb, George W. . . . 713 
General Printing Office . 594 
"Geology of Masgachusetts" 

(Hitchcock) .... 649. 660 
Gkoboe — ^„ „. 

John 92, 93 

Mystic 100 

George II. King. .464. 607. 788 
George III. King 202. 253. 299, 

454. 611, 711, 788. 
George'* Brook. . 619, 662, 633 
George's War, King 167 



GOOOHUE — 

Josiah ^'0 

Rev 676 



Georgia 



698 



Georgia Plantations 697 

Germany ii^ 

Gkrrish, Thomas M. 713, 829 

Gerbt, Joshua 158 

Gethsemane Commandery 586 

Gettysburg • . 819 

GiBBS. Anne 1'. 77U 

GiBNST. Owen 383 

^?chab^ . .682. 733. 762, 802 

\I&rv too 

William . '. 321 

GlDLET. GiDLT 

Henry 40.41,90.617 

Hezekiah ■*!» 

Gilbert, Col • • • \^J 

Gill, Moses -''I'Si -^^^^ 

GiLLis. Jotham 816 

Oilman ....422, 487, 489, 509 

Gilmore, William P 383 

Gilson, Gillson — 

John 174 

Jona 174 

Joseph ^' 

Rnjjt 175 

Solomon':: 265.267 

Gilson's Brook o33 

Gipps, Anne 17, 770 

Glass Company and Manu- 
factory 479, 483, 484, 634. 
703. 

Glass Works 7, 484 

Glenne — 

John, Jun 270 

Will 270 

Globe Newspaper 594 

Globe Printing Office 594 

Glodb, Gload, Glood— 

Damel 257. /»» 

John 256, 259, 277, 278, 321. 
622. 

Gloveb, Joseph 157 

Gltnn, John 366 

Goble. Stephen 94 

GODDARD— 

;^ p 370 

Daniel' F. (Rev.) 686 

GOFF. Goffe — 

Edmund 165 

John 757 

Sarah 711 

Squier £22 

Goffstown 704, 792 

Gold, Samuel • • • 134 

Golden Cove 12, 397, 435, 
439. 480, 492, 525. 633, 
648, 813. 
Golden Cove Brook . .439, 633 

Golden Cove Meadow 634 

Golden Cove Plain 633 

Golden Cove Road 38, 42. 
397. 435. 439. 

GoLDiNO. John 486. 636 

Goldsmith, Richard .. 11,26 
Good— 

Sarah 576 

Will 90,578.617 

Goodell. Amos 249 



Goodwin — 

Daniel, Jr 299 

John 673 

N 561 

Goodwin's Memorial of the 

Pitts 300 

GOOKIN — _„ „„ 

Daniel (Major) 31. 76, 77, 

78, 87, 96, 100, 101. 106, 

108, 114. 125, 473, 514, 

537. 

James R 605 

GoRDiN, WiUiam .... 271. 353 
Gordon, George A. . 529, 532 
GoRHAM, Nathaniel .... 215 
Gorham Street 399, 435, 436, 
437, 438, 470. 560. 662. 

G088 ,_, 

Daniel 175 

John 673, 829 

GOUCHER 

Sarah 1 733 

Walter G 733 

Gouge, James 270 

Gould, Goole, Goold — 

Abijah 170, 171, 178 

Benjamin 150, 175. 178, 277. 

732, 733, 758. 

Benjamin, Jr 173, 178 

Ebenezer (Deacon) 158, 184, 

247, 248, 249, 272, 288, 

321, 354, 557, 606, 620. 

621. 679, 688. 719. 733, 

793, 813. 
Ebenezer. Jr. . . 257.321,322 

Francis 39. 60, 63, 617 

"Goody" 414 

Hannah 64 

Jesse 270 

John 94 

Jonathan 249, 408 

Joseph Philips 733 

Lucy 786 

K'".::::::;:::v3i7 

Nancy '%% 

Noah Mac • • • 270 

Olive 732.733 

Rachel 73.i! 

Reuben 166. 174. 361. 621. 
679. 

Reuben. Jr -362 

Rose 39.63 

Ruth 732.733 

Samuel °\\ 

Samuel Mrs 811 

gilaa 270 

Simeon 'i64. 170. 171. 173. 
174. 837. 

Goold Estate 4*7 

Goold Homestead 448 

Gouldinq — _, 

John 476 

Jonah 364 

GovE. MorriU C • • 370 

Governor Sullivan (boat) . 504 
Governor's Horse Guards 

of New Hampshire . . . 375 
Grace Church. Lawrence . 799 

Gradner, Henry 208 

Grafton 364 

Graqo — „_. 

George W 374 

.T ftTTl flfl ,,,....•■•••••• ^ ' ^ 

Graham (bread) 797 

Grand Pr6 165. 543 

GranitevUle 667 



Gr.\.nt — 

Frances 633 

U. S.. Pres't. . . 368. 564, 668 

Grantville 363 

Grantz, Charles 60S 

Grasshopper Valley 634 

Graves — 

Benjamin 94 

Moses 160 

Nathaniel 9* 

Sarah 621, 733 



Grat — 

Catherine 733 

Clifford 402 

Daniel 168 

George A 383 

Harrison (Treasurer) 168. 
207. 294, 610. 839. 

James 383. 819 

John 402 

Jonathan 158. 249 

Timothy 257 

Gray, Palmer <k Pendergaat 666 

Great Barrington 366 

Great Britain 169, 191, 196, 
196, 197, 200. 207, 209. 
217. 454. 489, 611, 776, 
780. 
Great Brook (or MUl) 39, 46. 
134, 520, 554, 560, 633. 
662, 664. 
Great Mammoth Road. . . 439 
Great Neck 540, 552, 560. 
632. 

Great Pine Plain 519 

Great Swamp 32, 135, ol9, 

525. 633. 
Green. Greene — 

A G. 240, 373 

Albert F 768 

Alice Gertrude Adams. . 733 

Alice May 733 

Alonzo Gardner ... 733 

Amos 175, 733 

Benja 265, 267 

Benj. A 733 

Christopher (?) (Col.) . . 266 

David 242, 244 

Ebenezer 260, 353 

F V 274 

Nathaniel (Gen.) 204 

George 733 

Henry »* 

JM. (Rev.) 716 

John *oo 

John 6.' (Dr.) 661, 663 

Julia 733 

L. L. (Rev.) 593, 686 

Louisa 732 

Roscoe oog 

Samuel 32 

Samuel Abbott (Dr.) 19, 146, 
146, 155, 176, 276, 292, 
356, 528, 646. 

Simeon 171 

Thomas 32J 

"Green Bush." East Albany. 

N. Y 174, 184, 261 

Green Groves 261 

Green School « 11 

Green and Hagerman ..... 694 
Greenhalob, Frederic T. 

(Governor) 586 

Greenleaf — 

g ZoS 

Charles 'li: (Lt. Com.)370, 686 

Grkenouoh, AUin ...... 174 

Greenwood, M. Adelaide 

Russell 733 

Greoort, Pope 



862 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



116, 


119. 


123. 


126. 


133, 


136. 


138. 


139. 


143, 


144, 


146. 


147. 


1.50. 


154, 


155. 


210. 


213, 


219, 


261. 


265, 


274, 


275. 


355, 


357. 


365, 


376, 


377. 


441, 


443, 


463. 


464. 


474. 


528, 


531, 


532. 


533, 


547. 


627. 


632. 


647. 



Griduey. Richard (Capt.. 

afterwards Col.) 169, 180, 
184. 
Griffin — 

Addison 383 

Ebenerer 498 

George 383 

J.... 372 

James 383 

Moses 829 

Richard 2. 8, 12 

Robert 171. 173 

Sarah Swan Mrs 791 

Uriah 257, 288. 353 

Grimes. Mary 547 

Griswold — 

A. V. (Bishop).... 711. 712 

Byron H 374 

Groome. W. N. (Rev.) ... 707 
Gross — 

Edward 175 

John 175 

Groton 1. 5. 6, 7. 8, 9, 13. 27. 
28. 29. 38, 39, 40, 51, 57, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 97. 103. 
104. 108, 110, 113, 115, 
- -- 130, 
140, 
148. 
212, 
267, 
364. 
442, 
496, 
546, 
657, 
658, 662, 718, 811, 833. 

Groton Academy , .^. 804 

Groton Boundary Lines of 478 
Groton During Indian 

Wars 133, 632, 533 

Groton "Epitaphs" 628 

Groton During the Revolu- 
tion 219, 275, 356, 463 

Groton Indians 107 

Groton Iron 667 

Groton Line 469 

Groton Mill 51, 672 

Groton Road 397, 436, 437, 438 

Grow, Don Alonio 688 

Guild, Mr. (Tutor at 

Harvard) 239 

Gun Club 455 

Gtjppy, John 406 

GuTH, Wm. W. (Rev.) ... 707 
GuYEH. W. C. (Rev.) .... 707 

Hackbtjrne, Hannah .... 118 

Hackett. James J 605 

Hadley — 

Hadley 86, 123, 261 

James V 682 

S. P 479, 764, 796 

Samuel Page (Judge) . .442, 
478, 479, 537, 685. 587. 796 

Hadley Street 479 

Hadlock — 

John 262 

Samuel 360 

Hageb. Isaac 211 

Hagerman. Samuel 240 

Hale — 

L. M. (Rev.) 707 

Moses 360, 486. 486. 682. 
716. 735, 736, 762. 

Hale House 398 

Hale Street . 516, 617, 547. 560 
Hale, Whipple & Tileston's 

Powder Factory. .486, 817 
Hale's Brook 485, 518. 633, 638 



Hale's Mills 486,662 

Haley — 

Daniel 20 

Daniel E 408 

Patrick H 604 

Half Moon (Saratoga Co., 

N. Y.) 185. 261 

Halifax, N. S. 178, 189, 193, 784 
Hall — 

Albert E 736 

Andrew 506 

Benjamin 606 

C. H 240 

Charles H. C 735 

Darius L 735 

Ebenezer 497, 506 

Ebenezer, Jr 506 

Edgar R 768 

Esther A 735 

George B 829 

Geo. E 240 

Harrison 588 

Henry M 390 

James 279, 280, 322 

John 3. 8, 249 

John A 735 

John C 475 

John S 688 

Major 792 

Oliver 172 

Rev. Mr 784 

Sarah A 735 

W. H. Mrs 469 

Willard 257. 260. 288, 322. 
699, 700. 

Willard, Junr 469, 472 

William 3, 8 

WiUiam H 603 

WiUis 506 

"Hallelujah Club" 801 

Hallet — 

Emma 735 

Sara Parkhurst 736 

Hallow ELL, Joseph 374 

Hamblefs Ferry 813 

Hamelton, Warren 735 

Hamilton Canal 489 

Hamilton Mills 668, 669 

Hamlet, Hamblet — 

David 407 

M. L 468, 614 

Reuben 401 

Warren C. 376, 376, 377, 666 
Hampshire County 363, 364, 

792. 
Hancock — 

John (Governor) 70, 143, 
215, 217, 271, 357. 406, 
480, 601, 603, 528, 648, 
794, 827. 
John (Rev.) (Died Dec. 
6, 1752, aged 82) 71, 143. 
648, 777, 784. 
Madam Elizabeth (Died 
Feb. 13, 1760) ..480, 786 

Thomas (Esq.) 839 

Thomas (Rev.) 707 

Handley. Faustina 736 

Hankancor 119 

Hannaford — 

Waldo 599, 605 

WiUiam N 383 

Hannibal 363 

Hanover, N. H 808 

Hanson, Henry 663 

Harbor and Land Com- 
mission, Atlas of 469 

Habdwick, William 322 

Hardwood, Jonathan . . . 171 



Hardy, Hardee — 

Hannah 701 

Moses 267. 288, 353 

or Harris, Sampson 260, 
322, 353. 

Hardy's HiU 221 

Habgran, Frank (Rev.) . . 707 

Harker, Anthony 627 

Harkerson or Halker- 

BTON, Margaret 773 

Harlem Heights 796 

Harmon — 

Arthur A 736 

T. A 436 

Harper, Isaac D 736 

Harper's Monthly 222 

Harrell, F. O 823 

Harrington — 

Timothy 361, 363, 681, 792, 
793, 802. 815. 

Timothy Mrs 581 

Harris — 

Albert C 713 

Charles 267, 363 

Eben 446 

F. E 824 

Henry 92, 93 

or Hardy. Sampson 260, 322, 
353. 

Lucy 446 

(Rev. Dr.) 800 

Harrison Mansion 568 

Hartford, Emeline Wood- 
ward 736 

Hartford 392, 441, 770 

Hartwell — 

Edward 168, 160. 182 

EUzabeth (Wright) 144 

John 144 

Jonathan 144 

Samuel 212 

William 3. 8. 144 

Harvard 239, 363, 441, 474,635 
Harvard College (See Har- 
vard University) 4, 84, 88, 
203, 204, 229, 239, 246, 
406. 414. 489. 646. 649. 
651, 553, 555, 667, 668, 
562, 663, 564, 667, 669, 
573, 583, 614, 698, 706, 
719, 769, 770, 787, 788, 
790, 795, 798, 799, 802, 
803, 805, 806, 807, 814. 
Harvard Divinity School . . 799 
Harvard University (See 

Harvard College) 67, 142, 
143, 144, 487, 562, 564, 
776, 780, 794, 804, 807. 

Harvey, Moses 364 

Harwell, Joseph 404 

Habwood — 

James 95, 134 

Joanna 733 

John .... 279, 280. 621. 735 

Jonas 174 

Jonathan 178. 189, 239, 
363, 620, 734. 759, 760, 
788. 

Judith 734 

Lucy 734 

Mary 734 

Nathaniel 599 

Sarah 735 

Haskins, John F 667 

Hassanamesit 96, 104 

Hastings — 

Capt 239 

Elizabeth 239 

John 246 

Jonathan (Esq.) 224, 246. 253 
Lucretia (Bridge) .. 246, 780 



INDEX OF NAMES 



863 



^^IWfDea) .246, 770l Haren'L --^ 

W^teJ (DO 239. 242. 243. Hazen'e History of_Biller 
246, 323 354, 355. 622 



Hazen Place 38, 47, 434 | Hildreth- 

8 Corner 443 1 Arthur ^^.- »ii 



780, 802. 

Habtuck. Stephen 7UU 

Hatch— ggg 

irT^V.M«;::".:'23i'.|3 

Minerva 7db 

Pascal '''° 

Hatfieu); Daniel J- (Rev.) 702 
Hatfield . . . . . . 85, 261. 363 

Hathawat, Solon A d»^ 

Hathom'e Tavern o4U 



ica ....248,473.496.518 

Hkad, Zebulon 700 

(He)adi,ock, John o^o 

Heald — 

Joseph » '* 

Josephs.... 377 

Mary Chandler 426 

Samuel 211, 288 

Timothy • *f ' 

Heaney, Charles P. (Rev ) 710 

Heart Pond 36, 40, 45, 55. 421, 

438. 632, 633. 636. 648, 

653. 672, 703, 834 



IreXui! EnlL^dU: : :.: : I33 Hean Pond Cemetery 372. 436 



Haverhill. First Baptist 

Church in 701 

Haverhill, Mass. 110. 123. 138. 
250. 498. 639. 

Haverhill, N. H 252 

Haverhill Stage Line 441 

Ha-wkins. Wm 10^ 

Hawlet. Elisha . . ..•.■. }J>° 
Hawthorne, Nathaniel 564< 
667. 

Hannah 735 

James '^° 

Hayden— 

Daniel Flagg 734 

E.H.(Rev.) 702 

GrenviUeC 734 

Rallv M • 734 

Hateb, William H. I. 767. 768 

Hats, Thomas 323 

Hatl, James • • . 457 

Haymarket Square . . 454, 455 

Hayti 564, 568 

Hatward, Hatwood, 
Haward. Heaward. 
Hktwood — 
Benj. 46. 92. 135. 236. 256. 
269. 260. 288. 323, 356, 621 
Edwin E. ... 6. 46, 531, 558 
James 171. 175, 189. 276. 

278, 285. 360, 416, 620. 
Jesse 260, 272. 277. 278, 
287,288,291,294,323,324 
John 94, 249, 267, 286, 288, 

324. ,-. 

Jonathan j^,'* 

Joseph 94, 174, 294, 324, 360. 

701. 
Nathaniel (Howard?) . . 135 
Samuel 171, 256, 269, 289, 

290, 323, 324. 

Sarah 416 

Timothy •■• 361 

WiUard 262, 323 



Beside 



720 
"Hearthstones, 

Old" 29.^ 

Heaston, James 257. 323 

Heath, Joseph 1°^ 

Heberd, Samuel »g 

Heery. M. L. 673 

Hemminwat, Jim J«w 

Henchman, Hinchman, 

HiNCKSMAN, HlNKSMAN 

Bridget 118 

■DRTiipl 1"" 

Edmond 86, 769 

Edward 77U 

Elizabeth.. 18, 539, 718, 769 
Nathaniel Hurd . . . . ... 735 

Thomas 6, 21, 30, 32 33, 
34, 41, 42, 47, 50, 60, 80, 
82 86, 87. 89, 90, 93. 97. 
99, 100, 101, 102, 103. 
104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 
113, 114, 117, 119, 120. 
121. 122, 124, 125, 129, 
130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 
136. 137, 166, 398, 412, 
415, 423. 433. 474, 477, 
479, 495, 512, 513, 514, 
515, 628, 533, 536, 536, 
537, 538, 539. 616. 665. 
716. 718, 733, 754, 756, 
766.772 833. 
Hinchman's Ferry . ■ . • • • °l^ 
Henry, Henery, John 158, lou 
Henry VIII 571 

"joshur" 790.839,679,788 



Wm. 



289 



Herbert, Jacob 383 

Herrick, Hehick— 

Abner or Abnor 277, 27ti, 
394, 622. 

Elizabeth 734 



Patty 



734 



„,.,„„ Hesb, Harry (Rey.) . .... . 707 

Wm . . 157, 158 Heyman, Samuell . 576, 576 

Hn^ward Plaie' ".'.'. 46 Hibble, Forbes 168 

Heyward Fari^, Edwin ... 531 Hibbord, Lazarus 324 



531 

Heywood " (or ' Hayward) 

House 47, 92. 400 

"Hazard," Brig 204 

Hazeltine, Hazelton, 

Haieltone, Heasiltinb, 
Heabelton — 
Elijah ...256.269.290.355 

James 257. 288 

John (Col.) 17? 



Nat. 



174 

p^r"::::::::: 499 

Sewell 408 

Haben— 

Henry A ■ . • 150 

Jam«B Henry...... 240,736 

Sanford 373. 399, 736 

Sarah W 736 



Hicks, Sarah 298 



HlGGINS- 



373 



David ..'.' 605 

High School of 1916 .... 803 
High Street ....436, 436, 662 

Highland Officers 237 ^40 

Highland School .... 522, 559 
Highway, F. G. (Rev.) ... 707 

Hilben, Anthony • . . 457 

Hildreth. Heldreth. Hil- 

DRAKE. HiLDRED, HiLL- 

drath.Hilldreth. 

HiLDRETCH. HlLDRICK. 
HILDRI8H, HlLDBRBTB— 

Abigail 246 

AlvaL 736 

Amziah ^' '■ 



Benj. M 371. 383 

Dorcas 733 

Ebin ("Ye old") 445 

Elijah 257, 271, 324 

Eliza A. Murdock "30 

Elizabeth 95, 733 

Ephraim 45. 57. 89. 94, 

135, 141, 150. 677, 678. 
756. 757. 

George V 383 

Hannah • ■ /^* 

James 22, 37, 60, 90, 128, 

130, 617. 756. 

Jeremiah 266. 268 

John ... 152. 360, 733, 736 

Jonathan 151. 152. 171 

Joseph 95. 136, 137. 148, 

476. 756. 812. 

Lavinia Duchemin 736 

Lieut 135 

Mary '"* 

Micah 267. 260, 261 

Moses P 736 

Oliver 700 

Rachel 30O 

Richard 3. 9, 37. 40. 60. 95. 

246, 412. 617. 717, 733, v 

734. 754, 758. ^ ^,„ 

Robert 680. 812 

RufusG 736 

Samson - • • 440 

Sarah 96, 733. 734 

Qiioan loo 

ImoV :::::.... 279 280 
wS-jr.:::::::::.'"'i 

Zachariah .... 324, 354, 365 

Hildreth Street 812 

Hildreth's Ferry 812 

Aaron 369 

Asa 8^y 

Jean • ■ ■ '•*:* 

Jeremiah 257, 6bA 

John .... 148, 445. 733. 829 

Jonathan jf 

Joseph 481 

Josiah ■ • ■ ,1''/ 

Nathaniel 5. 94. 128, 134. 
137, 401. 413, 495, 513, 
553. 675, 733, 765, 756, 

*1.1- 2fi7 

Paul 257 

Rafe _27 

Sylvester S 765 

Hill & Parkhurst 402 

Killer, Chas.C. P. (Rev.) 707 

Hills — . ,„ 

Franklin M 458 

Isaiah 168 

Joseph f^ 

William H 369 

Hillsborough County.. ... 66S 

Hillsborough, N. H. 227, 228, 
668. 

Hilton, Horton H 768 

Hindle. Frank 713 

HiNDB. JoBiah D dW" 

Hingham 686, 689 

H1R8CH— 

Elizabeth 735 

Francis G 735 

John 457 

Sf.::::::::;:;::::735 

Hiscox File Company 673 

History for Ready Refer- 

DTIPP wOU 



864 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



History of People of U. S. 

(McMaster) 357, 539 

History of the American 

People (Wilson) 828 

Edward (Prof.) 645. 649, 660 

(Rev.) Mr 238 

Hitchcock's Report on the 
Geology of Massachu- 
setts 643 

HOADLBT, Thomas 257, 271, 

288, 360. 
HOAQQ, Benj. . . .166, 167, 169 

HOAB — 

Col 178 

John 87 

SUas 475, 485 

HoBAN, James J. (Dr.) . . . 805 
HoBB, Humphry (Capt.) 162, 

163, 164, 165. 
HoBBS, John C. 240, 369, 370, 
371, 736. 

Hobba' Store, Mr 440 

Hodges — 

Beni. F 599, 735 

Benj.F., Jr 735 

Charles H 735 

Children of B. F. and 

J. A 735 

Hannah A 735 

Julia A 735 

Hodoman, Hoquon — 

Asa 272, 324, 360, 464, 688, 
719, 735. 

Clorinda 459 

Dorothy 734 

Edwin R. (Rev.) 154, 518, 

531. 
Josiah 209, 213, 214, 620, 
621. 734. 

Lucy 734 

Malvina 458, 459 

Stephen 620 

Hodgman House 398 

Hodgman's History of 

Weatford 433, 476, 632, 
699, 700. 

HODSON — • 

Henry 373 

Henry R. . . 43, 54. 370, 818 
Hodson Place 90 

HOQAN 

John E 597 

Patrick 588 

HOLBBOOK 

Mai 704 

Sam 161 

HOLDBN 

Artemas 475 

Nathaniel 212, 270 

Samuel 812 

Holden, Mass 364 

Holder, Walter S 605 

Holding, James 158 

Holland, Michael 708 

HOLLIB — 

Charles 506 

David 735 

Mary 588 

HoUis, N. H. . . .701. 702. 802 

HoUiston. Mass 212 

Holmes — 

Nathaniel 407 

Oliver Wendell ... 95, 642 
Samuel 168 

Holt — 

Abner D 383 

Arthur 373 

Charles A 603 

Dean 764 

George B 688 



Hoi/r — 

Henry H 383 

Joshua 828 

Leon S 736 

Martha 736 

Martha Woodard 736 

Solon 767 

HOLflTEN 

1 254 

S 253 

Holy Name, and Ladies' 

Sodality 710 

Holy Rosary, Church of 

the 709 

Holyoke Street 770 

Home Meadow 634 

Homestead 435, 438, 663 

Honey, Samuel 701 

Hood, J. W 372 

HooKEB, Thomas (Rev.) 14, 75, 
693, 834, 835. 

Hooksett Falls 509 

Hopkins, D 254 

Hopkinton, Mass 212 

HoppiN, N cholas (Rev.) . . 712 

Horn Pond 502, 606. 507 

Horse Neck (West Green- 
wich. Conn.) 212. 347 

HOBTON. HOTTON 

Eleazer 158 

E. A. (Rev.) 586 

Samuel 246 

HOSMER 

Benjamin Gould 447 

Charles E 767 

John 8 

John Horatio 736 

Joseph 218 

Stephen 04 

William Wallace 735 

HouoHTON, Lewis W 804 

HousK — 

Arthur 408 

Charles F 408, 605 

House Brook 633 

Howard — 

AbigaU 734, 784 

Amasa (Dr.) 377, 458. 803. 

805. 
Benjamin 238. 273. 274, 324, 

431, 485, 548, 734, 784. 

Charles 457 

Clarisa 457 

David P 736 

(Dr.) Mrs 369 

Eb 157 

George A 713 

George Levi 736 

Hannah 734 

1. A. (Rev.) 706 

Jacob 171, 209. 238. 244. 

324. 354. 360. 483. 545, 

547, 621, 719, 734, 829. 

Jacob Mrs 545, 547 

Jacob. Jr 360 

Joanna 734 

Jonathan. . 164, 481, 485, 734 
Levi (Dr.) 376. 377, 564, 

664, 706, 736, 804. 

Lewis K 766 

Lydia 734 

Lydia Jane 736 

Martha . . 545, 548, 621, 734 

Mary 588, 733, 734, 736 

Nathaniel 734 

Nathaniel (Maj.) 457, 492, 

642, 763. 
Nathaniel, Sen. 131, 133, 

135(7), 485, 512, 733. 
Otis 457 



Howard — 

Rachel 545, 735 

Samuel 199, 209, 238, 2T7, 
281, 324. 361, 362, 417. 
609, 621, 682, 719, 734, 
760. 

Sarah 733, 734 

Sarah Eliiabeth 736 

Timothy 189, 362, 784 

WiUard 238, 244, 324, 354, 
360, 496, 622, 719. 

William 735 

Howard Estate 485 

Howard Farm 113 

Howard House 478 

Howard <fe Co 594 

Howe, How — 

Amanda J 736 

Betsey W 735 

Caleb 158 

Daniel 288 

Ephraim 260, 324 

George W 736 

Lucy F 735 

Mary 734 

Nob (Indian) 34 

Sophia F 736 

Thomas 402, 735 

William 578 

William (Gen.) . . . 226, 239 
Winthrop 486 

HOTT — 

Charles N 383 

Jonathan J 765, 766 

J. A 802 

Reuben G 383 

Rhoda J 736 

William H 736 

Hubbard, Hitbard, 

HCBBART — 

Aaron 153 

Cato 271 

Gardiner Greene 582 

Josiah 171 

Lazarus 260 

Mabel 583 

Mr. Speaker 839 

WilUam 76, 432, 538 

Hubbard's History of New 

England 392 

Hubbard's Tavern 840 

Huckleberry Hill 633 

Hudson — 

Dorr A. (Rev.) .... 705, 822 

Frederick 222 

Hudson, N. H.. . . 139, 140, 702 

Hudson River 295, 604 

HuQHKS, Richard . . . 260, 325 

Hull, John 96 

Humphrey, John 383 

Hunt — 

Abel 397, 403, 563, 764 

Anna Eliza.... 468, 712, 736 

Annie Warren 736 

Benjamin Peter 540. 563. 
564, 566, 567, 568, 569, 
591, 698. 
Children of S. C. and 

S K 736 

Elizabeth Abbott Warren 736 

Hannah C 458 

Henry B 240 

H. P. (B. P.) 691 

Israel ....257, 271, 288, 363 
John ....257, 288, 325, 457 

JohnH 713 

Jonathan 257, 288, 325 

Joseph 212 

Joshua 735 

Mr 445 

Nathaniel 158, 256, 259, 289 



INDEX OF NAMES 



865 



Hunt — 

Nehemiah 249 

Olive Chamberlain. 458, 730 
Olive Chamberlain, Mrs. 735 

Paul 249 

Peter 249 

Peter (Capt.) 181 

Samuel . . 133, 474, 475, 523 
Samuel Chamberlain 713, 736 

S. C, Jr 370,567 

Simon 211 

Susan Barron 736 

William 485, 567 

Wm. Barron 736 

Hunt Place 40 

Hunt's Falls 498, 509, 511 

Hunt's Ferry 481, 484, 498, 

812, 813. 
Hdntbr — 

Jane S 735 

Joel A 384 

John Collier 735 

Mary 735 

Robert CoUier 735 

William 735 

Winfield S 384 

Hunting — 

George 457 

John 118 

Nathan 475 

Samuel 116, 117, 118 

Huntington, Elisha 804 

Huntington Hall 498 

HUKD — ■ 

(Dr.) 792, 802 

Thomas 486, 489 

Hurd's History of Middle- 
sex County . 562, 801, 819 

HUTCHINS, HUTCHENS, 
HUTCBUNGS 

Andrew 159, 162, 164 

Benj 162 

Charles L. (Rev.) . . 221, 713 

Charles W 736 

Eliakim 164 

Gordon 162 

Hannah 736 

H. L. (Rev.) 705, 707 

Julia M 736 

Mary 701 

Melbourne F 736 

Mercy 701 

Oliver 736 

Phebe 736 

Thomas 159, 162, 173, 175, 

214, 354. 620. 

Thomas J 372 

Hutchinson, Huchebson, 

hutchenbon, hutchbin- 

80n, hutchebbon, 

huchison 

Anne 84, 412, 534 

Edward 84, 97, 98, 777 

Eliaha 477 

Francis 369, 823 

Joseph 366 

Nathaniel 325, 620 

Richard 634 

Thomas (Governor) 169, 190, 

202, 203, 299, 788, 839. 

T. (Dep. Sec.) 159 

Hutchinson's Letters .203, 780 
Htdk, Hid, Hide, Hides — 

George 588 

Jonathan 94 

Joseph 95, 134, 430, 612. 513 

Sam 700, 787 

Simon 257, 288, 325 



Immanuel (Emmanuel) 
College, Cambridge, 

England .16, 835 

Independence, Declaration 

of 204, 213 

"Independent Chronicle," 

(Boston) 440, 463 

India Lands 5 

Indian Lands 469, 471 

Indian Names 638 

Ingallb, Inoals, Ingles — 

Henry 179 

Henry H 374, 384, 819 

Joseph 257, 262, 288 

NathU 270 

Ingham, William A 370 

"Insurrections in Massa- 
chusetts" 367 

"Introduction of the Power 
Loom and Origin of 

Lowell" 486 

Ipswich (Agowomen), Mass. 26, 
39, 73, 85, 95, 123, 420, 
535, 538. 

Ipswich, England 833 

Ireland. 207, 454, 612, 669, 698 

Ireland, Shad 786 

Irving, Mr 839 

IvEB. John 738 

Jackson — 

H 355 

James 384, 819 

Mabel 736 

M 355 

Patrick f.' '.'.'. 486,'488, 539 
Jacob — 

John 795 

Sa'l 325 

Jamaica 564. 567 

James I, King 410, 613 

James II, King 127 

Jaqub, Abraham 94 

jAQurrH — 

Abraham 257 

Franklin 374 

Jonathan 408 

Jeffries — 

David 133, 206 

John 802 

Jefifry, N. H 261 

Jeffs, Wm 152 

Jenkins, John 384 

Jbnneb, Edward 581 

JennesB Place, The 641 

Jennet, Albert E 605 

Jersey 817 

Jesus College, Cambridge, 

England 834 

Jewell — 

Gussies 142 

John 174, 178 

John, Bishop of Salis- 
bury 571 

N 178 

Jbwett, Jbwit — 

Enoch 270 

Jonathan 171 

Joseph 265, 267 

NeUonE. 373. 384 

John (Indian) 102 

John (One-eyed) 113, 432 

John Street 485 

Johnson — 

Andrew E 736 

Charles 457 

Ebeneser 249 

Edward . . 4, 6, 0. 11. 75. 242 

EUiabeth 206 

Ezra 174 

Isaac 613 

James 108, 533 



Johnson — 

Joaiah, Junr 171 

Mary 8 738 

Obadiah 249, 260, 326 

Stephen 168 

Wilhelm 408 

William (Maj. Gen.) 183, 
201, 844. 785. 786. 

William A 384 

Johnson's Family Atlas . . . 506 
Johnston. Joseph E. 

(Gen.) 368 

Jones — 

Arthur 374 

Ephraim (Capt.) . . . 165, 186 

Frank N.P 384 

Joshua 257, 260, 289 

Levi F 766 

Rebecca 264 

Thomas 606. 736 

Jones's Tavern 840 

Jons, Jonathan 326 

JontoqOnnb, John 833 

JOSLYN, JOBBELTN 

Edwin 588, 766 

E. F 372 

Wallace W 370 

JuBB, John E. (Rev.) 707 

Judge, Charles 470 

Juggins, William 384 

Katahdin Iron Works 689 

Keabnb, James 384 

Keene, N. H 261 

Keent — 

Isaac 325, 621 

Isaac, Jr 245, 354 

Kelly, Kblley — 

Benj 700 

Daniel 384 

Frank 240 

Kelst, Alexander 163 

Kemp, Kempe — 

Benj 164. 171, 814 

Edw. 11. 21, 26. 37, 40, 836 

Erekiel 171 

Samewell 37 

Simeon 266, 267 

William 271 

Kendall, Kindall — 

Hetekiah 270 

Robert M 372 

Temple 262 

Kent County, England ... 94 

Kerein, John 163 

Ketchbll, Thomas 816 

Kkyeb, Keibb, Kbts, Ktb, 
Kybb — 

Abel 631 

Abigail 700 

Abner ... 164, 171, 186. 187 

Daniel 178, 232. 248. 265. 

258, 320, 327, 354, 845. 

David 183 

Edward H 376.377 

EUas 140 

Ephraim 171. 448. 700 

Eiekiel 181 

Frances 641 

Frances (Grant) 141 

Hannah 801 

Henry 152. 153 

John 245, 255, 258. 277, 278, 
289. 290, 294, 325, 327, 
354, 365, 622. 

Joseph 44, 150, 767 

J. S 691 

Lucy 814 

Mary 186. 186. 788 

Robert 814 



866 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Solomon 6, 34. 44. 48, 60. 
89, 121, 128, 134, 140. 
164, 183, 189, 247, 256, 
257, 269. 260, 326, 327, 
364, 355, 410, 411, 496, 
512, 617, 518. 519, 641, 
621, 633. 756, 766, 801, 
836. 
Solomon, Jr. 134, 183, 512, 
513. 

Stephen 140 

Uriah 267, 288, 326, 621 

Zebadiah 171, 185, 189, 680, 
787, 813. 

Zechariah 189 

Keyes Brook 633 

Keyes Place 91 

Keyes Pond 633 

KiDDEB, Kyder — 

Amos 606, 620 

Beni 152, 153 

David 621. 700, 789 

Enoch 523 

Esther 814 

Hannah 547, 705 

Jacob 705 

James ... 93, 151. 152. 153 
John. .49, 134, 409, 512, 700 

Jno 787 

Jno.Mrs 787 

Joseph 681 

Josiah 249 

Phinehas 248, 249, 273, 274, 
294, 326. 

(Rev.) Mr 791 

Samuel T 816 

Solomon 162, 212 

KlLBOURNE, W. W 369 

KiLLAM, Austin 11, 26 

KiLMOT, Thomas 270, 353 

Kimball — 
^ga 171 

Charles A ."!.".';.;;.' .'.'.' 768 

Clarisa 737 

Daniel 212 

Hannah 737 

Ichabod 725 

Mary 737 

Kinderhook, N. Y 185 

KiKG 

Charles 622 

Hannah (Richardson) . . 802 

Samuel 182, 509. 802 

King Philip's War 61. 84, 419. 
511. 633, 637. 

King's Chapel, Boston 772 

Kingston, Jamaica . . . 564, 667 

Kirk Street 712 

Kirkland's Anecdotes 487 

KiKWAN. Michael 384 

Kissacook HiU . . 631. 633, 638 

KiTTBEDGB, KiTERAOE, KlT- 
BIDOE, KiTTERAGE, KlT- 
TBRIOQ, KlTTEBIDQE — 

Amy HuU 753 

Beni 546, 803 

Cullen F 737 

CullenaF 737 

Dorcas Melvina 737 

Ebenezer 164, 171, 174 

Estelle Sophia 809 

E. B 240 

ForestuB Darwin 736 

Francis M. 646, 737, 803, 804 

George P 737 

Henry Mead 737 

James 523 

Jeeseniab 460, 803 

JoelC 737 

John 94 



KiTTEBDGE 

Maria Heald 737 

Paul (Dr.) 371, 737, 764, 803 

Paul C. (Dr.) 737 

Rebecca 737 

Thomas 171 

Two infant children of 
Paul and Rebbeooa. . . 736 

William 790 

William L 377 

Kittridge Farm 662 

Knecttle — 

Ann P 737 

Daniel B 737 

KNEELANn, Wm. Adams 370, 
371, 737. 

Knowles, John 766 

Knowlton — 

Clarence H 643 

Harlan E 602 

H. L 370 

John 171 

J. S. C 663, 594 

Rice 171, 178 

Thomas (Capt.) 226 

Knox, Henry 235 

KoHLBAuscH, CharleB H., 

Jr 767 

KuBsinauscut 33 

Ladd, Nathaniel 93 

Ladies' Literary Friend . . . 594 

Ladies' Union Club 587 

Lafayette House 395 

LaForge, Lawrence. .643, 644 

Lake Champlain 443 

Lake Erie 504 

Lake George 154, 173, 179, 
180. 182, 183, 184. 189. 
618, 644, 786. 

Lake Sunapee 501, 502 

Lake Wlnnepesaukee .... 502 
Lakin — 

Roberson 266 

Winslow 265. 267 

Lamb. The (Tavern) 840 

Lambebt, Mary 580 

Lampbebe — 
Albion J. . 370, 371, 384, 737 

Frank 737 

George B. 371. 384, 737, 819 

Levi 240, 371, 384. 737 

Levi. Jr 384 

Mary J 737 

Lamson — 

Edward 665 

Joseph 93 

Mary Swift Mrs 582 

Lancaster. Lankestor 38, 84, 
86, 87, 96, 97, 103, 104, 
110, 113, 116, 123, 126, 
133, 136, 138, 144, 147, 
148, 150, 174, 361, 363, 
441, 443, 477, 587, 656, 
657, 718, 773, 792, 799, 
833. 
Lancaster, Annals of 

(Nourse) 667 

Lancet, Lanct, Samuel 273, 
274, 327, 361. 

Landlee, Mary 548 

Landbie, Landrt, Lbndrev — 

Asam 167 

Charles 167 

Jean 167, 168, 813, 826. 827 

Joseph 167, 168 

Maudlin 167 

Monsieur 786 

Murray Maudlin 167 

Paul 167. 168, 786 

Simon 167 



Lands-End 17 

Lake — 

Benjamin 257, 288 

David 267, 289 

Francis 257 

Job 490 

John 260, 327 

John (Capt.) 148, 160 

John H 240 

Major 144, 148 

Thos 152 

Ziba, Zibon 260, 353 

Lane Papers 148, 149 

Lans, William A 767 

Langdon, William G 408 

Lanolet' — 

Nathaniel . 166, 167, 169, 188 
Wm 580 

Langton, Thomas 621 

Lapham — 

Edward E 374, 384 

Everett E 713 

Isaac 176 

Nathan B. 370, 372, 374, 

377, 384, 897. 
Wilbur E 768 

Larcom — 

Benj.F 737 

Frank H 737 

Jonathan 737, 807 

Lucy 490 

Laret — 

John 240 

John Minot 737 

Largin. John ... 99. 100, 101 

Larkin — 

John 367 

Robinson 268 

Larkins, Peter 327 

Larned, Larnet, Learned, 
Lebned, Leb»7et, Leb- 

NETT 

Benjamin 93 

Isaac 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. 13, 
30. 85, 764, 836. 

John 2 

Mary 26, 244 

Sarah 8 

Laebance — 

Ebenezer 171 

Johnathan 171 

Laurel HUl 832 

Lawrence — 

Asa 274, 275 

Benja 265, 267 

George 372 

James 212 

Roland 265, 267 

Samuel 463 

Lawrence, Mass 648, 799 

Lawbey. James 386 

Laws — 

James 622 

Mary B 737 

Sears C 737 

Susan 737 

William 360 

Laws and Liberties. (See Mass. 
L. & L. and Mass. Body of 
Liberties.) 

Lattbop (Capt.) 97 

Leach — 

HaskeU 372 

Shepherd 54. 657, 658, 659 ,668 

Leaches' Pond 398, 658 

Leahby. James F. . . 598. 605 

Leary. Con 438 

Leath, Benj 174 

Lbavitt — 

Clarence 604, 606 

Stephen B 588 



INDEX OF NAMES 



867 



LxBORNB. (Coburn) 

Edward 122, 826 

John 122, 826 

Robert 122, 826 

Thomaa 122, 826 

LccBMERE, Mr 780 

LeClerc's Expedition 568 

LeDuke, David 373 

Lee, Robert E. (Gen.) ... 368 
Leebe, Ephraim (Rev.) . . 707 

Leicester 170. 700, 700 

Leiqhton — 

Amoe R 376, 377 

Walter H 377 

Lennox, Samuel 163 

Lenox Library 24 

Leonard, Eliphalet 659 

Leslie's, Frank 241 

"Letters and Social Aims" . 666 
Levebett, John (Gov.) 84, 107 

Barrillai 255, 256, 267, 268, 
260, 276, 289, 327, 622. 790 

Primus 276 

Lewis — 

Eliphalet 176 

James 386 

Samuel 621 

Lewis' History of Middle- 
sex County 633 

Lexington 71, 126, 143. 208, 
211, 216, 217, 222, 223, 
265, 266. 267. 268, 648. 
688, 777, 784, 786, 802, 
807, 840. 
Lexington Minute Men. . . 241 

LiBBT, N. F 469 

Libby and Evans 402 

Liberty Street 616, 617 

"Life in a New England 

Town," (Adams) 796 

Lily Pond 490 

Lincoln — 

Abel 407 

Abraham (Prest.) 368, 373, 

454, 818. 
Benjamin (Gen.) 366, 361, 
362. 

B 263. 264 

Perei 681 

Lincoln, Maine 795 

Lincoln, Mass. 211, 212, 215, 
218, 219, 221, 266, 268, 363 

Lincoln Square 616, 647 

LiNDALL, Elizabeth 290 

Line, Liino, Ltne, John 34, 

100, 101 109. 
Lines, Thomas 374 

LlPPlTT, LlPPETT — 

Gov. (of R. I.) 683 

Henry Mrs 582 

Jeanie 583 

Lippincott's Gazetteer . . . 639 

Lisbon, Portugal 639 

Litchfield, Mass. 139, 143. 474, 
529. 

Little Baddow 834 

Little Cohoes 609 

LlTTLEHALE. LlTTLEHAIL 

Abram 260 

Ezra 270 

Richard 706 

Susan 705 

Littleton. Mass. 7. 144, 165, 
176, 178, 212, 218, 237. 
433, 434, 464, 468, 474, 
476, 635, 644, 649, 650, 
660, 699, 702, 802, 803. 
Littleton Road (Street) 47, 67, 
396, 418, 434, 436. 438, 
439, 440. 645. 660, 716. 



LrVER.MORE, LiUERMORE, 
LiUERMOAR 

Caroline 569 

Edward St. Loe . . 485 , 486, 
498, 669. 

George 23 

Grace 717, 737 

John 717 

Livingston. Levinqston. 

LlVESTON, LeaVESTONE 

AbigaU 737 

Asa 249 

Benjamin 493 

Isaac 257, 363 

Seth 360, 737 

Livingston House, Old .... 400 
Lloyd, Loyd — 

John 271, 353 

Thomas 327 

Locke, Lock — 

Abigail 701 

Daniel . . .171, 620, 701, 784 

George F 370, 372 

Joseph 494 

Locks and Canals Co. 252, 408, 

488, 499, 508, 665. 
Locks and Canals on the 
Merrimack River, Pro- 
prietors of 499 

Locust Road (Street) 435, 436, 
438. 

Lodge, Henry Cabot 199 

Logan. John 173, 175 

Loker — 

Alice B 737 

Andrew J 371, 737 

Hannah 737 

Loren 370, 371, 737 

William J 737 

London, England 97, 420, 534, 
662, 581, 784, 812, 834. 

Londonderry 498 

Long — 

James 606 

John D. (Gov.) 686, 808 

Long Brook 633 

Long Causeway .481, 519, 812 

Long Island 286, 647 

Long Meadow 634, 835 

Long Pond 519, 633 

Long Pond Meadow 634 

Long Sought for Pond 633 

Long Swamp 633 

Longfellow, H. W 799 

Longfellow's "Tales of a 

Wayside Inn" 711 

LoNGLEY, Elizabeth 701 

LoNGLOisoROi, Esther 

(Bridge) 787 

LoNGON, Daniel 271, 353 

Lord, (Gen.) 272 

LORING 

Daniel 212 

John 840 

Mr 839 

Lossing's Field Book of the 

Revolution 828 

LoTHROP, Samuel Kirkland 771 

LocDON, (Lord) 162 

Louisburg 157, 162, 189, 201, 

250, 787. 

Louisburg Expedition .... 813 

Louisiana 169 

LovELL, (Gen.) 285 

Lovely, Felix 737 

LOVERING 

Henry B 371, 737 

Mary Spaulding 737 

Seth 496 

Levering Place 397 

LovETT, Joseph 557 



Lovewell — 

John (Capt.) 141, 143, 164, 
155, 200, 518. 

Zaccheus 143 

"Lovewell's Fight". . . 518, 641 

Lovewell's War 231 

LovKiN, LuFKiN, LocrxiN, 
Samuel 277. 278. 3G1. 622 
Lowell — 

Francis Cabot 480 

John 50. 670 

John (Dep. Sec.) 243 

John A 488 

Lowell Advertiser 660 

Lowell. City of 3. 5, 7, 33. 41. 
42. 43, 47. 55. 62. 78. 81, 
88, 200. 220. 240. 262, 
275, 293, 294, 376, 377. 
397, 398, 399, 400, 418, 
434. 436, 440, 441, 442, 
447, 456, 466. 468. 469, 
471. 478. 484, 485, 488, 
489, 492, 493, 494, 498, 
501. 504, 506. 506. 509, 
510. 511. 514. 524. 525, 
527, 528, 536, 540, 560 
552, 554, 556, 559, 560. 
569. 587, 589, .594, 697, 
626, 629, 638, 643, 644, 
646, 647, 648, 651, 669. 
661. 662. 663, 665, 666, 
668, 670, 671, 672, 673, 
686, 702, 706, 707, 708, 
709, 713, 714, 715, 720, 
803, 804, 807, 808, 812, 
817, 824. 
Lowell and Boston Stage. . 441 

Lowell Cemetery 75 

Lowell-Chelmsford Road . 440 
Lowell, a City of Spindles 

(Cowley) 834 

Lowell Company 508 

Lowell and Dunstable 

Road 471, 472 

Lowell Electric Light Cor- 
poration 821 

Lowell, 50th Anniversary 

of 490 

Lowell Fire Department . . 597 
Lowell, First Baptist Church 

of 706 

Lowell Historical Society 478, 
643, 656. 

Lowell Journa J 594 

Lowell Journal and Courier 257 
Lowell Line. .434, 435, 437, 438 
Lowell Machine Shop . . . 489 
Lowell and Nashua Rail- 
road 510 

Lowell, Old Residents' His- 
torical Association . . . 643 
Lowell Railroad (Boston 

and) 504 

Lowell Road 435, 437, 438 

439, 648, 667. 
Lowell, 75th Anniversary 

of the Incorporation of 490 
Lowell Street 396, 437, 472 , 
524 713 

Lowell 'Textile Co 671 

Lowell and Tvngsborough 

Road 472 

Lowell Vox Populi 507 

Lucifer Matches 595, 696 

Ludlow 261 

Lund, Lunn — 

James 816 

Nicholas 93 

Noah 816 

Sam'l 262, 270. 328 

Thomas, 8r 140 



868 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Lundy's Lane, Battle of . . 300 
Lunenburg, Lunenburgh, 160, 

182, 261, 474, 785, 802. 
Lunenburg Stage Line. ... 441 

Lynch, Michael 385 

Lynd's Hill 135 

Ltnde, Joseph (Col.) .... 135 

Lyndeborough 710 

Lyn End 840 

Lynn 1, 9, 73, 154, 809 

Lynnfield 490 

LroN, Eben 189 

Lyons — 

Charles 768 

Stephen 385 

T. G. (Rev.) 702 

Maccabtt, Mary 776 

Macdonald, Mary 739 

MacDouoall, a. R.(Rev.) 702 

MacGould, Noah 353 

Macintib — 

Benjamin 328 

Daniel 328 

Mack AY, Stewart 437, 604 

Macknannel, John 361 

Maginnis, Daniel 94 

Maglue, Janies 390 

Magnalia Christi Ameri- 
cana (Mather's) 16, 573, 
770. 

Main Street 436 

Maine 505, 659, 698 

Makepeace, Royal 439 

Maiden, Maldon, Moulden 9, 
73, 210, 211, 243, 709, 833 

Mallon, James 366 

Mallory, Frank, House of . 471 

Mammoth Road 439, 452 

Man, Mary 580 

Manchester, Curtis S. 371, 
739. 

Manchester Diocese 709 

Manchester, N. H. 139, 509, 
666. 

Mannapaugh 102 

Mannenesit 102 

Manning, Maneng, Maning — 

Asa 738 

Benj 165, 167, 169, 738 

EUphalet 249, 257, 288 

Esther 739 

George J 738 

Isaac 249 

Jane H. (Mrs". Short)' . '. 459 

Joel 171 

John 260, 328 

Jonathan 277, 359, 397, 402, 
581, 622, 738, 762. 

Jonathan Mrs 581 

Joseph 397, 589, 683, 684. 

738, 739, 764, 765. 
Julia E. (Warren Mrs.) 459, 
753 

Julia M 739 

Lydia 738 

Martha 738 

Mary 738, 739 

Nathaniel 367, 738 

Salathiel 738 

Samuel 613 

Timothy 277, 278, 360, 399, 
581, 739. 

Timothy Mrs 581 

William . .399, 436, 547. 766 

Manning Estate 599 

Manning Manse 399 

Manning Place 436 

Manning Tavern 397, 599, 840 
Manning, Timothy, House 399 
Manor, Stradhaugh 770 



MANSriEIiD 

Abel 360 

George P. 240, 437, 447, 603. 
398, 598. 

Joel 642 

John 165, 279, 280, 359. 620, 
701. 

(Leonard) Jarvis 572 

L.J.,Jr 436 

WUard 360 

William 360 

Mansfield, George P., Place 

398, 598. 
Mansub — 

Aaron 738 

Joseph Warren 739 

Mary Frances 738 

Rebecca Warren 738 

Mansur Street 437 

Maple Road 436 

Maquas (Indians) 432 

Mabamasquand, Job .... 129 

Marden, George A 587 

Marinel — 

A. A. Mrs 829 

John, Jr 604, 605 

Marisquelles, Marie Louis 
Amand Ansart de 

(Col) 497, 791 

Market House 650 

Mabks, Roger 432 

Marlborough, Marlborow, 

Malbury 85, 96, 104, 110, 
111, 123, 126, 136, 144, 
171, 211, 363. 441. 
Marlborough in Wiltshire . 534 

Marlborough Stage 441 

Marr, William 385 

Mabrett, Daniel 680 

Marbden, George 364 

Marsh, March, John 257, 260, 

262, 328. 
Marshall, Marchall, 
Marchel, Mabshal, 
Marsbel — 

Abel 330, 361, 362 

Alvin 766 

Amy 458 

Ann E 739 

Ann F 739 

AtwoodE 739 

B. Parker 739 

Charles 751 

David 245, 262, 328, 329, 

354, 360. 

Eben H 663, 739 

Eben R 240, 663 

Fred 829 

Fred R 739 

George 739 

Hannah 400, 647. 737 

Hannah Frost 399. 400 

H. B. (Rev.) 706 

Isaac 247. 268, 269, 272, 328, 

329, 354, 360. 
Jacob 273. 274. 282, 294, 

329, 360. 
James 273, 274, 294, 329. 

550, 719, 738. 

Joanna 739 

John 737 

Jonas (Dr.) 207, 209, 280, 

285, 287, 398, 399, 461, 

462. 463. 582. 620. 802. 
Joseph 244. 329. 354. 370, 

373, 621, 738, 739. 

Josiah E 598 

Levi 738 

Loring 739 

Lucy Elizabeth 739 

Lydia 737 



Mabbhall — 

Lydia C 738 

Mary 738 

Mary Ann 73ft 

Mary N 73» 

Myra 73» 

Otis 730 

Peter 738 

Phebe 739 

Rufus 550 

Ruth 737 

Samuel 220, 245. 247. 248. 
249, 256, 259, 268, 269. 
277, 289, 294, 328, 329. 
330, 354, 355, 360, 402, 
541, 560, 621, 642. 787. 

Samuel. Jr 622 

Thomas 118, 209, 248, 249, 
277, 294, 328, 329, 360, 
399, 400, 606, 621, 737. 
739 

Thomas, Jr 245. 330, 354 

Thomas W 588 

WiUard 361,362, 402 

Marshall House 399, 400 

Marshall Place 90 

Marshall Place, Frank . . . 808 

Marshall Street 439 

Marshall's Tavern . . 397, 398 
Marshall's Woodworking 

Shop 663 

Martha's Vineyard 647 

Martin, Mabten — 

Asa 165. 182. 621 

Benjamin E 565 

Henry 240. 258 

John 61, 93, 810 

Michael 385, 819 

WUliam 43. 189. 330 

Marvel. Caleb 408 

Mabvis, Frank 385 

Mary I. Queen 16 

Mary II. Queen 127, 207, 576, 
612, 613. 

Mashpee 468 

Maskbl. Samuel 353 

Mason — 

Hugh 122 

M. B 714 

William D 408 

Mason, New Hampshire . . 701 
Massachusetts 431, 502, 505, 

509. 
Massachusetts Assembly . . 202 
Massachusetts Bay 72. 91. 146. 
151, 160, 161, 167. 172, 
181, 182, 183, 205, 207, 
213. 238, 253, 254, 261, 
268, 269, 272, 296, 607. 
Massachusetts Bay Colony 4, 
230, 243, 246, 252, 253, 254 
Massachusetts Bay in New 

England 813 

Massachusetts Bay, Prov- 
ince of in New Eng- 
land 415, 454, 477, 574. 
575, 827. 
Massachusetts Bay, Records 
of 4, 30. 31. 74, 83. 86, 
108, 474, 538. 
Massachusetts Body of 

Liberties 571, 572 

Massachusetts, Charter of . 72 
Massachusetts, Common- 
wealth of 270 

Massachusetts Court Re- 
cords 523 

Massachusetts Gazette . . 806 
Massachusetts Historic 

Genealogical Society . 2 



INDEX OF NAMES 



869 



MaesachuBetts Historical 

Society . . 19, 204, 206, 528 

MaBsftchusetts Institute of 

Technology 502, 543 

MaBsachusettB, Insurrec- 
tions in ■ 357 

Maaeachusetts Laws and 

Liberties 25. 37, 49, 58. 
405. 600. 

Massachusetts, Legislature 

of •• •■ 573 

Massachusetts Medical So 



ciety 



803 



Massachusetts Society for 

Promoting Agriculture 46d, 
583. 

Massachusetts Volunteers, 

Record of »1» 

Massasoit °^ 

Massic, Massick Falls 78, 638, 

Mafisic, Massick Island ... 638 
Masterman, James . . 266, ^b» 
Masterson, Michael .... 385 
Mastes, Mastis, Amos 245, 

330, 364, 621. , ,^ , 

Mather, Cotton (Rev.) 16. 
571. 572. 573. 574. 676 (?), 
689. 692. 770, 776, 835. 
Increase (Rev.) 101. 432. 572 

Joshua 486 

Maria (Cotton) 573 

Richard (Rev.). ... . . . 9 11 

(Samuel) Mr. (Rev.) /89, 
791. .„ 

Matson, Ephraim »^ 

Maverick. Samuel 73 

Maxell, Elijah 330 

Maxwell. Thompson . . . 175 

Mato. Mr 784 

McAlier, Joseph ^eo 

McAlUster and Taft 402 

^g;^^ 708 

JohTf. 385.819 

McCarthy. John 374 

McClannan. McClannen. 
McClaninq. McKlenne. 

John 273. 274. 330 

McClbnnt, John 362 

McClcre, McClceb— 

John 288 

Richard 622 

Samuel 1' 1 

McCoMB, McCoM. JoBiah 

271. 330 
McCONNELL— 

Frank G. (Rev.) 70/ 

Fred W. (Rev.) 707 



McGuiRE — 

John 386 

Thomas 2^2 

MclLWAiN. Geo. E. (Rev.) 707 

McIntosh — 

(Col.) 272.285 

George ■••■•• ^°^ 

McKawes, Hugh 330 

McKeever, John 386 

McKlNLEY — 

James H 767 

John 739 

McKiNNBY, Darnel lo8 

McLaney. Thomas 288 

McLarney's Corner 398 

McLauqhlen, Thomas. . . 270 
McLean. McLane, McLain. 
McLaine, McLayne — 

Charles 171, 174, 178 

Dennis 174, 175, 361 

Donald Mrs 221 

Susan 178 

McLean Asylum 803 

McMahon, Patrick T. . . . 767 

McManmon, John J 768 

McManomin — 

JohnF 604, 829 

Patrick ■ ■ •• 708 

McM ASTER. John Bach. . . 357, 
539. 

McNally. John 708 

McNamaba, John (Rev.) . 709 

McNuLTY, Michael 374 

McQuESTEN, Anna 738 

Mead— 

Abner 249 

Edwin D 459 

Mbaley, Richard 38b 

Mearel (?), David 353 

Meabs, Meeabb, Mibrb — 

Abraham 260. 353 

John 171. 245. 257, 260. 288, 
330. 354. 621. 

Robert »53 

WiUiam 245, 260. 331, 354, 
355, 361. 

Medfield 85. 110, 113 

Medford 211, 442, 500. 501. 
502, 505. 506, 776. 

Medford Distillery 452 

Medford River .603, 505. 606 
Medical School at Wood- 
stock. Vt 562 

Medway 704 

Meeden, John 158 

Meeds — 

John 621 

Lydia 738 

Meeting House Hill . . 519. 633 
Melendy, William . . 268, 331 



Mbbbick. Miheckb, Mibick. 
John 257. 363 



McCoy. Jo^rV:: : WV.:. 1^\ MELLEN.CharlesW. (Rev.) 686 



McDermott, Thomas. . . . 386 

McDonald, Duncan 739 

McEneaney, McEnanet. 

McEnany — _„„ 

Arthur • 708 

John 374. 385 

Owen 708 

Patrick 3»o 

Peter 385. 819 

McEnnis— 

Edward 386 

James 386 

McFarlin— 

Archibald 486 

J. H 240 

Susie (Susan S.) 458 

WiUiam 498. 704 

McGeb, Eliiabeth Thomp- 
son 739 

McGrboor. James 386 



Meloon, Isaac 271 

Melvin. Mblven — 

Benjamin 245. 277, 331, 354, 
485, 720. 

Charles 457 

C T 369 

Eleaier .'. 159. 162 

PhUip 366 

Mendon 86. 96 

MEN0LE, Charles . . . 273. 331 

Meredith. William 367 

Merre. John 288 

Merriam. Mehian — 

Abraham 249. 331 

Amelia Augusta 739 

Elira Elvira 739 

Martha Presoott 299 

Nehemiah Flint 739 

William 408 

Merriam's Comer . . . 221, 222 



Merrill, Meril — 

Asa 171 

c\i::.v.v. 822 

David 271 

ElUabeth •• 541 

Enoch *83, 82» 

Geo.P W4 

Luke 44° 

L.J. (Rev.) 594,705 

Martha 284 

Samuel 171 

S.N 592 

Merrill and Sargent 594 

Merrimack, Marimake, Mere- 
mack. Merimack, Meri- 
maeck, Merimake, Merri- 
mao, Merremacke, Merri- 
maoke, Merriemack. 
Merrymacke. Merrymake. 
Merrymock, Monomack — 
Early name proposed for 

Lowell 594 

Merrimack Boating Com- 
pany 815, 816 

Merrimack Canal .... 489, 508 
Merrimack Canal, Propri- 

etors of 509 

Merrimack Corporation . . 50<> 
"Merrimack. Highway to" 41 

Merrimack Journal 594 

Merrimack Manufacturing 

Company 53. 407, 488, 
489,507,561.665,711.712 

Merrimack Mills 493. 508 

Merrimack. New Hamp- 

Bhire 489.529 

Merrimack Plain . od^ 

Merrimack Religious So- 

ciety 712. 713 

Merrimack River 2. 3. 5, 30, 
31. 32, 33, 34. 38, 41, 63, 
57, 72. 73. 74, 75. 77. 78. 
79, 81, 82. 83. 90. 96, 106, 
106. 107. 108, 110. 112, 
116. 
125, 
149. 
219. 
420. 
454. 
474. 
486. 
493. 
502. 
608. 
514. 
520, 
526, 
534, 
540, 
613, 
,_., -__. 636. 
645. 648. 649, 650, 654, 
665. 662. 666, 671, 812, 
813. 826. 
Merrimack River Bridge . 816 
Merrimack Street 486, 520. 
660, 561. 812. 

Meserve. Harry 372 

Messenger — ^_„ 

Elias 672 

George • • 67^ 

Mbtacom (Philip) ... 84. 85 
Metcale — 

Dorothy Hope 73» 

Martin L 739 

M. L. Mr. and Mrs. ... 714 
Nancy M 739 



113. 


114. 


123. 


124. 


138, 


148, 


163, 


158, 


393. 


412, 


432, 


439. 


471, 


472. 


484, 


485. 


489, 


490. 


•SOO, 


601. 


505. 


506, 


512. 


513, 


518. 


519. 


."^24. 


525. 


529. 


533, 


637. 


639, 


.592, 


607, 


634, 


635, 



117. 


118. 


131, 


136. 


150. 


152. 


220. 


392. 


421, 


422, 


469. 


470, 


475. 


481, 


487, 


488, 


498, 


499, 


503. 


604. 


.VH). 


511. 


515, 


516. 


.522. 


623, 


627. 


528, 


635, 


536, 


6.^4, 


662, 


632. 


633. 


638. 


639. 



870 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Methodist Episcopal Church, 

The 707, 822 

Methuen, Mathen, Mathuen 
250, 252, 256, 259, 274. 
366, 541, 805. 

Mexican War 367, 486 

Middleborough 84, 85 

Middlesex Agricultural So- 
ciety, The 464 

Middlesex Canal 31, 33, 436, 
439, 454, 470, 478, 483, 
484, 493, 500, 501, 502, 
504, 505, 507. 508, 516, 
525, 634, 635, 636, 637, 
650, 659, 661, 666, 718, 
815, 816. 

Middlesex Canal Company 508 

Middlesex Canal, Proprie- 
tors of 501, 506, 508, 509 

Middlesex Company . 422, 486 

Middlesex Convention 200, 203, 
204, 215, 807. 

Middlesex County 103, 179, 
180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 
186, 187, 188, 192, 199, 
204, 206, 208, 211, 222, 
229, 242, 244, 252, 253, 
254, 274, 275, 279, 357, 
359, 363, 364, 365, 366, 
410, 415, 416, 417, 419, 
432, 433, 440, 448, 464, 
474, 475, 493, 501, 628, 
536, 567, 670, 575, 606, 
609, 612, 627, 648, 668, 
776, 781, 806. 

Middlesex County Court 85, 
574. 

Middlesex County, History 

of 487, 661, 666 

Middlesex County Train- 
ing School 599 

Middlesex County Truant 

School 599 

Middlesex Courts 85, 474, 536, 
575. 

Middlesex Mechanics Asso- 
ciation 818 

Middlesex Merrimack River 
Bridge, Proprietors of 497 

Middlesex Militia, Second 

Regiment 482 

Middlesex Mills 422 

Middlesex North Agricul- 
tural Society 464 

Middlesex Packet. ... 441, 505 

Middlesex Regiment of 

Militia 574 

Middlesex Resolves . . 203, 204 

Middlesex Road 52, 434 

Middlesex Street 437, 438, 439, 
479, 525, 560, 645, 670, 
704. 

Middlesex Tavern (Old) 442, 
479 521 548 

Middlesex Turnpike 230, 439, 
666, 668. 

Middlesex Village 30, 41, 90, 
397, 439, 441, 442, 448, 
454, 455, 478, 479, 480, 
483, 484, 485, 498, 500, 
501, 504, 514, 540, 547, 
559, 560, 593, 594, 626, 
634, 642, 658, 682, 703, 
705, 708, 720, 795, 796, 
797, 798. 812, 838. 

Middlesex Village Congre- 
gational Church . 629, 708 

Middlesex "Yeoman" .... 490 

MiDDLETON 

David 115, 826 

John J 369, 713 



Middletown, R. 1 266 

Midland Street 228 

Milks, Henry A. (Rev.) 487, 

Milford,' Ct 355, 590 

MUl Pond 39 

Mill Road (Old) 91, 435, 599 

Mill Row 560, 562 

Mill Street 54, 437 

Miller — 

F. M. (Rev.) 707 

Jacob 95 

Jeremiah 580, 832 

Mills — 

John 260, 353 

Jonathan 557 

Millstone Hill 58, 633 

Ministry Meadow 634 

MiNOT, MiNOTT — 

Anna 264 

Elizabeth 738 

Elizabeth (Stratton) ... 264 
George 264 

G. R 357 

Hannah (Stoughton) . . 264 

Hepsibah (Coriet) 264 

James 160, 169, 239, 264 

Jesse 265, 267 

John (Capt.) 209, 213, 215, 

264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 
269, 281, 282, 283, 331, 
332, 354, 395, 445, 609, 
610, 620, 676, 699, 760, 
761, 762, 770, 838. 
Jonathan 45, 264, 737, 758 

Major 792 

Martha 264 

Rachel 770 

Rebecca (Jones) 264 

Samuel 264 

Thomas 264 

Minot's Tavern 840 

MiRicK, (See Merrick). 

Mississippi River 169 

MissTiCK, George 34 

Mitchell, Mitchel — 

Edward C. (Rev.) 709 

Francis 270 

Moe, WilUam C. H. (Rev.) 705 

Mohawk River 77 

Mohawks, Mawhawks, Mo- 
hokes 62, 80, 81, 124, 125, 193 

Mohegans 126 

Mole Hill Meadow 634 

Molly Varnum Chapter, 

D. A. R. ... 220, 221, 485 
Monadnock Mountain . . . 630 
MoNAHAN, John J. 376, 377, 
604. 

MoNCRiEF (Major) 233 

MONOCO, John 113, 432 

Monroe, Aaron .... 257, 353 

Montague 364 

MoNTAQDE, Lady Mary 

Wortley 581 

Montaigne 592 

Monthly Quarto 594 

Montreal . . 186, 188, 201, 787 

MOODT 

Daniel 1 408 

Daniel J 561 

Paul 407, 486, 488, 489, 561 

Mr. (Rev.) 791 

MooKE, Moor, Moars, 

Moors, Moores, More, 

Mores — 

Eb 157 

Esther 738 

George C. 597. 605. 606. 667. 

668. 669, 670, 671. 
James 175 



Moore — 

Jesse 705 

John 292 

Jno 134 

Joseph 178. 277. 621, 546. 
548, 570, 621, 738, 769. 
786, 809. 

Justin L 698 

Laura 739 

Miel 726 

Robert 157 

Samuel 139, 288 

Sarah B 739 

Simeon . .293, 559, 621, 738 

Thomas . .395, 397, 402, 718 

Moore Spinning Co. . 597, 670 

Moore Street 548, 559, 560 

Moore's Company (Mills) 292, 
658, 659, 671. 

Moor's Big Falls 509 

Moor's Falls 509 

Moosehead Lake 605 

Mohan, John 386 

Morgan — 

Charles C 386 

Shapleigh 373 

Morrill, Moball, Morhl, 
Morbel, Morrell, 

MORILL — 

David 249 

Jeremiah 257, 272, 288, 332 

Mary 800 

Micajah 174. 679 

Nichcdas 257, 353 

Robert 172, 173, 176, 260, 
332. 

Morrill's Store 441 

Morris — 

LiUie H 739 

Lucy E 739 

Minnie A 739 

Morrison, Moribon — 

David 360 

John 271, 708 

William 271, 353 

Morrisset, James 386 

Morse — 

Horace W. (Rev.) 686, 691, 

713. 
H. W. Mrs. (Lydia S.) 369, 

713. 
William (Rev.) 686 

Morton — 

Helen F 468 

Perez 247 

Morus Multicaulis 453 

MosELET, Samuel 87, 90, 96. 
97, 98, 125. 

MOTTEY 

Charles 738 

Joseph (Capt.) 738 

Mountfort, Montfort — 

Elizabeth 300 

Jonathan, Jr.. .300, 776, 777 

Mary 300. 781. 792 

Sarah 777 

Sarah Bridge 776, 777 

Mount Hope 8<t 

Mount Independence .... 261 

Mount Misery 626 

Mount Pleasant 41, 526, 547 
Mount Pleasant Street . . . 430 
Mount Vernon St., Boston 454 

MucKAMDG, Peter 129 

Muddy Swamp 633 

McLLiKiN, John 705 

Mdncriei' (Major) 233 

MuN.soN, Jared 174 



INDEX OF NAMES 



871 



Mdrpht — 

Daniel 374. 386 

Dennis 374 

James 386 

Thomas 604 

William 38(5 

McRRAT, Timothy 386 

Muaketaquid River . . 632, 638 

Mystic 444, 445 

Mystic River 227. 231, 502. 503 
Mystic Valley Railroad . . 500 

Nabnasset (Nubanussuck) 

Pond. . 631. 632, 633. 638. 
668. 
Nacooke, Naamkeake, Naam- 
keke, Nahamook, Nam- 
cock, Naamcook, Nea- 
hambeak, Nehambeak 30, 
77, 106, 109, 113. 124. 
614. 538. 638. 810. 
Nanamocomuck .... 82, 83 
Nanphow (See Numphow). 
Napoleon (Bonaparte) . . . 363 
Narraganset, Narragansett 68, 
123. 

Narraganset Bay 84 

Narraganset Township ... 126 

Narragansetts 84 

Nashoba 6. 7. 33. 104. 135, 
433, 477, 478, 539. 

Nashoba HUl 633 

Naahoba Indians 7, 87, 119, 

433. 
Nashua, Nasbowah, Nashoway 
82, 97, 146, 439, 442. 666. 
668. 669. 
Nashua. New Hampshire. 

Baptist Church of 706 

Nashua and I^owell Rail- 
road 504 

Nason — 

Arthur D 739 

Elias (Rev.) . . 154. 363. 555 

Timon 739 

Nataeook. Nantikook. Nata- 
koog. Naticot Indians 82, 
106, 106. 538. 

Nathaniel (Indian) 87 

Natiok 84. 212, 477, 833 

Natioks (Indians) 87. 119. 125 

Naticook Island 77 

Neck Land 632 

Neck. The. .540. 641. 559. 632 
Nkedbam — 

John 257, 332 

Mary F 739 

Wm 171 

Needham. Mass 705. 833 

Neiuan. Henry 386 

Nbsuith. Alpheus 829 

Nevens — 

David 189 

George H 386 

Nbvebb. Richard ... 92. 93 
New Brick Church (Boston) 
776. 

New Brunswick. N.J 698 

New Brunswick. Province 

of 364 

Newbury 129. 633, 649, 660. 
786. 

Newbury Ferry 539 

Newburyport 73. 396. 499. 502. 
698. 

Newburyport Line 441 

New. City 261 

Newcoub. Charles 566 

Newell. Thomas 408 



New England 7. 25, 72, 75, 81, 
97, 114, 151, 156, 161. 
172. 181. 201. 202. 213. 
253. 254. 403. 420. 465. 
466. 491. 512, 577. 593. 
612. 613. 639. 642. 646. 
647. 6ii4, 672, 673, 689, 
690. 697. 698. 812. 817. 
825. 833, 835. 
New England Chronicle . . 230 
New England Historic Gene- 
alogical Society 96, 135, 
211. 628. 
New England Historical 
and Genealogical Reg- 
ister 531 

New England Indiana. . . . 138 
New England Primer 555, 817 

New England States oOl 

New England Telephone 
and Telegraph Com- 
pany 821 

New England Town (Mac- 

lear) 615 

New England's Crisis 419 

Newfield. Newfeld. New- 

feild 57. 399. 421, 448, 
559, 560, 633, 657, 836 

Newfield Eddy 635 

Newfield Gate 811 

Newfield Pond 53, 597, 633, 
638, 657. 658. 

Newfield Street 437 

Newfoundland 138. 788 

Newhall'a Tavern 840 

New Hampshire 357. 400. 439, 
449. 480. 484. 501. 502. 
504, 562, 672. 711, 774. 
New Hampshire Historical 

Society Collections . . Ill, 
113, 118. 122. 124. 135. 
147. 629. 
New Hampshire State High- 
way 671 

New Haven. Conn 651 

New Ipswich. N. H. 261. 585, 

701, 802. 808. 
New Ipswich, N. H., First 

Baptist Church at . . . 706 

New Jersey 562, 659, 673 

New Lebanon 261 

New Lights 697, 784 

New Marlboro 261 

New Orleans 673 

New Salem 261 

New South Church 674 

New York Battalions 188 

New York (City) 24, 127. 186. 
188. 242. 251. 286. 355. 
562, 563. 568. 588. 591. 
673. 707. 799. 814. 
New York. New Haven 

and Hartford Railroad 434. 
510. 670. 

New York State 807 

Newman. Antipas (Rev.) . 23 
Newton 164. 211. 216. 240. 585. 
823 

Newton. Hananiah 332 

"Newtown" 14, 551 

Niagara 162, 188. 785 

Nicholas. Charles 561 

Charles. . . 407. 408. 459, 820 

Daniel 739 

Ebene»er 1.71, 186 

Edward M 767 

Francis 93 

Hannah 739 

John H.. .370. 371, 739, 805 
(Maj.) 544, 786 



Nichols — 

Perkins 439 

Rufufl 408 

Susanna 738 

NicKLES, Nbclas, Nicless, 

NlCHLESS 

C. G 408 

EG 240 

George 446 

Jore 332 

Robert 621 

Niohtinoale, Florence. . . 693 
Nipmuoks, Nipmoog Indians 

84. 85, 96, 98. 
NoBER or Noble, James . 288 

Nobscot 646 

Noddle's Island 224 

Nomphon (Namphow 7) . . 33 

Nonnoit 33 

Nonndpanohow, David . 833 

Nonsuch (Pond) 633 

NooNAN. Michael 386 

Norfolk County 103. 535 

Norfolk. (Va.) 368 

Norman Conquest 834 

North America. . 138, 202, 639 
Northampton 85, 356, 363. 
364. 441, 583. 

North Andover 801 

North Billerica. . 419, 494, 662 

North Bridge 218 

North Bridgewater 794 

North Cambridge 71, 406, 407 

North Carolina 368 

North Chelmsford (See 

alao North Village) 29, 30. 
42, 46, 52, 54, 57, 369, 
372, 376, 399, 402, 434. 
436. 437. 438. 442. 448, 
455. 469. 510. 528. 656, 
560. 594. 597. 601, 634, 
648, 649. 655. 656. 658, 
662. 665. 666. 670. 671. 
672. 673. 707. 708. 716. 
720. 804. 821. 823. 
North Chelmsford Band . . 823 
North Chelmsford Fire 

Department 409 

North Chelmsford Fire 

District 697 

North Chelmsford Library 570 

587, 588. 
North Chelmsford Library 
Association or Corpora- 
tion 587. 821 

North Chelmsford Machine 

Co 669 

North Chelmsford Machine 

and Supply Co.. .668. 669 
North Chelmsford Meeting 

House 821 

North Chelmsford Road . . 527 
North Chelmsford Supply 

Co 669 

North Church (Boston) . . 777 

"North End" 41. 540, 656 

"North End" School 658 

Northfield 84 

North Kingston 287 

North Market Street 686 

North River 273, 283, 293, 296 

North Row 540. 714 

North "School House" 656. 660 
North Square 46. 222. 394. 435 

North Street 92, 672 

North Village 397, 459, 687. 
595. 699. 601. 665. 666 . 
667. 668, 672, 805, 821. 

North Yarmouth 183 

NoRTHBUP, William B. . . 698 



872 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Northumberland County, 

New Brunswick 16 

Norton, Pere» 253 

Norwottook 82 

Nottingham, Notingham 164, 
474, 785. 

Nottingham Weat 139, 140 

NouRSK, Nurse — 

Henry S 587 

Rebecca 576 

Nova Scotia 162, 189, 543, 785, 

786, 813. 
Notes — 

James 660 

Rev. Mr 705 

Nubanussuok Pond (See 

Nabnasset) . 
NuMPHOW, Nanphow, Sam 78, 
100, 101, 107, 109, 833 
Nutting, Nuting, Nutinqe — 

Daniel 171, 270 

James 157 

John 3, 9. 21, 27, 28, 29, 

37, 39, 271, 836. 
William 160 

Obear^ — 

Benj. T 684 

Charles T 739 

Harriet H 739 

Oblate Fathers 720 

O'Brien — 

John (Rev.) 708, 709 

Michael (Rev.) 709 

O'DONNELL 

Bridget 710 

Owen 708 

Ohio 4, 162, 785, 799 

Old Colony System 670 

Old Comer Bookstore .... 534 
"Old Darby," (Ayer) 830. 831 

Old Ferry Road 812 

"Old Hearthstones" 367 

"Old Line Thespians" 459 

Old Middlesex Tavern 397 

Old Paths and Legends of 

New England ....... 487 

Old Residents' Association 540 
Old Residents' Contribu- 
tions 485, 497, 498, 500, 
567. 711, 712, 818, 832. 
Old Residents' Historical 

Association 508, 511, 540, 
550. 

Old State House 623 

"Oldtown Folks" 545 

"Olive Chamberlain" (brig.) 567 
Oliver — 

Andrew (Lieut. Gov.) . . 790, 

791. 
Andrew (Secretary) 190, 202, 
788, 789, 839. 

Cyrus 408 

James 83, 633 

Nathan 408, 673 

Peter 533 

Samuel 673 

"Onesimus Bildam" 459 

Ontario, Canada 16 

Orr, Alexander 176 

OSBOURN, OSBURN 

Mr 839 

Sarah 576 

Oboood — 

Abigail 739 

Alice Adella 739 

Benj 4, 5, 248, 249, 333 

Christopher 662 

David 248, 249, 333 

Dolle 809 

Epbraim 475 



Osgood — 

George A 386 

G. C. (Rev.) 707 

John 260, 333 

Joseph . . .248, 249, 333, 354 

Phineas 164. 165, 333 

(Rev. Dr.) 567 

Osgood House 399 

Osgood's Tavern 840 

Oswego 188 

Otis, James 185 

"Our Trees, How to Know 

Them" 651 

Owen House 422 

Owl's Nest 398 

Owl's Nest, Green House. 556 
Oxford 826 

Paasche — 

Alexander B 713 

Alfred B 436. 458. 713 

Henrik A 713 

Paasche Corner 438 

Paasche Lot 664 

Packard — 

Alpheus Spring 585, 797, 799, 
832. 

Asa 796 

Charles (Rev.) 799 

George (Rev.) 799 

Heaekiah, Jr 799 

Hezekiah (Rev.) 19, 299, 
396, 420, 442, 484, 583, 
681, 701, 705, 794. 796, 
796, 797. 798. 799, 800. 

Jacob 794 

Joseph (Rev.) 795, 799 

Mary 799 

Mary (Spring) 794 

Nathan 796 

Samuel 794 

Sarah 796 

Sarahs 799 

Solomon 794 

William 743, 796, 799 

W. S 586, 832 

Zaccheus 794 

Pacific Coast 72 

Paddock, Benjamin F. 

(Rt. Rev.) 713 

Page, P.vige — 

Benjamin 364 

Horace M 743 

Joel 665 

Mary 629 

Timothy 174 

Wm 174 

Paige Street 486 

Paige's Hist, of Cambridge 74 

Paiqnon — 

Emile E, Jr 603 

E 438 

Paignon Place 558 

Paine — 

Benjamin 168 

Noah 158 

Robert Treat 366 

Palmer — 

Aaron 257, 353 

1 263 

Mass 363 

Nehemiah 175 

Pannobotiquis 33 

Paris 562 

Paris. Treaty of 162. 169 

Andrew H 91. 746 

A. Heady 240, 4.58, 684, 586, 
602, 603, 604. 707. 768. 

Celia B 603 

John N 766 



Park — 

Sophronia 744 

Sophronia W 744 

William 128 

Park Road 436 

Parker — 

Aaron 246, 265, 267 

Aaron, Jr 266. 267 

Abby 744 

Abel 8, 246 

Abigail 744 

Abigail (Hildreth) 246 

Abraham 8. 9, 11, 21, 37. 
39, 42, 52, 56. 59, 60, 88, 
90. 134, 229, 246, 412, 
422, 512, 526, 528, 530, 
616, 755. 

Ann Man 740, 743 

Anna 741 

Artemas 447 

Aunt 838 

Benjamin 134, 151, 171. 
209, 213, 220, 245, 256, 
258, 289, 294, 334, 354. 

360, 512, 513, 514, 521. 
.-)22, 541. 542, 544. .545. 
.546, ,547, 556, 622, 719 
740, 742, 743, 759, 761. 

Benjamin, Jr. 245. 293. 334, 

354. .521, 758. 

Betsey Marshall 744 

Charles 744 

Charles F 745 

Chariott 742 

Chester 334 

Clarice 742 

Clifford 742 

Clifton 742 

C. A 240 

Daniel 260. 334, 744 

Daniel A 744 

David 209, 213, 265, 267, 

334. 469, 478, «08, 609, 

620, 621, 742. 743. 760, 

761. 

David, Jr 621 

Dorcas 741 

Ebenezer 150, 294, 409, 521, 

542. 545. 548. 556. 560. 

740. 742, 758. 759. 

Edmund 265. 267 

Edward Francis 745 

EU 744 

Eli P 597, 745 

Elizabeth 740, 741 

Elizabeth B 743 

Emma R 744 

Eunice 744 

Fannie E 745 

Francis Mrs 369 

Francis B 744 

Frank R 744 

F. J 592 

Geo. A 744 

Hannah 741 

Henry E 522, 542 

Isaac 69, 157, 158, 247, 253. 

258, 265, 266, 267, 290, 

334, 354, 355, 612, 621. 

Isaiah 682 

Jacob 3, 7, 8, 12, 37. 39, 57, 

90, 124, 165, - 184, 189, 

.541, 544, 754', 765. 773, 

786, 835, 836. 
James 2, 6. 7, 8, 25, 27, 28. 

29, 32, 33, 37. 39, 86, 124, 

361, 496, .532, 533, 764, 
810. 

Jeduihan 360, 367, 475, 522, 

615, 742. 
.Tepthah 457, 742. 764 



INDEX OF NAMES 



H73 



Parker — 

Jeeee« H 370 

"Jock" 563 

John 2, 34, 52, 60, 90. 124, 
134, 140. 159, 165, 171, 
247, 256, 259. 335, 354. 
365, 401, 429, 431, 512, 
544, 617, 740, 785, 838 
Jonw 162. 174. 176, 178. 

266. 288, 335. 
Jonathan 140. 150. 159. 272. 

336, .'>42. 562, 563, 621, 
719. 740, 742, 744. 

Joseph 3, 7. 8. 22. 28, 37, 39. 
85, 92, 93, 110, 112. 134. 

139, 150. 151. 175. 229, 
246, 272, 336, 359, 360, 
481, 494, 531, 678, 682, 
740. 745. 758. 826, 835. 

Joseph, Jr 93 

Joeiah 143, 157, 158, 159, 513 
Leonard. . 162, 294, 336, 361 

Levi 260, 336 

Lucy 743 

Margaret 27, 139 

Mary 140 

Mary Hortense 744 

Mary R 744 

Moses ...8, 52, 57. 59, 134 
Moses (Capt., later Col.) 159, 
165, 175, 176, 177, 178, 
195, 201. 220, 221, 222, 
228, 229, 230, 231, 233, 
235, 236, 237, 242, 243, 
246, 247, 336, 354, 355, 
430, 431, 512, 513. 519, 
556, 590, 599. 622. 786. 
787, 788. 838. 
Moses Greeley (Dr.) ... 261 

Nancy 744 

Nathaniel 621 

Nehemiah Abbott 246. 361 

Newell E 586, 767 

N 816 

Obediah 152 

Oliver 336. 364, 622 

Phebe P 744 

Philip 171. 277. 294. 360, 
616, 542. 559. 622, 741. 

Phinehas 273 

P. Hildreth 721 

Rachel 184. 740. 742 

Rebeckah 246. 544, 570, 622. 

740. 741. 

Remembrance 743 

Reuben 245, 337. 354. 622, 

741, 742. 

Rhoda 801 

Robert 93 

Rose 27 

Samuel 150 

Barah 7. 60. 233, 235. 237. 
246. 277, 278, 541, 542, 
644, 547, 616, 621, 740, 
741. 

Sarah R 744 

Silas 256, 259, 273, 274, 292, 

337, 361, 362. 

Simeon 249 

Simon 293, 294, 337. 475 

S., Jr 457 

T&bitha 541 

Thomas 6, 44, 60, 51, 134. 

140, 143. 512, 513, 516. 
620. 551, 578. 755. 756. 
829 

Thomas P 592 

Thomas (Rev.) 143. 699, 710. 

777, 785. 
"Tom" 483, 829 



Parkkr — 

Willard 247, 262. 337, 354, 

420, 621, 719, 742. 

Willard 744 

Willard (Dr.) 540, 562, 663. 

688, 589, 691. 

Willard, Jr 741 

WUlard S 745 

Wm. 247, 262, 277, 278, 279, 

337, 354, 359, 483, 622, 

829 
Wm., Jr. 247, 268, 269, 289, 

298, 337, 354, 621. 

William Sullivan 745 

W 438 

Zebulon 360, 475 

Parker, J. M. G., Estate. . 436 

Parker House 398, 840 

Parker Mill 664 

Parker Papers. Benj. 293, 294, 

516, .541, 542, 545. 
Parker Place (Old) 294, 514. 

522, 542, 544. 
Parker Street 397, 526. 530, 

541. 560, 561. 
Parkhurst, Pahkis, Parkibs, 

Perkis — 

Abigail 740, 741 

Abram 743 

Alfred G 370, 373, 386 

Amos 448, 743 

Amos A 375, 386 

Andrew 448, 740, 743 

Benjamin 245, 3.37, 354, 622, 

725, 740, 742. 

Betsy 448 

Betty 742 

Charles 744 

Charles W 385 

Charlotte M 742 

C. E 240 

Eben 529 

Ebenezer 430, 837 

Edgar S 376, 377, 744 

Edward A 371 

Edwin King 745 

Edwin K 765 

Eliiabeth... 299, 741, 743 

Elizabeth A 770 

Elizabeth Rider (Johnson) 745 

Emma L 605 

Ephraim 209, 244, 337. 354. 

622. 

E. A 402 

E. K. 402, 459, 586, 588, 594, 

664, 765, 832. 

E. 8 373 

Fiske King 745 

George 532 

George A. 369, 370, 371, 375, 

386, 458, 459, 585, 589, 

602, 745, 765, 766, 767, 

768. 

G. Thomas 589, 823 

G. W. K 744 

Hannah 741, 838 

Harry L 589, 698, 824 

Harry Osgood 745 

Hattie 744 

Hezekiah 398 

Hortense 468 

James 362, 521, 658, 622. 742 

Jerome Manning 745 

Joel 171. 743 

John 743 

John 744 

John (Rev.) 241, 398, ■'i56, 

.'561, .591, 600. 630. 693. 

702. 70.5. 706. 

.John, 3rd .375. 386 

John Rowland 721 



Parkhurst — 

Jona. 401. 421. 740. 768 
Joseph .37, 41. 44. 60, 136, 
172. 512. 513. 532. 679, 
616, 836. 

Joseph, Jr 44 

Joseph A 767 

Josiah 188, 189, 199, 294, 
338, 360, 606, 621, 682. 
719. 742. 

.lulius 82© 

J. A 436 

Lurina M. Adams .... 746 

Lucindft 745 

Marietta 468 

Martha Jones 746 

Mary 743 

Mary Elizabeth 746 

Micftjah 743 

M. E. Battles 744 

Oliver .550, .599. 742 

Philip 292. 622. 742 

Rachel 742 

Ruth 742 

Samuel 220. 241. 265. 267, 
268. 269. 284. 337. 354. 
360. 719. 742, 743. 

Samuel S 744 

Sarah 744 

.Sarah Fletcher 744 

Sewall 744. 704. 765 

Sewall Mr. and Mrs. ... 714 

Silas 742 

Solomon 457. 744 

Solomon Mrs 369 

Susanna 741 

S. S 369. 402 

S. Waldo 402. 603. 604. 766 

Victor L 408 

WinthropA... 91. 598, 602 

Parkhurst Old Estate 398 

Parkhurst Road 435 

Parkhurst's Greenhouses. . 436 

Parkhurst's Store 396. 434 

Parkman. .154. 162. 165. 818 

Parkman (Dr.) 864 

Parkman House (Old) 674 

Parlin, Silas 266. 268 

Parhib, Samuel 92 

Wm.. Jr 176 

Parrot, John 814 

Parrott Hill 438 

Parry — 

John 164 

Samuel 93 

Thomas 175 

Wm 172 

Parson, George 93 

Partherch. John 288 

Partison. John 580 

Partridgefield 261. 363 

Pascattoway 107 

Pashq. Oliver 375 

Passaconaway 30. 77. 78, 79. 

81. 82, 83, 106, 107, 125. 
Pasadena, California .... 5C5 

William R 819 

William T 387 

Patchen, James W. . 370, 371 

Path, Timothy 277 

Patten — 

Isaac 360, 700 

Lydia 740 

Oliver 740 

P.1TTI80N, John 94 

Patuxet Stake 469 

Paugus 154, 165 



874 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Pawtucket, Pawtuckett, 
Pautucket, Patucket, 
Pattuctt 3, 4, 6, 30, 31, 
33, 77, 78, 79, 87. 119, 
136, 468, 469, 471, 508, 
525, 530, 554, 638. 

Pawtucket and Chelmsford 

Line 474 

Pawtucket Bridge 252, 439, 
484, 486, 497, 499, 562. 

Pawtucket Canal 469, 488, 
493, 499, 500, 507, 508. 

Pawtucket Canal Company 486 

Pawtucket Dam 645, 609 

Pawtucket Falls 75, 78, 79, 
91, 116, 117, 118, 220, 
250, 397, 422, 485, 486, 
488, 489, 493, 499, 607, 
511, 513, 519, 624, 560, 
629, 635, 649, 662, 665, 
720, 807, 808. 

Pawtucket Hall 457 

Pawtucket Meadow (Meadows) 
515, 519, 634. 

Pawtucket Stake 6, 469, 523, 
525. 
(See Patuxet and Wamesit 
Stake.) 

Pawtucket Street 439, 485, 
560. 561, 812. 

Pawtuckets 81, 524, 525, 537. 
538 833 

Pawtucketvilie 250, 475, 559, 
704, 831. 

Pawtucketvilie Cemetery . 252 

Pawtucketvilie Congrega- 
tional Society 704 

PuABODT, John W 766 

Peach, Thomas 116 

Pbak, Samuel 270, 353 

Pearce (See Pierce.) 

PlIABL 

Caroline H 745 

Franklin F 745 

Pbabson — 

Amos 408 

(Drummer) 240 

Captain 147 

Oscar 387 

William 407 

Pease, Levi 392 

Peaslee, Nath 624 

Peat Meadow 633, 634 

Peck — 

James 605 

James B 375 

Peckens, John (Rev.) 701, 702, 
703. 

Pekkock, Thos 172 

Peekskill 274 

Pblsey, Benjamin 360 

Pklsoe — 

Benjamin 701 

George 373 

Pembroke, New Hamp- 
shire 143 

Pemechowasick 107 

Pence, Ephraim 339 

PENDERQA8T, Peter 374 

Penhallow (Judge) . 146, 147 
Peninsular Campaign .... 489 
Pennacook, Penakook, Pena- 
cook, Penicook, Pena- 
googe, Pennycooke 100, 
106, J07, 120, 125. 129, 
638, 539, 629, 810. 
Pennacook Indiana 77, 96, 
105, 106, 107, 126, 538. 

Penniman (Rev.) 782 

Pennsylvania 571 



Pennsylvania Freedman'a 

Relief Association .... 568 
Penst (Probably Priest), 

Samuel 457 

Pentucket Lodge of Masons 479 
Peperell, William (Gen.) 839 
Pepperell, Pepperel, Pepper- 
rill, Pepperil, Pellerill 165, 
212, 261, 265, 266, 267, 
268, 271, 357, 364, 376. 

Pequawkets 154, 165 

Pequots 17, 82, 126 

Perham, Pebam, Periam, 
Periham, Perum, Per- 

RUM 

Albert 459 

Albert Proctor 745 

Anna 742 

Arnold C 408, 605 

Asenath 745 

A. P. Mrs 458 

Benoni 141, 148, 149, 150, 

656, 740, 741, 809. 
David 53, 368, 373, 396, 510, 
564, 661, 664, 706, 745, 
764, 765, 809. 

David 809 

David 809 

David Mrs 369 

DoUe Osgood 806 

D. Clinton 435, 745 

Edwin C 438, 768 

Edwin P 745 

Eleutheria (Waite) .744, 809 

EUia B 745 

Eliiabeth 750 

Ella J 744 

Ella P 744 

Emeline Augusta 745 

Estelle Sophia Kittredge 809 

Hannah 740, 741 

Hannah Fairbanks .... 746 
Henry S. 78, 135, 150, 154, 
200, 220, 222, 240, 256, 
368, 369, 370, 371, 374, 
378, 387, 396, 412, 437, 
447, 458, 459, 460, 511, 
524, 540, 550, 566, 583, 
584, 585, 586, 594, 596, 
602, 630, 681, 662, 664, 
665, 666, 698, 720, 745, 
766. 801. 809. 818, 823, 
824, 825. 
Henry S. Mr. and Mrs. . 458 

James C 809 

Joel 746 

John 43, 59, 90, 134, 260. 
339, 340, 401, 411, 512, 
531, 617, 664. 675, 678, 
740, 742, 809, 836. 

John, 3d 257 

Jonathan 8, 410, 563, 740, 
742, 750, 762, 763. 

Joseph 139 

J. W. Mrs 458 

Karl M. . . 393, 602, 604, 768 

Lemuel 257, 288 

Lemuel, Jr 257, 353 

Lydia 740 

Lydia (Shepley) ... l.p, 809 

Maria A. . .'. 746 

Mary 750 

M. E. Miss 369 

OUve A. Gray 744 

Oliver.. 273. 274. 339, 362 

Otb 750 

Perley Perkins 745, 766 

Rebecca 745 

Rebecca Spaulding 809 

Rebecca S 745 



Perham — 

Samuel 47, 141, 168, 174, 
193. 195, 198. 200, 203. 
207, 209, 213. 215, 252. 
281, 340, 581. 622. 698. 
719. 741. 742. 744. 75B, 
760. 761, 807, 809. 
Samuel, Jr. 220, 247, 288. 
340, 364, 496, 761. 

Samuel P 745, 765, 768 

Sarah 740 

Sarah (Richardson) ... 809 

Sarah Robbins 809 

S. P 745, 769 

Walter 14, 603, 604, 664, 
767, 768, 809, 823. 

Perham Estate 220 

Perham Farm Vinegar . . . 664 
Perkins — 

Joseph 131 

Rollin 374 

Perrin — 

James 298 

William 298 

Perry — 

Eliza 805 

John N 766, 82» 

Joseph 158, 621 

Samuel 93 

Wm 178 

Person — 

George 93 

James 270, 363 

Persons, James, Jun. . . . 270 
Petaohuncksg. Cicily . . .833 

Peter (Indian) 33 

Peters, Joseph T 457 

Petersham. . 143, 261, 357, 363 
Pettinoill, Petinoal, Pet- 

TINQAL 

Daniel 271, 353 

Hugh . 284 

Joseph 271, 353 

John 609 

Phelps, Joseph 249 

Philadelphia 204, 463, 503, 
563, 564, 566, 567, 568, 
591 698 
Philip, king!. 61, 68, 81, 88, 
84, 87. 88, 04, 98, 110. 
126, 200, 419. 614. 

Philip's War. King 614 

Philipston 261 

Phillips. Philips — 

A. D 596 

Col 839 

Daniel (Rev.) 588, 705 

John 433 

Maj 791 

Mary 581 

William 277. 278 

W. S. (Rev.) 702 

Phillips Academy 799 

Phillis, Pomp 274 

or Fi'ps Charles 260, 317, 353 

Col 789 

Saml 410, 411 

Solomon 266. 268 

Sir William 127, 132, 136, 

574, 622. 
Spencer 161, 181, 182, 523, 
574. 

Phoenix 164 

"Physicians in Groton".. 848 

PicKARD, Allen 746 

Carl M 746 

George W 40S 



INDEX OF NAMES 



875 



PiEBCB, Pearce, Pears. 
Peirce, Peik8e, Perce, 
Pebre, Pirce — 

Abijah 365 

Arthur 743 

Benjamin 147, 170, 220, 
227, 228, 24.5, 256, 258, 
290, 338. 340, 354, 355, 
457, 541. 559. 

Betsey (Bowers) 547 

Bettv 529 

Bradley 742 

Bridget 8, 742 

Col 70, 528 

Deborah 743 

Elizabeth 547 

Eliiabeth Merrill 541 

Ephraim 273, 274. 340, 621 
Esther (Fletcher) 541, 547, 
549 

E.V.(Mrs.) 713 

Franklin (Pres't) 142, 220, 
227, 228, 541, 5.59, 592. 

George D 743 

Georgianna H 586 

Granville (Rev.).. 586, 686 

Hanna Marshall 547 

Hannah 743 

Henry C 743 

Jerathmeel 529 

Jesse 743 

Joanna 549, 550 

John 152, 267, 366, 375, 

387. 743. 
Jonas 244. 255, 258. 277, 
294, 338, 622. 340, 354. 
362, 679, 682, 719, 742, 
761. 762. 

Jonas V 387, 819 

Jonathan 245. 265. 268, 269, 

338, 354, 622. 743. 
Joseph 360. 416. 545, 548, 
549, 550, 559, 570. 621. 
742, 838. 

Joseph, Jr 760 

Joseph Mrs 545 

J. V 372 

Lucy Spaulding 547 

Levi ...247. 338. 354. 622 

Maria D 744 

Mary 547, 549, 550. 740. 
742, 743. 

Mary A 744 

Mary (Landlee) 548 

Minnie 743 

Olive 744 

Oliver 277. 278, 293, 294. 

399. 427. 547. 580, 743. 
Oliver. Jr. 173, 283, 621. 622 

Pollv 284 

Rebeckah 742 

Robert 150. 220, 247. 248. 
249, 338. 340. 354, 360. 
516, 521, 541, 545, 547, 
548. 559. 621. 
Silas 262, 338, 360, 396, 
524. 545, 547. 549. 550. 
622. 719, 742, 743. 

' Silas Mrs 545 

Stephen 39. 89. 134. 137. 
142. 170. 172, 257. 262, 
272, 277, 288. 339. 360. 
399, 400. 423. 512. 513. 
516. 517. 518. 521. 522. 
541. 545, 547, 549, 5.56, 
578, 617, 621. 625, 676, 
678, 719. 725, 740. 743, 
755, 756, 757, 789, 837. 
Stephen, Jr. 244, 339. 354, 

399. 757. 
Stephen. 3d 360 



Pierce — 

Susie 742 

Tabitha (Parker) . . 142. 541 
Thankful 545, .549, 550, 809 

Thomas 142, 541 

Willard 2.57, .339, 622 

William 93, 163, 171, 207. 
209. 214. 288. 293. 427, 
545. 547. 621. 

William Mrs 545 

Pierce Hou.se 400. 549 

PiERPONT. John (Rev.) ... 219 

PiGooTT. Preston L 602 

Pigwacket (Pequawket) . . 141 
Pike. Ptke — 

Albert E 372, 387. 819 

John (Rev.) 147 

(Major) 108 

S. W 805 

William H 387, 390 

PiLSBURT. Hezekiah 93 

Pine Hill 418, 519. 633 

Pine Hill Road 440 

Pine Plain 633 

Pine Ridge Cemetery 371. 

599 720 
Pine Street 7. 41. 293. 294. 
516. 517, 522. 525, 527, 
530, 542, 544. 

Piper, Samuel 260. 340 

Piscfttaqua 129 

Piscataqua River ... 113. 125 
PiTCAiRN, John, Major 217,226 

Pitt. William 190 

P1TT8, Berwick 299 

Elizabeth 299 

Eliiabeth (Bowdoin) . . 828 

Elizabeth Fitch 299 

Eliiabeth Lindall 299 

Eliiabeth Mountfort . . 300 

Eliiabeth W 300 

James 193, 299, 300, 395, 
683, 742. 763, 764, 828. 

Joanna Davis 299, 581 

John 193, 299, 581, 583 

Lendall 193, 299. 300 

Mary 300, 581 

Mary Davis Carver Mrs. 299 

Rachel Hildreth 300 

Samuel 193, 298. 299, 300, 
581, 583, 761, 782. 792. 
793 

Sarah 299. 581 

Sarah Chardon 300 

Thomas. .300, .367. 448, 581 
Pitts, Goodwin's Mem. of 300 

Pittsfield 261, 363 

Plain Street. .400, 560, 638, 812 

Pliny 592 

Plummer, Jay B 604 

Plutarch 592 

Plymouth 84, 85. 528. 613. 811 

Plymouth Brethren 715 

Plymouth Colony 579 

Plymouth County 79.5 

Pmatucket (Pawtucket) ... 33 
Pollard — 

Asa 175 

C ". . 288 

Jona P 497 

Jonathan 622 

Solomon 262. 353 

Pollard's Tavern 840 

Pollock — 

Allan 561 

George B 561 

Pollet, Polly — 

David 663 

John 93 

Mr 458 

Mrs 840 



Pond Meadow 519. 834 

"Pond Plain" 4.38. 633 

Poole. Jonathan 124 

Poor — 

Col 274 

Daniel 483. 829 

Martha 548 

"Poorman's Bridge" 41. 526, 
527. 

Pope Innocent VIII 571 

Poplar Swamp 633 

P0PPLE8, Daniel 387 

Port-au-Prince 588 

Port Roval 127, 624 

Port Royal Relief Com- 
mittee 568 

Porter — 

Asa 265, 267. 353 

CKsar 271 

John 174. 175. 188, 189, 795 
Jonathan... 501. 503, 506 

Reuben 289 

Portland, Maine 799 

Portsmouth. .. . 285, 711. 772 
Portsmouth, Treaty of . . . . 126 

Post, Cornelius H 387 

PoTAMi, Titus 270 

Powell — 

Jer 254 

Truman 187 

Powell Street. . . 220, 560, 561 

Power, William 134 

Powers — 

Ephraime 158 

Henry 745 

Peter 143 

Phinehas 174 

Samuel L 63, 823 

Walter 477 

Wm 174, 814 

PowNALL. Thomas 172, 548, 

839. 
Pratt — 

Bernard 174 

Constantino 174 

M. C, Heirs 527 

Preble, Jedediah 164 

Prentice, Nathaniel 555, 699 
Presbyterian Church in Savan- 
nah, Georgia 673 

Prescott — 

Abraham 599 

Amost 362 

Amy 743 

Benj 621, 743 

John 156, 656. 657 

Jonas 51, 656, 657 

Jonathan 94 

Oliver 210, 211, 213, 506, 548 
William (Colonel) 225, 227. 
229, 250, 546. 

Prescott Bank 807 

Prestov — 

Albert P 744 

Alice L 744 

Herbert 1 744 

Maria A 744 

Saml 165 

William J 745 

Preston, England 486 

Price (Capt.) 186 

Prideax-x (Col.) 187 

Priest — 

Eleasar 158 

John 93 

(See also Penbt.) 

Prince, Samuel 299 

Princeton 364 

Princeton Boulevard .... 671 
Princeton Street .... 437, 705 



876 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Proctor, Prockter, 

Procktor, Procter, 

Procttor — 

Abigail 244, 785 

Amos 475 

Asa 360 

Aeubah 743 

Azariah 247, 262. 340, 354, 

362. 620, 684. 719. 743, 

761. 
Benjamin 279, 280, 445, 620, 

785. 

Benjamin S 743 

Betsey 743 

Charles 744 

Charles (Mrs.) 369 

Clifford 744 

Cotton 265. 267 

C 240 

Daniel 167, 171, 214, 215. 

257, 283, 287, 341, 362, 

401. 520. 557, 620, 682, 

719, 741, 742, 744, 758, 

759, 761. 

David 152 

Ebenezer 620 

Edwin 743 

Eldad 742 

Elijah 279, 280, 341, 359. 

395, 620. 

Elisha 165 

Elotia D 743 

Emily H 744 

Fannie Thurlow 745 

Genett W 743 

George W 746 

Gershom 44, 94, 135, 153, 

190, 257. 288, 353, 512, 

570, 623, 694, 695, 700, 

740, 741, 787. 

Gershom (Mrs.) 784 

Hannah 743 

Harriet E 743 

Harriet M 744 

Harriet P 744 

Harriet S. W 744 

Henry 620, 700 

Henry B 402, 745. 765 

Hiram 741 

Isaac 165, 166, 167, 169. 189 
Israel 135, 445, 553, 695. 740, 

785 

James 134, 447 

Jasper P 658 

John 152 

John. Jr 150 

Jonas 743 

Jonas R 744 

Jonathan 150 

Josiah K 387 

Levi 284, 341, 740 

Lieut 285, 786 

Lucy 740 

Mary 741 

Mary B 587 

Mary L 743 

Mathew 743 

Milo J. . . 240, 374, 387, 743 

Moly 741 

Peter 135. 171, 174, 179, 

180, 279. 280. 360, 512, 

620. 741. 

Peter, Jr 171 

Rebeca or Rebeckah 700, 741 
Robert 3, 9, 22, 27, 37, 40, 

55. 60, 89. 121, 135, 617 

Rufus 396 

Samuel 558. 620, 740 

Sarah 695 

Sarah Eliiabeth 746 

Sibel H 744 



Proctor — 

Sibel M 742, 744 

Simeon 445, 760 

Simeon B 743 

Susanna 620, 741 

Thomas Parker 398, 585. 
586, 587, 712. 

Wm 162, 408, 621, 740 

Proctor Company, Wm. P. 670 

Proctor Hill 633, 436 

Proctor Homestead 398 

Proctor Road 436 

Prospect Hill 135, 523 

Prout, Ebenezer 128 

Prouty, Edward 175 

Providence 262 

Providence Hill 633 

Providence Meadow. 632, 634 

Providence Pond 633 

Providence Stages 441 

Provincial Congress 207, 208, 
216. 217. 224, 242. 

PULSIFER 

David 19, 23 

Marv C 732 

Punkatasset Hill 218, 221 

Puntahhun (Indian) 33 

"Puritan in England and New 

England, The" 693 

Puhmoht, John 294 

PUTN.VM — 

Amos 182 

David 248, 249, 262, 265, 
267, 341, 581. 

Franklin 402 

Hannah 743 

Henrv 368 

Henry E 375, 387 

Israel 510, 581, 064, 742, 7.50 
Israel (General) 225. 226. 
227, 228, 229, 232. 

Israel L 240, 698 

John 366 

Jonathan 620, 698, 641 

Joseph 698. 750 

Polley 741 

Samuel 795 

Sarah L 458, 686 

Putnam Avenue 435 

Putnam Farm 91 

Putnam's Tavern 840 

Putney, Samuel F 387 

"Quaint Bits of Lowell History" 

(Griffin) 791 

Quartering Act 190 

Quarter-Millennial Celebra- 
tion 821, 822, 823, 824 
Quebec 127, 161, 169, 186, 189. 

201. 622. 624, 787. 
Queen. Myron A. 603, 604, 829 
QoESSY, John J 605 

QUIGLEV — 

William 708 

William J. 377, 603. 710, 767 

Quincy 650 

Quincy Market. . 500, 585, 674 
QuiNCT. Mr 839 

QUINLAN, QUINLEN 

Michael 387 

William 341 

Quoah-bawge (Brookfield) . 97 

Radclifke. George E 387 

"Railroad House" 91 

Railtree Hill 633 

Ramhav, James P 767 

Ramsdell, Frank E. (Rev.) 715 
Ramstead, Ranstard, 

William 255, 256, 258, 289 



Rand — 

John (Rev.) 710, 711 

Sarah (Goffe) 711 

Randall, Ebenezer 175 

Randolph 650 

Rangley, Rachel 786 

Rattlesnake Hill 633 

Ravi, Vincent (Rev.) .... 707 
Rawson, Edward 3, 31, 105, 
107, 109, 114, 118, 119. 
120, 121, 122. 125. 

Raymond 218 

Raymond's Tavern 840 

Raynes, Mary B 593 

Re a, Rae — 

Caleb 260, 341 

Harriette 643 

Jeremiah 621 

Read, Reade. Reid, Reed — 

Abel 341, 342 

Adelaide 747 

Andrew J 747 

Anna R 747 

Benj 174 

Caroline A 747 

Charles E. Mrs 369 

Charles F 375 

Charles S. 370. 371, 387. 748 

(Dr.) 801 

Edith Minot 747 

Elbridge G 764 

Eliakim 359 

Elnathan 266, 268 

Emily E 748 

Ezdras 11, 12, 13. 25. 26. 
412, 754 

Frederic Tilton 747 

Geo 157 

George E. 371, 387, 747, 819 

George F 240 

Jacob . . 174, 279. 280. 445 
James 222. 257, 266, 268. 

280, 341. 
.John 165, 182, 183, 184, 279, 

280, 300, 401. 476. 
Jonathan 261. 263, 292, 747 

Jona. M 764 

Joseph 152, 300, 369, .396, 
402, 464, 594, 747, 764, 
765. 

Joshua 152, 157, 158 

J. M 764 

Katie A 747 

I..eonora 747 

Leonora S 747 

Lucien H 747 

LucyE 747 

(Major) 838 

Maria E 747 

Maria L 587. 748 

Miranda 747 

Mortimer 747 

Peter 157, 268. 342 

Philip (Brig. Gen.. Ret.) 355 

Robert 143 

Sarah Elizabeth 747 

Supply 247. 262, 269, 273, 
274, 342, 354. 

Thaddeus 175 

Thomas . 134, 143, 151. 477 

Timo., Jr 172 

W 457 

Willard 492, 747 

William 143, 402, 713 

Zachary 420, 747 

Reading — 

Hannah 746 

Robert 173, 421 

Reading 1, 210, 211, 238. 242. 

243. 419. 490, 840. 
Reall, John -S?* 



INDEX OF NAMES 



877 



Hkardon — 

Daniel 436 

Daniel A 604 

RebeUion, War of the 818 

"RecoUectiona of a Long 

Life" (Packard) 795 

Records of Massachusetts 537 

Red hook 286 

Redshire Meadow 435, 634, 
658. 

Redshire Road 435 

Reed's Ferry 143 

Reed's Hall, Joseph 458 

Reed's Tavern 448 

Rees's Cyclopaedia 417, 571, 
796. 

FrankUn H. (Rev.) 705 

Mr 445 

Rehoboth 809 

Reids, Solomon 618 

Reinhart, E. M 594 

Remington, Mr 792 

Remme — 

Ann P 747 

Frederick 748 

Nancy 748 

Rendell, Job 588 

Revere, Paul 217, 704 

Revolution 190, 201, 219, 229, 
355, 356, 376, 392, 395, 
396, 399, 431, 433, 453, 
559, 570, 583, 590, 702, 
720. 775, 802, 813, 827. 
Revolution, Daughters of 

the American 200, 220, 221 
Revolution, Sons of the 

American 221 

Revolutionary Army 809 

Revolutionary Monument 373, 

375, 588, 832, 843. 
Reynolds, Raynalls— 

Benjamin 112 

Hannah 112 

John 112 

Joseph 112 

Mary 112 

Nathaniel (Capt.) Ill, 112, 
825. 

Peter 112 

Philip 112 

Robert 112 

Ruth 112 

Sarah 112 

Rhode Island 268, 269, 272, 
281, 282, 283, 285, 286, 
293, 294, 295, 583, 650, 
711, 713, 795. 

Rhodes, Richard 667 

Rice — 

Benjamin 342 

(Dr.) 802 

LillaA 748 

Thomas 557, 787 

Rich, Elisha (Rev.) 693. 702, 

703. 
Richards, James B 388 

I{lCH.\RD80N, RrrCHARDSON 

Almah 747 

Alvah H 388, 747 

Andrew, Jun 172 

Aron P 457 

Asa 497 

Asa Edwin 747 

Asenath C 747 

A. Howard 370, 748 

Barron Cornett 413 

Barthw 496 

Betty 838 

(Capt.) 51 

Charles 448 



Richardson — 

Charles L 375 

Chloe 747 

Three daughters of Zach- 

ariah and Sarah 746 

David 266, 268 

Edward 234 

Edward F. 43, 54, 435. 438, 

564. 588. 
Eleazer . 570. 580, 622, 746 
Elijah 134, 175, 366, 448. 

734. 748. 

EUjah. Jr 448, 764 

Elisabeth 746 

Elizabeth 748 

Emerson 748 

Esther 622, 746 

Ezekiel . . . 413, 717, 746 

Francis 747, 764 

George 747 

Hannah 746, 802 

Henrietta 748 

Henry 152, 178, 277, 278, 

622. 765. 

Herbert H 603 

Howard 371 

Isaac 557 

James 41, 59, 89, 99, 101, 

115, 116. 117, 118. 121. 

125, 342, 512, 513, 533, 

5.36, 616. 
John 53, .54, 141. 172, 260, 

353, 656, 658, 677, 678, 
688, 746, 756, 757, 758, 
759. 

Jonathan 46, 47, 53, 151, 
153, 277, 278, 360, 403, 
413, 414, 522, 570, 625, 
656, 677, 678, 688, 756, 
757 758 
Joseph 15l', 157, 159. 189. 755 
Josiah 35. 37. 40. 43, 47, 50, 
60, 90, 128, 132, 134, 141, 
152, 163, 244, 277, 324, 

354, 366, 393, 404, 430, 
474, 505, 512, 513. 557, 
616, 622, 717, 719. 746, 
747, 755, 756, 772, 836. 

Josiah. Jr 513 

Luke 178 

Luther 562 

Lydia 505, 746, 747 

Marcy 746 

Mary 746 

Moses 171. 175 

Nathaniel 159. 257, 288. 342 

NelUe 369 

Oliver 244, 257, 262, 277, 
288, 289, 343, 354, 719, 
747. 

Rachel 746 

Remembrance (Underwood) 
141, 746. 

Richard 157 

Robert 54. 150, 151, 231, 
256, 259, 260, 265, 267, 
294, 343, 355, 621, 622, 
719, 746, 747, 818. 

Samuel 234, 448, 746 

Sarah . . . 283, 622, 746, 809 

Selina G 587 

(Sergeant) 48 

Silas 417, 814 

Simeon 366 

Stephen 388, 677 

SybU 746. 747 

(Dr. Packard's ser- 
mon on the death of 
Sybil Richardson was 
printed in 1799.) 
Wildor 462 



Richardson — 

Wm 152 

Zachariah 50, 150, 170. 353. 
520, 545. 548. 579. 606. 
621. 622. 746, 758. 759 

Zacheus 768 

Richardson House 395 

Richardson Road 436, 437, 438 
Richardson's Mill, John 53, 54 
Richardson's Tavern .... 840 
Richmond, Abby Ann .... 747 

Richmond 820 

Ricker, Edward S 377 

Ridge Hill 633 

Ridgeway's Tavern 840 

Right, John 37 

Riley, Hugh 271 

Rjngo 261 

Ripley — 

Edward H 372, 390 

Ezra (Rev.) 239, 782, 791, 
817. 

Fred K 588 

George H 604 

Henry T 588 

Royal S. 369, 370, 372, 388, 
437, 588, 597, 768, 819. 

Stearns L 372. 388 

Ripley Street 437 

Ritchie (the German) . . . 398 

James C 388 

River Meadow 525. 634 

River Meadow Brook 31, 36, 

230, 390, 435, 485, 516, 

517, 518, 519, 540, 598, 

632, 633, 635, 638, 662. 

River Neck Road . . . 435, 436 

Riverside Cemetery 372. 720 

Riverside Street 91 

Road Commissioners .... 437 
"Road to the Bay". . 392, 443 
Roadman, Earl A. (Rev.) . 715 

RoBB, John 343 

Robbins, Robbns, Robins, 

ROBINES — 

Anna 141 

Benjamin . . . 150, 152, 476 
Betty 746 

B. 46, 47, 802 

C. O. 277, 280, 285, 359, 444 
Edward J. 39, 602, 604, 768 

Ephraim 262, 343 

George 45, 60, 89, 99, 100, 

101, 512, 519, 617. 

George H 473 

Isaac 746 

Jacob 265, 268 

James 402, 747. 829 

John 608, 609, 621, 679. 699, 

746, 757. 

John, Jr 621 

Jonas 171, 174, 353, 621, 

700, 746. 760, 787. 
Jonathan 154. 155, 178, 262, 

265, 267, 343, 621, 700. 

Joseph 746 

Martin 748. 767 

Mary 700 

Nathan 408 

Phylup 445 

Sarah 809 

Susannah 746 

Thos 265, 267. 700 

Valentine P 820 

Zacheus W 747 

Zebulon 700 

Robbins, B. O. House. ... 47 
Robbins Brook, George. . . 633 



878 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Robbins House 398 

Bobbins Papers .... 268. 460 

Robbins Road 435 

Roberts, Mary 776 

Robertson, Russell 408 

Robin, the Indian. . . .393, 629 
Robin's Hill 3, 38, 40, 55, 57, 

62, 63, 88, 89, 220, 393, 

398, 414, 435, 436, 453, 

524, 552, 573, 578, 598, 

629, 630, 633, 645, 646, 
652, 659, 660, 717, 802. 

Robin's Hill House 62 

Robinson — 

Andrew 116 

Edward A. (Rev.) 715 

F. W 714 

George W 388 

John 176, 290, 774 

Noah 829 

ROBT, ROBIE 

Christopher 375, 376, 589, 
672, 764, 765, 819. 

(Dr.) 785 

John 92, 245, 257, 343, 354, 
622. 

Simeon 167 

Roby, C. & Co 672 

Roby, Sawyer A Co. . 672, 829 

Rock Bottom Factory. ... 441 

ROCKWOOD — 

Emeline 599 

Joseph 212 

Rocky Hill ...435, 633 

RoDKRiao (Captain) .... 115 

Roe's Tavern 840 

Rogers, Roqoers — 

Harriet B 582, 583 

John, Jr 523 

J. E 665 

Patrick 163, 164 

Thomas D 388 

Timothy 212 

WiUiam 816 

Zebadiah .... 277, 278, 622 

Rogers Park 62 

Rogers Street 662 

Rolf, Charles 370 

Rollins, Rollings, Rolings^ 

John 171, 173 

Voluntine P 388 

Roman Catholic Cemetery 720 

Roman Catholics 705 

Rope's Tavern 840 

Rose, Solomon 174 

Ross, Joseph 249 

Round Meadow.. 39, 519, 634 

Round Pond 519, 633 

Rounds, John (Rev.) 706 

RowBLL, William 256, 259, 344 

Rowley 786 

Roxbury 3, 118, 216, 229, 266, 
268, 534, 710, 803, 818. 

Royal Arch Chapter 585 

Royal Charter 201 

Royal Society of London . 573 

Rugby, England 489 

Rdggles (Col.) 183 

RcMMERY, Simon 151 

Rush, Alois 747 

Russell — 

Abbot 36. 747 

Abel 265, 267 

Amos 249, 265, 267, 353, 445 

Belle Hayden 747 

Charies 747 

Dora Elizabeth 748 

Edwin Lincoln 747 

E. HamUn 604 



Russell — 

Fred 408 

Frederick E 39, 388 

Hiram F 375 

James 575, 576, 839 

John Lewis (Rev.) 651, 654, 
685, 686. 

Joseph 168 

(Judge) 785 

Lincoln H 36 

Martha Truel 747 

Nathaniel P 240 

Nelson Abbott 747 

Peter 158 

Statira Garland 747 

Stephen 275 

Thomas 497 

Russell House 396 

Russell Road 438 

RusseU's Mills 440, 664 

Rutland 261 

Rutlin, Joseph 158 

Ryan, Joseph D 409 

Ryece, Robert 15 

Ryswick, Peace of 624 

Ryswick, Treaty of 138 

Saco, Maine 795 

Sady, Sadey, Samuel 148, 149, 

150, 529. 
Safety, Committee of 208, 216, 

217, 222, 242, 827. 
Sagamore, Sagamob — 

George 833 

Joe 5, 30 

John 31, 99 

Sagamore's Plantation, John 

469, 479. 
St. Alban's Episcopal Mis- 
sion 715 

St. Andrew 410 

St. Anne, Parish of ...... . 712 

St. Anne's Church 490, 492, 

629, 711, 712, 713. 
St. Anne's Church, The 

Congregation of 712 

St. Catherine's Mission 

Church 709 

Saint Domingo 564, 568 

St. Francis 83 

St. George 410 

St. Gregory, Church of . . . 710 
St. Helier, Parish of 

(Jer.sey) 817 

St. James's Parish, Suflfolk 

County, England.... 16 
St. John, Nova Scotia, now 

New Brunswick 177 

St. John River 176, 177 

St. John's, (Quebec) 186 

St. John's Church, Lowell 713 
St. John's Church, Ports- 
mouth 711, 772 

St. John's Roman Catholic 
Church, No. Chelms- 
ford. . 708, 709, 710, 822 
St. John's Total Abstinence 

Society 710 

St. Joseph's Cemetery .... 720 
St. Lawrence (River) 501, 503 

St. Lawrence, Gulf of 178 

St. Mary's Church, Chelms- 
ford, England 14, 833, 834 
St. Michael's Church, Lowell 

709 

St. Patrick 410 

St. Patrick's Church, Lowell 

708, 709 
Sakateare Meadow 634 



Salem 17, 19, 69, 124, 193 
194, 207, 209, 217, 392' 
396, 419, 420, 444, 445' 
485, 490, 521, 530, 53l' 
560, 572, 573, 576, 685" 
769, 794, 799, 833, 837* 
840. ' 

Salem Cadet Band 824 

Salem, History of (Bentley) 833 
Salem, New Hampshire . . 709 

Salendine, John 93 

Salisbury . 679, 799 

Salmon River ' 64 

Saltish ' 261 

"Salvation for " ail' Men'"' 

(Channing) 792 

Sampson, Samson — 

James A 588 

Joseph 92 

seth P. ...:::::;::::: sss 

Samuel (Indian) ..78, 79, 102 

Samuel, alias Manatoques 

old Rogger 34 

Sanbohn — 

Frank B 816 

John S 388 

Moses 174 

Sanders, Benjamin 257 

Sandisfield 363 

Sandown 256, 259 

Sanger, Charles H 750 

Sanitary Commission 368 

Santamour — 

Frank 751 

F. W 663 

Saratoga 251, 261, 443 

Sargent, Seargent — 

H. Ellen 588 

J. Hoyt 588 

Jesse A 375 

Luther H. 584, 586, 587, 588, 
766. 

Nathan 210 

Nathaniel . . . . 211 

Nellie H 588 

Paul Dudley 204, 795 

Simeon C 407 

Saugus 73, 656 

Saunders — 

Jessee 174 

Louise Goucher 751 

Lydia A. (Craig) 751 

N. C. (Rev.) .... 458, 706 

Nathan Crosby 751 

Paul 751 

Ray 751 

Ruth Irene 751 

Sausamon 84 

Savage — 

James 528 

Jube 266, 268 

(Major) 116 

Patrick 54, 390 

Sawin, Thomas 92 

Sawin House 478 

Saw Mill Meadow Brook 50, 
633. 

Sawpit Hill 439, 633 

Sawtell — 

Elnathan 171 

Obediah 621 

Sawyer — 

Alfred P 643, 656, 659 

Frederick T 672, 673 

James 171 

Josiah 579 

Sawyer and Gay 829 

Scales — 

Mr 791 

Stephen 719, 749, 790, 791, 806 



INDEX OF NAMES 



879 



Scarborough 266, 268 

Searlet Brook 470, 471 

Schenectady, Schenectada 127, 

187, 189. 
ScHoriELD, Edmund T. 

(Rev.) 709, 710, 822 

School DiBtricts 418, 434, 560, 
561, 562. 

"School-house Lane" 534 

School Street 412, 436. 440, 

485, 516, 534, 559, 560. 
School Street Cemetery. . . 720 
Schoolmasters, Memoir of 

(in Plymouth) 775 

ScHOtiLEB (Adjutant-Gen- 
eral) 375 

Scituate 85, 547 

ScoBORiA, Arthur G. (Dr.) 377, 

604, 805. 
Scoduck (Schodack, N. Y.) 261 

ScoiLAN, Owen 605 

SCOTBOBM, Tho 134 

Scotland 237,612,669 

Scott — 

Ebeneaer 158 

George 164 

Henry L. (Rev.) 709 

Robert 171 

ScoTTOW (Capt.) 115 

ScRKEN, James 174 

ScBiBNBB, Charles F. 603, 829 
Scripture — 

Elisabeth 749, 750 

OUver 367, 762, 802 

ScyU (Capt) 119 

Scythe Factory ViUage. . . 672 

Sea Flower 164 

Seamans, Charles M 390 

Sears, Charles A 391 

Sbaveb, George A 375 

Seccom, Thomas 776 

Second Church of Christ in 

Chelmsford 699 

Second Congregational Church, 

No. Chelmsford 822 

Second Congregational So- 
ciety 594, 703 

Second Street 435 

Sebton, George M 408 

Sbmple, John A 750 

Senteb, John, Jr 173 

Sentie, John 176, 178 

Separates 697 

September Gale 479, 642 

Sew ALL, Sewal — 

D 254 

David 624 

Samuel 70, 127, 520, 528. 

573, 789, 838, 839. 
Thomas ..41. 527. 529, 532 

Seward, Enos 174 

Noadiah 174 

Sexton, Philip (Rev.) 709 

Shabp^ — 

Benjamin 375 

Clara J 588 

Henry 375, 388 

John 588 

Sharp and Axtell 665 

Shatswell, Richard .... 535 
Shatttjck — 

Benjamin 699 

Job 356, 357, 359, 364 

Lemuel 2 

Shattuck Manuscripts ... 211 
Shaw — 

Elisha . . . 586, 588, 764, 765 
ElishaH. 376,377,766,767 

E. Herman 768 

John J. (Rev.) 709 

Shaw, E. A Son 829 



Shawsheen, Shawshin 223, 432, 

470, 471. 
Shawsheen (Boston Trans- 
script) 721 

Shawsheen River .... 74, 502 
Shath. Daniel . . 356, 357, 363 

Shays Rebellion 356 

Sheafb (Capt.) 839 

Shear, A. Lincoln (Rev.) . 715 
Shedd, Shead, Shed — 

Amos 750 

Ebenezer 256, 258, 277, 278, 
344, 359, 362, 621, 719, 
750. 

Elizabeth 529 

Hannah 700 

Jerusha J 751 

John 529, 750, 763 

John S 751 

Jonathan 165, 257, 262, 272, 
288, 344. 

Joseph 750 

Lucy 451, 750 

Lucy Parker 760 

Lydia 749 

Marcus 271 

Mary 367, 749, 750 

Mary B 750 

Mary E 750 

Mary Spaulding 751 

Mary S 760 

Noah 749 

Samuel 750 

Wm 162 

William H...437, 603, 604, 

767 

Zachariah 92, 173, 176, 621, 
700, 749. 

Zach. Mrs 787 

Sheehan, John 46 

Sheehan Place 807 

Sheffield 187 

Sheldon — 

Arthur H 766, 767, 824 

George H 667 

George T. . . . 588, 669, 667 

Julia L 588 

Samuel 175 

Sarah E 588 

Shelston, Robert 93 

Shepard, Shepherd, Shea- 

PORD — 

Henry 270 

Mary S 760 

Thomas Mr 75 

Sheply, Shepley, Shiple, 
Shiplie, Shipley — 

Ann 531 

Ether 139 

John, Jun. 60, 121, 134, 139, 

512, 531, 532. 
John, Sen. 26, 37, 41, 43, 
60, 121, 134, 139, 147, 
512, 530, 531 617, 836. 

Lydia 531, 809 

Nathaniel 631 

Susannah -. 531 

Sherborm, Sally 457 

Sherburn, Mass 212 

Sherburne, John G 666 

Sherman — 

A. M. (Rev.) 686 

John 4, 6, 9, 11 

John (Senator) 4 

Wm. T. (General) ... 4, 368 
Sherwin, Elnathan 277, 278. 
344. 

Shields, John 388 

Ship, James 534 

Shire Hall 834 



Shirley, William (Governor) 

159, 160, 164, 183. 454, 

542. 
Shirley, Mass. 212, 261. 265, 

267, 357, 621. 
Shirley's Commission .... 294 

Short's Falls 509 

Shrewsbury, Mass. 215, 217, 

366, 441, 467, 799, 800. 

814. 
"Shrewsbury, Old Times 

In" 356 

SHURTLEFr, A. D. K. (Rev.) 

686, 822. 

Shcte, Daniel 813 

Shutesbury 261 

Sibley, (Harvard Grad's.) 

68, 70, 770. 
Sichibald, a. R. (Rev.) . . 707 

SiLAWAY, SiLLAWAY, SiLO- 

Daniel 244, 257, 260. 288, 

344. 354, 621. 
Reuben 260, 344 

Silesia Worsted Mills, The 670, 
671. 705. 

Silsby's Tavern 840 

Silver — 

Abraham 271 

Daniel 271 

David 271 

Edward H 669 

Harvey 668. 764 

James 271 

Silver and Gay 594, 668, 670, 
671. 

Silvester, Seth 176 

SiMMES, SlM8, SyMMEB 

Andrew . . . 237, 776, 777 

(Col.) 239 

Eben. . . . 223, 224, 237, 298 

Hannah 777 

Hannah Bridge . . 776, 777 

Samuel 360 

Thomas 166 

WiUiam 32 

Simmes' Map of Westford 626 
Simons, Simuonds, Symondb — 

David 673, 829 

John 344 

Joseph 92. 93 

Josiah 360. 621 

Simpson — 

Edward A 388 

Jonathan 497 

Reuben 402 

SiNOLATER, Amos 93 

SittTson, London 271 

Skeenborough 261 

Slafter's Memoir of John 

Checkley 692 

Sleeper — 

J. F 829 

James F 588 

Small — 

Aaron 262, 353 

D. Frank 602, 604, 768, 829 

Everett P 688 

George 606 

Smart — 

J. F 372 

Josiah T 388 

Smedley — 

Bab(p)tis 3,8 

John 2, 8 

Smiley — 

Hiram F 388 

Hudson F 375 

William 260, 345 



880 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Abba Miss 483 

Alvina E 751 

Benj 152, 153 

Caleb L 767, 768 

Charles Bent 751 

Dorcas 751 

Elbridge G 751 

Epheriam 240 

Fannie Warren . . 738, 751 

Frank B 391 

George H 369, 388, 588 

Hezekiah 701 

Hiram 561 

Infant daughter of Edwin 

E. and Carrie A 751 

Jesse 483, 704, 738, 749, 829 

John 73, 260, 345 

John Henry 738 

John T 375 

Joseph W 766 

Joseph Warren 751 

Kirby 368 

Mary S. Bent 751 

Mary Woodbury 738 

Nathaniel 211 

Paul 751 

Rebecca 738 

Mr. (Rev.) 792 

Robert 388 

Sarah A 751 

Thomas 266, 268, 271, 353, 
369. 

William 271, 353 

William H 375 

Smith Avenue 438 

Smooth Meadow 634 

Snake Meadow 634, 814 

Snake Meadow Hill 7 

Snow — 

George F. 44, 436, 437, 586, 
707, 766, 767, 824. 

Henry 159 

John 44, 46, 54, 553, 554, 

757. 
Jonathan 152, 163, 177, 359, 

445, 682, 827. 

Joshua . . . 165, 298, 621, 749 

Levi 359 

Parker 749 

Sarah 749 

Snydam, Thorn 293, 354 

Society of Middlesex Hus- 
bandmen and Manu- 
facturers, The 464 

Soldiers' Aid Society 368 

SOLINDEN, John 93 

Somerville 781, 803 

Souhegan 124 

South Boston 709 

South Carolina Plain .... 633 

South Chelmsford (See also 

South Village) 45, 47, 91, 

92, 369, 370, 400, 434, 

435, 436, 438, 441, 444, 

446, 472, 510, 558, 560, 
595, 597, 642, 653, 655, 
670, 701, 720. 

South Chelmsford, First 

Baptist Church in . . . 706 
South Chelmsford Ceme- 
tery 802 

South Chelmsford Library 584 
South Chelmsford Road 90, 

372, 596. 
South Chelmsford School. 556 
"South End" 45, 61, 555, 558 

South End School 555 

South Hadley 499 

South Middlesex Registry 668 



South Row 531 

South Street 90, 398. 443, 563, 

663, 672, 698, 770, 802 
South Village 398, 672, 703, 

705, 712, 821. 

SocTHACK, Francis 292 

SODTHMA.YD, Mr. (Rcv.) . . 704 

SowDER, George 93 

Spain 138, 156, 196 

Spaniards 581 

SPA.BK8 — • 

Abiell 574 

Deliverance 574 

Henry 574 

Martha . 573, 574, 575, 576 
Spauldino, Spalden, Spaldin, 
Spoldin, Spalding, 
Spauldiq, Spaulden, 
Spauldin, Spauldtng, 

SpAVLDING, SPOtTLDING 

A 178 

Aaron 361, 362 

Abel 622 

Abigail 748, 749, 750 

Abigail (Johnson) Will- 
son 242 

Abijah . . . 277, 457, 762, 763 

Abraham A 750 

AdeUneP 751 

Alice Ward 751 

Alpheus 562, 589, 683, 763, 

764. 
Andrew 54, 60, 89, 90, 121, 

134, 140, 242, 360, 361, 
399, 411, 430, 512, 514, 
517, 616, 748, 756, 758, 
818. 

Anne 449 

Anslow 408 

Artemas 272, 345, 353 

Asa 751 

Asaph 750 

Ashbel 294, 345, 353 

Azariah 262, 268, 269, 347, 
395, 682, 719, 749, 762, 
763. 

B. J 766 

Benj. 44, 59, 90, 135, 242, 
244, 273, 276, 277, 278, 
279, 283, 294, 345, 354, 
448, 512, 582, 617, 622, 
748, 761, 762. 

Betsey Ann 749 

Charles G. (Rev.) 707 

Clarifjsa 749 

David 167, 168, 193, 195, 
198, 199, 213, 238, 247, 
345, 354, 559, 606, 608, 
609, 699, 749, 759, 760, 
761. 

David, Jr 355, 590 

Dinah 242 

Ebenezer 140, 366, 445, 581, 

750. 
Edward 12, 13, 30, 37, 43, 
60, 65, 90, 120, 121, 130, 

135, 137, 140, 149, 164, 
171, 231, 241, 242, 399, 
401, 404, 413, 448, 449, 
454, 512. 513, 517, 518, 
530, 556, 580, 617, 624, 
677, 701, 718, 748, 754, 
755, 756, 757, 758. 

Edward, Jr 44, 836 

Edward Everett. . . 565, 751 

Elbridge 751 

Elbridge P 751 

Eliza 751 

Elizabeth 449, 749 

Elizabeth Adams 722 

Elizabeth Colburn 241 



Spaulding — 

(Ensign) 134 

Ephraim 152, 179, 191, 
192, 295, 361, 416, 478, 
492, 520, 545, 546, 548, 
570, 695, 742, 749, 750, 
758, 759, 760, 787. 

Esther 749 

Eunice 750 

Fitz Henry 371, 389 

Geo 240, 241 

George E 604 

George 589 

Grace 242 

H. M. Miss 287, 288, 492, 
494. 

Hannah 701, 748 

Hannah Elizabeth .... 750 
Hannah Hall (or Hale) 140. 
142, 241, 448. 

Hannah (Jefts) 140 

Harry 448 

Haskell 750 

Henery 748, 749 

Henry 140, 148, 149, 150, 
151, 165, 167, 171, 298, 
360, 361, 399, 454, 546, 
570, 621, 701, 748, 749, 
750, 759, 760, 786, 819, 
836. 
Henry, Jr. 244, 345, 354, 
360, 362, 701, 719, 622. 

Henry Mrs 786 

Henry, 3d 763 

Henry S 372, 389 

Hesediah (Johnson) .... 231 

Isaac W 750 

Isaiah 163, 173, 448, 622, 

749, 764, 791. 

Jacob 361, 751 

Jacob, Jr 171 

Jeptha 247, 257, 265, 267, 

288, 345, 347, 354, 497. 
Jesse 287, 288, 345. 621, 749 

Jethro 272 

Joanah 748 

Job 163. 164, 165, 171, 174, 
448, 621, 696, 697, 700, 
719, 750, 787, 788, 790. 

Job Mrs 787 

Joel 252, 262, 347, 448, 497, 

622, 720. 
John 37, 44, 60, 89, 134. 135, 
140, 142, 148, 151, 152, 
174, 187, 188, 231, 239, 
241, 242, 244, 257, 265, 
280, 288, 346, 360, 454, 
457, 512, 529, 532, 557, 
616, 622, 700, 703, 749, 

750, 755, 757, 758, 788, 
790, 814, 827, 836. 

John, Jr. . 512, 621, 701, 787 

John, 3d 346, 354 

Jonas 171, 172, 175, 187, 
188, 189, 232, 256, 259, 
"- 288, 719, 750, 787, 827. 
Jonathan 150, 153, 172, 189, 
401, 445, 545, 548, 621, 
749, 751, 758, 759, 760, 
788 

Jona., Jun 401. 402 

Joseph 44, 59, 65, 90, 121, 
134, 171, 174, 226, 231, 
232, 241, 242, 245, 266, 
257, 259, 272, 288, 346, 
346, 354, 355, 430, 449, 
455, 512, 530, 617, 682, 
719, 748, 750, 827. 
Joseph, Jr. 247, 256, 259, 

346, 354. 
Josiah 150, 171. 621 



INDEX OF NAMES 



881 



Spauu>imq — 

JuUa 449 

Julia A 751 

Julia A. P 751 

Julia Ann ^^ 

Leonard o"^ 

I^vi 174, 175, 189, 361, 362 

Lucia 748 

Lucy ^' 

^Lydia 696, 749. 751 

•^Lydia A 751 

Margaret 242, 448 

Margaret (Barrett) 140 

Mary .... 448, 748, 749, 750 

Mary A 751 

Mary A. Esty • • ■ • 751 

Mathias 361, 395, 589. 802, 

815. 
Micah 247, 346, 354, 516, 

N 457 

Nabby 749 

Nathaniel 760 

Noah 242, 376, 449, 492. 
541, 689, 749, 808. 

Olive 749 

Oliver ... 156, 164, 165, 171 
Peter 163, 164. 187, 558, 749 

Phebe 748, 749 

PhiUp 361, 453 

Phineas 150 

Polly H 750 

Priscilla 449 

Rachel 264, 749 

Rebecca 809 

Robert 212, 231, 272, 294, 
347, 355, 475, 590, 749. 

Ruth 748 

Samuel 146, 266, 268, 272, 
345, 347, 359. 621, 701. 

Sarah 748, 750 

Sarah (Fletcher) . . 242, 449 

Sewall 749 

Sherebiah 367. 399, 742, 760, 
764 

Sherebiah. Jr 399 

Sibyl 748 

SU^ 244, 347, 354 

Simeon (Col.) 92, 171, 194, 
195, 200, 207, 208, 209, 
210, 220, 237, 241, 242, 
254, 284, 290, 294, 347, 
354, 395, 449, 454, 481, 
591, 622, 719, 749, 759, 
760, 761, 791, 802, 803, 
813, 814. 
Simeon. Jr. 361, 483, 584, 
750. 

Stephen 170, 421 

Steven 277 

Susanna 701 

Thankful 749 

Thomas 153, 353, 621, 700, 
759, 786, 787. 

Thos. Mrs 787 

Timothy .... 142, 150, 152 

Varnum 457, 475, 750 

Weld 750 

WiUard 622 

William 65, 152, 153, 262, 
272, 294, 347, 348, 457, 
622. 

Wm. M 458 

Zach 152, 366 

Zebulon 209, 213, 272, 347, 
360, 361, 399, 599, 609, 
621, 699, 760, 761. 

Zebulon, Jr 362, 621 

Soaulding-Hazen Place 91, 398, 
399, 642. 



Spaulding House, Lowell. 398 

a_-..lj: "T :„V.» r'ov.ilrv" XI(\ 



Stevens- 



Spaulding "Light Cavalry" 376 

Spalding's Hotel, S 441 

8PARKE8, Henry. . . 93, 96, 579 
Speen , James (Indian) . . . 519 
Speen's Brook 481, 499, 519, 
633. 

Speers, James 389 

Spencer 187, 188, 363 

Spokfokd, John T 408 

Sponnaub, Joseph 102 

Spooner, W 2.53 

Spot Pond 500 

Spbague, Sprage, Sprake, 
Spriou, Sprique — 
Benjamin . . . 257, 260, 348 

C. R 372 

Frank M. (Rev.) . 714, 715 
John .... 243, 257, 288, 353 
Jonathan . . . 245, 258. 355 
Nicholas. . 171. 257, 288, 348 

Nicholas, Jr 485 

Phinias °4 

Sprague's Annals .. . 711, 797 
Spring — _„^ 

Alpheus (Rev.) 794 

Mary 794 

Springfield 82, 84, 85, 97, 184, 
185, 261, 274, 283, 356, 
363, 441, 596. 
Spring Meadow .... 634, 83b 

Spruce Swamp , 633 

Squadron School district . . o60 

Stacy, William 348 

Stanhope Manufacturing 

Company 670 

Staples— 

Frank ^, 

Peter H 375 

Stark — 

Caleb 816 

John (Colonel) 226 

John ^ 288 

Jonathan ^»» 

State Highway ■••.;• "P." 

State House (Boston) 4ol, 455, 
510, 625, 673. 

State Library 62b 

State Prison o^' 

State Street 50b 

Stavelet, Henry bUo 

Stearns, Starns, Sterns— 
Asahel 485, 487, 583, 763, 
807, 808. 

Edwin L 434 

Elbridge ■ • 375 

James F 12, 38, 435 

John w.' :;;:::.:: 750,819 

Jonathan 348 

Joseph 664 

Lucinda J '51 

Saball •••• 93 

William 257, 353 

Stedman, Steadman — 

(Capt.) 224 



George 



93 



Mary" ....... 695,. 696, 786 

Stedman Street 38, 41, 42, 55, 
435, 438, 525, 526, 527, 
634. 

Stedman Tavern ... 840 

SterUng 441, 808 

Stetson — „„. „„„ 

George G 369, 389 

Martha 588 

Stevens — „^,„ 

Abel 3bb 

(Blacksmith) 448 

(Capt.) ••• 793 

Chas 157. 158 



Cyprian 04 

Daniel 164, 173, 175, 277, 
622. 

David • 622 

Deborah 427.622 

Edward 750 

Eleazer 164 

Ephraim 622 

Hannah 750 

Henry 150. 157,521 

Henry, Jr 161 

Heury W 375, 389 

J. E. 706 

Jabez 751, 764, 765 

Jabez Mrs 369 

Jacob 622 

Jesse 348, 361, 362 

Joanna 750 

John 43, 60, 89, 121, 128. 
130, 178, 512, 516, 578, 
616, 836. 

John, 3d 622 

John E 402, 751 

Jonathan 257, 288, 348, 622 

Jonathan, 3d 622 

T..ucy 749 

Mary B 751 

Nettie M 5»6 

Peter • 62^ 

Phineas 157, 158 

Rebecca 750 

Richard |°*J 

Robert 622 

Ruth 749 

Sally 750 

Sampson 361, 701 

Samuel 164. 170, 199, 209, 
214, 244, 281, 283, 348, 
354, 355, 361, 362, 492, 
622, 682, 719, 742, 749, 
750, 759, 761, 763, 832. 
Samuel, Jr. 163, 195, 273. 
622, 760. 

Silas 622 

Suneon 6^^ 

Simon • • • ^ 

Solon W 49, 593 

Stephen gi^ 

Surviah M 751 

Widdou 134 

Wm. J 751 

Zach ■■• 152 

Stevens Hill ■ 437, 633 

Stevens Place, Wm. J. . . . 9/ 

Stevens Place, Old ^f 

Stevenson, John 1"° 

Stewart, Stuart — 

Francis W ^\ 

T H 370 

Samuel ' 266, 268, 389 

Stickelmibe— 

John J 718, 750 

Lewis 457 

Stickney- 



Abraham 



271 



Albert....: 564,565 

Daniel \'i, 

■Tonathan 496 

William ^, 417 



Stillings, Samuel W. 



Stillriver 



804 



Stillwater.' .■.■251.261, 263, 355 

Stockbridge 697, 832 

Stoddard — 

Anthony !^% 

Christian ••• 77d 

(Col.) Mrs 792, 839 

Elizabeth 750 

Elizabeth Bowdom ;«» 

Elizabeth Davis 77d 



882 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Stoddard — 

James 299 

Jemima White 775 

John Vryling 750 

Margaret 793 

Margaret Halkerston or 

HarkersoD 773 

Martha 773 

Mary 787 

Mary Downing 773 

Samson 773 

Samson (Col.) 188, 190, 191, 

192, 202, 203, 205, 209. 

210, 299, 401, 402. 414, 

415, 545, 557, 570, 622, 

676, 694, 759, 760, 774, 
775, 777, 784, 785, 786, 
787. 788, 789, 792, 793, 
806, 837, 839. 

Samson, Jr. 209, 210, 277, 

402, 558, 622, 774. 775. 
Samson (Rev.) 15. 67. 557. 

677, 678. 699. 748. 773. 

Sarah 775, 777 

Sarah Pitts 299 

Susanna 773 

Vyrling 277, 558 

WilUam 299, 750 

Stoddard Family 773 

Stoddard Genealogy 775 

Stoddard, New Hampshire 203, 

452, 557. 
Stone — 

ElishaD 768 

Eiekiel 174 

Harrison Howard 751 

Josiah 215 

Micah 212 

Simon 150 

W. E 240 

WillardD 751 

"Stone House" 493 

Stone's Tavern 840 

Stoneham 211, 266, 268 

"Stones for Building and 

Decoration" 674 

Stony Brook 42, 44, 46, 50, 
51. 52, 53, 54. 57, 91, 135, 
436. 514, 531. 532. 540. 
555, 631, 633, 635, 636, 
638, 655, 656, 657, 658, 
662, 665, 672. 

Stony Brook Branch 671 

Stony Brook Bridge 54 

Stony Brook Houses 554 

"Stony Brook Path" 43 

Stony Brook Pond . . .6, 7, 656 
Stony Brook Railroad 510, 668, 

671. 
Stony Brook Valley. . . 44, 554 

Stony Brook Way 44 

Stobrb, John 260, 353 

Stodghton — 

Hannah 264 

Israel 264 

William 136. 264, 771 

Stoughton 140, 650 

Stow, Stoe, Stowe 208, 211, 
218. 441. 477, 833. 

Stowe, H. B. Mrs 545 

Stratton — 

Elizabeth 264 

Jonathan . . . 278, 279, 621 

Richard 413, 556. 748 

Samuel 178 

Street, Owen 643 

Strong, Mary A 751 

Strodt — 

Albert 751 

Eliia T 751 



Sudbury 85, 110. 116, 123, 
140, 147, 211. 363. 557. 
833. 

SoDDOCK. Josiah 158 

Suffolk Camp 368 

Suffolk County 205. 569. 777 

Suffolk Resolves 203 

Sullivan — 

Edward 375, 389 

James 501, 502, 503, 505, 
506, 624. 

Jerry 389 

John (Gen.) 263 

John L 608, 815, 816 

Thomas 818 

Sullivan Place 399 

Summer Street 78 

Summers, John 158 

Sumner — 

Increase (Rev.) 800 

Joseph 467 

Thomas C 391 

Sunders, James, Jr 171 

"Suneanassitt". . 514, 638, 665 

SuREEN, Samuel 178 

Surry 261 

Susbury (Shrewsbury, Vt.) 261 

Sutton, Andrew 389 

Swain — 

Asa M 666 

Edwin 588 

Swain's Machine Shop . . . 666 
Swallow, Swalo, Swalow — 
Ambrose 45, 60. 89, 134, 617, 
677. 

Benj 172 

(Constable) 579, 580 

John 148, 150 

Jonathan 621 

Sarah 700. 786 

Swan — 

Charles Walter 651 

Mr. (Rev.) 697 

Samuel .501 

Samuel, Jr 439. 506 

Swan and JoUey (Sloop) . . 164 

Swanzey 84, 261 

SwAYNE, Josephine L. ... 218 

Sweeney. Charles H 373 

Sweet, John F 372 

Sweetser — 

Charles 39, 458, 751 

Charles D 751 

E.Adams 751 

Ervin W. . 602, 767, 768, 803 

F 240 

Herbert C. . . 602, 604, 664 

Hosmer W 408 

Juliet C 750 

Lorenzo 370, 372 

Mary Adams 751 

S. Fred 751 

Sweetser & Day 664 

Swett — 

(Captain) 125 

Edmund 764 

Lake 249 

WiUiam 665 

William Mrs 588 

Swift — 

H. P 664 

John Mr. (Rev.) 787 

Jonathan (Dean) 798 

Swift & Blodgett 829 

Syndicate Road 438 

Synett, Francis W 391 1 



Tadmuck 31, 40, 469, 631, 635. 

638. 
Tadmuck. Farther 5, 631, 633 
Tadmuck, Great 5. 45, 631. 

633, 836. 
Tadmuck HUl 5, 44, 45, 633. 

634. 
Tadmuck, Hither 5, 631, 633 
Tadmuck, Little 5, 44, 45, 631, 
633. 

Tadmuck Road 436 

Tadmuck Swamp 4, 5, 434, 634 
Tadmuck Swamp, Great. . 633 
Tadmuck Swamp, Little . . 633 

Taft, Richard 402 

Tahotawarre 89 

Taine's History of English 

Literature 458 

Talbot, Talbott. Taijbert, 
Talbibd — 

George 140 

Peter 134. 140, 612, 517 

Tappen, John 680 

Tarbell, Tarball, Thomas 
94. 150. 

Tarrantines 81 

Tay. or Fay. John J 390 

Taylor, Talor, Talot — 

Abraham 270 

(Col.) 532 

Eldad 253 

F. D. (Rev.) 707 

John 253, 254, 257. 260, 348, 
622. 

John, Jr 171, 288 

Joshua 270 

Kirby S 716 

(Major) 146, 147 

Samuel L 768 

Thomas 622 

"Tea Leaves" (Drake) ... 300 

Teed, John 621 

'Peel 

Almira M 782 

Blaney 266, 288 

Jonathan 265, 267 

Temple, N. H 560 

Templeton 126, 144, 261 

Tennent. Gilbert (Rev.) . 698 

Tenth Street 812 

Terry, Thomas 158 

Tewksbury, Tewkesbury, 
Tukesbury, Tuksbury, 
Tewksury 74, 135, 169, 
212, 228, 249, 255, 256, 
258, 259, 275, 286, 442, 
474, 497, 546, 621, 622, 
662, 704, 790, 809. 818. 

Texas, State of 368, 444 

Texas (Westford) 633 

Thatcher — 

(Col.) 213 

Mr. (Rev.) 676 

Thayer — 

Ebenr., Jr 254 

Frederick F. (Rev.) ... 686 

Homer E 370, 372 

Thayer House, Homer 91, 398 

Third Street 436 

Thirlbey, W 160 

Thissell — 

A. C 240 

O. N 240 

Thomas, James 370, 371 

Thomaston, Maine . . 447, 661 
Thompson, Tompson — 

Benjamin 419 

(Col.) 792, 793 

David 176 

(Dr.) 804 

Hiram 561 



INDEX OF NAMES 



883 



Thompson — 

James 838 

James (Rev.) 681 

Luke 705 

Mary 27 

Mary E 751 

Perry 400 

Samuel 600. 503. 505 

Simon 9, 11. 12. 13. 30, 85, 
754. 

William 210 

Thorkatt — 

Helen 817 

Henry David 817 

John 817 

John, Jr 817 

Scynthia 817 

Sophia Eliiabeth 817 

Thorndike — 
Abigail Chamberlin .... 752 
Hezekiah 249, 257, 260, 284, 
288, 348. 752. 

Thorndike Street 560 

Three Friends 164 

"Three Military Diaries" 176, 
275, 292. 

Thurlow, George 373 

Thdrston, "Father" 368 

Thwinq (Col.) 230 

Ticknor, CD 240 

Ticonderoga 162, 186, 189, 220, 
238, 241, 251, 260, 261, 
292. 295, 355, 590. 

TiLKSTON, William 486 

Tilton — 

J. H. (Rev.) 702 

Peter 754 

Philip 174 

Tinker, John 83 

Tinker's Island 83 

Tipping, Leftenant 125 

TrrcoMB — 

(Col.) 795 

Luther C 370 

Tobacco Meadow 634 

ToHATOwoN, John 33 

Toledo. Ohio 563 

ToLMAN, Richard 765 

Tom (Capt.) 129, 833 

Toner, John, Jr 389 

Toothaker — 

Charles 805 

EH»a (Perry) 805 

Mary 572 

Roger 287 

ToRNER, William (Capt.) . 124 
Torret — 

C. C. (Rev.) 715 

Isaac 175 

John T 816 

William 31, 122 

Toussaint, I'Ouverture . . . 568 

Tower, Eli 632 

Town, Jonathan 175 

Town Farm 397, 435, 439, 599, 

626. 
Town Hall 434, 585, 587, 593, 
714, 715, 823, 824. 

Town Road 660, 812 

"Town Way to the Mill". 443 
Townsend 166, 212, 261. 357. 
442. 474. 

Tot (Capt.) 238 

Train. Traink — 

Charles R 591 

Joshua 168 

Thomas 92. 93 

Training School Band .... 469 
Transcript of Town Records 
(See Ist Chapter) 526. 633 



"Travels in New England 
and New York" (Dwight) 
815. 
Trawhobn — 

Charles 167, 168 

Grigivire 167 

Joseph 167 

Margaret 167 

Mary 167 

Maudlin 167 

Tithorne 167 

Treadwell, Samuel .... 176 
Treveltan (Sir George 

Otto) 828 

Trinity College, Dublin . 711 
Trubey, Alfred, House of . 471 
Trvll — 

Albert J 766 

George W 766 

John 809 

Trdmbull, John 230 

Tryder, George H 713 

Tdck, William 588 

Tuck & Reed 506 

Tucker — 

Jer 366 

John (Dr.) 402. 444. 784, 838 

Jonathan Mrs 799 

Joshua Foster (Rev.) . . . 715 
Tufts — 

Edward Mrs 714 

Samuel, Jr 506 

Turkey Falls 509 

Turner's Falls 499 

Turnpike (Old) 438, 598 

Turnpike Road 435 

TuTTLE, Nathaniel 349 

Twiss, Twist — 

Daniel 272, 349 

J. J. (Rev.) . 686, 686, 797 

James 366, 752 

John 244, 349. 354, 622 

Nancy 762 

Samuel 257, 265, 267, 288, 
349. 
Tyler, Tylor — 

(Col.) 792 

Joe 422 

Jonathan 402 

Joseph 245, 262, 349, 354, 

499 622. 
Nathan 443, 475, 485, 486, 
497. 

Nathan, Jr 476 

Otis 476 

Royal 839 

Silas 422, 479 

T. H 673 

Tyler Farm 488 

Tyler House 479 

Tyler's Store 441 

Tyno, Ting — 

Dudley Atkins 499, 683 

Edward 33, 86, 157 

Blearer 47, 142, 144, 151, 
152, 153, 163, 170, 171, 
172, 173, 179, 239, 240, 
481. 

James 622 

John 144, 469, 481, 678, 813, 
839. 

John (Judge) 142, 299 

John Alford 142, 172, 469, 

472, 790. 
Jonathan 5, 83, 86, 91, 126, 
136, 141, 142, 144, 145, 
149. 477, 478, 512, 513, 
515, 539. 611. 773, 784, 
787, 788, 811. 
Lucia 718, 751 



Ttng— 

Lucy (Clarke) . . l42, 143. 144 

Mary 299 

Mr 124, 430 

•Sarah 732 

Sarah (Usher) 142 

William 86, 139, 140. 142 
143, 144, 145. 148, 149, 
718, 756, 773. 

Tyng's Farm 42, 91 

Tyng's Garrison 119, 133 

Tyng's Island 82, 83, 508, 509, 
535, 638. 

Tyng's Pond 786 

Tyngsboro, Tyngsborough 42, 
48, 57, 73, 86. 91, 139, 
140, 142, 299, 439, 469, 
470, 471, 472, 478, 506, 
508, 634, 637, 649. 671, 
688, 701, 702, 704, 815. 
Tyngsborough, Baptist 

Church of 706 

Tyngsborough Line . . 437, 438 

Tyngstown, N. H 141, 143 

Tyringham 363 

Tyrrell, Samuel 389 

Uncas 102 

Underwood — 

Jonathan 353 

Joseph 160, 477, 558, 680, 
678, 757. 

Phinehas 272, 294, 349 

Priscilla 44 

Samuel 44, 136 

Sara 26 

WiUiam 11, 12, 20, 30, 37, 
42, 43, 44, 47, 60, 89, 109, 
121, 122, 134, 512, 526, 
530. 532, 617, 754, 756. 

Union Parish 686, 686 

Union Street 597 

Unitarian Church 434, 590, 651, 
823. 

Unitarian Society 804 

Unitarian Vestry 458 

United States . . . 463, 568, 669 
United States Bank. . 506, 660 
United States Census .... 627 
United States Congress . . 663 
United States, Direct Tax 

of 1798 628 

United States Geological 

Survey 643, 646 

United States Government 670 
United States Worsted Com- 
pany 670, 671 

University Hall, Cambridge 674 
Upham — 

Clement 752 

Clement Mrs 369 

E. A. Mrs 369 

Elmira W 762 

Geo. H 762 

Luther C 240 

Upton — 

Abiel 271 

Jabez 175 

Upton 223 

Usher. John 133. 153 

Utrecht, Peace of 624 

Utrecht, Treaty of 138 

Valley Forge 365 

Van Scot, Louisa Clark . . 762 
Varney, Fred E. (Dr.) 597, 
604, 805. 



884 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Vaknum, Varnham, Vabnam — 

A. C 507, 533 

Atkinson C 765 

Benjamin 497 

Bradley 475, 497 

Edna 457 

James 362, 457, 497 

Jeremiah 457 

Jonathan 497 

Joseph 152, 156 

Joseph Bradley (Capt.) 272, 
285, 294, 362, 497. 

Justice Mr 273 

Lucretia 457 

Nehem 164 

Parker . . 366, 457, 497, 583 

Parker, Jr 457 

Samuel 60, 90, 113, 122, 131, 
133, 135, 410, 411, 431, 
432, 531, 535, 536, 538, 
616. 

Varro 592 

Vabsall (Major) 789 

Vause, John T 389 

Veazie, Samuel 681 

Venezuela 669 

Vermont 449, 452, 453, 484, 

501, 502. 
Vernon, Edward (Admiral) 156 

Vesper Country Club 508 

ViALLO, John 412, 534 

Village Improvement Asso- 
ciation 459, 587, 594, 820, 
832. 

ViNAL 

Fred 1 605 

George A. W 373 

Vincent — 

J. H. (Rev.) 705 

J. N. (Rev.) 715 

Vine Brook 633 

Virgin — 

Ebenr 152, 153 

Samuel H 707 

Virginia 368, 465, 571, 613 

Virginia Meadows . . . 633, 811 

VOSB — 

George L 502 

James 288 

Vhylinq, Margaret 774 

Wachusett (Mountain) 630, 
646, 814. 

Wadell, John 60, 618 

Wadsworth (Capt.) 85 

Waite, Wait, Watt — 

Eleutheria 809 

John 122 

Susan L 745 

Wake (Archbishop) 797 

Wakefield, Ebenezer 260, 349 

Walcott, Charles H 203 

Waldo, Waldoe, Waldow, 
Walldow — 
Cornelius 19, 26, 39, 60, 90, 
95, 128, 404, 512, 517, 
630, 552, 611, 612, 613, 
417, 752, 755, 756, 811, 
829 

Daniel 52, 53, 134, 399 

John. . 94, 95, 115, 399, 536 

Jona 157 

Mr 430 

Rebecca 95 

Rebecca (Adams) 399 

Susanna (Adams) 399 

Waldo Genealogy 613 

Waldo's Mill 665 

Waldron, Walden, Rich- 
ard (Major) 99, 120, 126, 
129, 130, 539. 



Walker — „,„ 

Abbott 248 

Abial 248, 809 

Abiel (Abbott) 809 

Benjamin (Capt.) 193, 195, 
198, 200, 201, 207, 231, 
233, 234, 236, 237, 247, 
248, 249, 286, 292, 349, 
354, 355, 361, 550, 570, 
590, 622, 679, 713, 809. 
Dai-id 247, 248, 249. 273, 
274, 277, 278, 279, 349, 
354, 360, 809. 

Eliakim 249, 809 

Ephraim 248, 809 

Ephraim, Jr 809 

Ezekiel 809 

Hannah 809 

Hannah (Frost) 809 

J. Winfield (Rev.) 707 

James (Rev.) 707 

Joanna (Ditson) 809 

John .... 135, 153, 430, 531 
John Wesley (Rev.) ... 707 

Joseph 172, 248, 809 

Melvin 604 

Moses 157, 158 

Mrs. (Benjamin) 237 

Reuben 160 

Rhoda 248, 809 

Richard 808 

Sampson 550, 809 

Samuel 809 

Susanna 809 

Susanna (Baldwin) 809 

Thankful (Pierce) . . 550, 809 

William 809 

Zacheus 809 

Wallace — 

Cranmore 563 

O. C. S. (Rev.) 706 

William 391 

Walnut HiU 633 

Walpole, New Hampshire 261, 
803. 

Walsh, John 389 

Waltham . . 211, 486, 794, 826 
Walton — 

Isaac 175 

John 211 

Wamesit Wamaset, Wamas- 
sett, Wamassick, Wame- 
set, Wamesick, Wemiset, 
Weymesit, Waymesitt 4, 6, 
7, 33, 34, 41, 74, 75, 78, 
79, 80, 81, 83, 93, 98, 102, 
104, 105, 106, 113, 116, 
123, 126, 145, 154, 468, 
469, 471, 473, 511, 512, 
514, 518, 522, 523, 525, 
538, 540, 541, 611, 638, 
786, 832, 833. 
Wamesit Falls 75, 78, 486, 516, 
517, 635. 

"Wamesit Field" 516 

Wamesit Indians 99, 100, 101, 
102, 103, 105, 109, 110. 
113, 125, 393, 433, 513, 
514, 522, 524, 538, 629, 
833. 
Wamesit Land or Lands 516, 

529. 
Wamesit Meadow or 

Meadows 519, 520, 521, 
634. 
Wamesit Meeting House 

Hill 519. 633 

Wamesit Neck 474, 515, 530 
Wamesit Praying Indians . 99 
Wamesit Proprietors' Re- 
cords 541 



Wamesit Purchase 474, 481. 
511. 512, 513, 514, 517, 
522, 523, 540. 541, 542, 
632. 
Wamesit Purchase, The 
Names of the First 

Proprietors of 517 

Wamesit Stake 7, 523 

Wampampeag (Indian shell 

money) 407 

Wampannooun 33 

Wampanoags 84 

Wamsdtta (Alexander) ... 84 
Wannalancet, Wanalan- 

SET, WaNALAUNSET, 
WONOLANSET, EvANA- 

LAN8ET 30, 77, 79, 81. 82, 
83, 96, 100, 101. 104, 
106, 107, 119, 120, 124, 
125, 126, 127, 614. 535. 
538. 
Wannalancet, Death of . . 136 

Wannipposokick 75, 107 

War, Board of 214 

War, CivU (The RebeUion) 368, 

565. 
War Department, Wash- 
ington, D. C 550 

War, Mexican 367 

War of 1812 367, 376, 506 

War of the Revolution (See 
Revolution) . 

War with Spain 367 

Ward — 

Anthony 708 

Artemas (Gen.) 215, 217, 
225, 246, 356, 366. 467. 

Elizabeth 356 

Lafayette 713 

Nellies 458 

Patrick 708 

Patrick S 603, 605 

Willie CUfford 753 

Ward 364 

Ward Place, John 436 

Ward's Corner 438 

Ware — 

H. E 692 

Joseph 391 

Warlet, John 588 

"Warning out in N. E." 

(Benton) 579 

Warren, Waben. Waring — 

AmosC 753 

Anna 752 

Arthur 40, 55 

Arthur M. . . . 589, 598, 603 

Augustus 389 

Benjamin 170, 183, 244, 254, 
350, 622, 761, 787. 

Charles Everett 752 

(Commodore) 157 

Daniel Emerson 752 

(Deacon) 556 

E. H. Mrs 234, 458 

Edwin H. 238. 240, 458, 459, 
460, 464, 539, 564, 584. 
588. 589. 594, 598, 601, 
686, 716, 753, 765, 766, 
767, 821. 

Ephraim 168, 753 

Esther Carlton 753 

Etta A 753 

Ezra 300 

Frances 588 

George Manning 752 

Isaac 165, 171, 174, 183, 215, 
239, 360, 621, 752. 

J. E. Mrs 611 

Jacob 40, 45, 46, 60, 65, 89, 
135, 404, 578, 617, 755. 



INDEX OF NAMES 



885 



Warren — 

Jacob, Jr 135 

James 210, 213, 236 

Jeduthan 260, 262, 350, 352 
Jeremiah .360, 361, 362, 752 

Joanna 752 

John 164, 165, 166, 169, 175, 
759 

John,'jr 171. 173 

John C 562 

Joseph 563, 753 

Joseph (Capt.) 209, 213, 220, 
238, 283, 294, 298, 350, 
355, 545, 547, 609, 621, 
699, 752, 760, 761. 
Joseph (Deacon) 39, 86, 150, 
398, 431, 539, 752, 758, 
Joseph (General) 216, 231, 

246 252 291 
Joseph (Lieut.) 238, 281, 483, 

682, 752, 762. 
Joseph, Jr. ... 584 589, 753 
Joseph E. 38, 39, 47, 459, 
539, 586, 589, 593, 686, 
767, 824. 

Julia Elizabeth 753 

M. A .599 

Martha C 753 

Martha Carlton 753 

Mary Ann 300 

Mary Spalding 753 

Miriam 706, 753 

Nathan Carleton 753 

Rachel 752, 753 

Rebecca Spalding 738 

Ruth 539 

S. D 582 

Saml 157 

Sarah 752 

Sybil 752 

Thomas 212 

Warren Avenue 90, 435, 440, 
598, 663. 

Warren Homestead 398 

Warren, Joseph, House . . 47 
Warren, Massachusetts (See 

Western) 154, 518 

Warren Street 486 

Warren's Grove 435 

Warwick Neck 268, 269 

Warwickshire, England . . 629 

Washer, Elizabeth 753 

Washington, George (Gen- 
eral and President) 199, 
235, 239, 251, 281, 295, 
300, 795, 815. 

Washington, Mass 261 

Washington Street 412, 437, 
534, 840. 

Watatio 646 

Waterford, Maine 804 

Waterhouse, Mrs 788 

Waterloo, Battle of 398 

Waterman, Mr 784 

Waters — 

Mr. (Rev.) 239, 792 

Wilson (Rev.) 459, 586, 603, 
713, 715, 720, 820, 822, 
824. 
Watertown 4, 9, 123, 142, 211, 
216, 224, 225, 232, 244, 
253, 254, 290, 532. 
Wathbn, Charles B. (Rev.) 716 
Watson — 

Harriet L 752 

Hiram P 391 

Walters 767 

William P 752 

Wattill, John 121 

Watts' Hymns 683 

Weatherby, John 350 



Weathersfield 261, 272 

Webb, John (alias Evered) 41, 
82, 83, 375, 412, 420, 495, 
533, 534, 535, 754, 810, 
832, 836. 

Webb's Ferry, John 812 

Webber, Weber — 

Alden S 391 

Asa H 240 

Frederick W. (Rev.) ... 686 

John 353 

Mertie 752 

Thomas 360 

William H 389 

Webster — 

Angie M 753 

Daniel 504 

E. F 402 

E. F. Mrs 369 

Eli F. 686, 753, 764, 765 

H. Georgie 753 

James 174 

Louisa A 753 

(Professor) 564 

Roxanna 753 

Stephen 408 

"Week on the Concord and 

Merrimack (Thoreau) 817 
Weir's De Praestigiis Dae- 

monum 571 

Weittaquatinnusk, Sarah 833 
Welch, Welsh — 

Daniel 353 

James 375 

John 93, 249, 389 

Patrick 391 

Weld — 

Thomas 414, 553 

Thomas (Rev.) ... 131, 553 
Wellington, Alice J. ... 585 

Wellington, Duke of 489 

Wells, G. R. M. (Rev.) . . 702 

Welstead, Wm 777 

Wendall — 

(Col.) 839 

Jacob 788, 790 

Wenham 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 22, 
23, 26, 39, 40, 73, 85, 174, 
531, 717, 769. 

Wenmore, Thomas 93 

Wentworth — 

Frederick M 752 

LydiaE 752 

Moses C 389 

Wepocositt, Wibecusit 101, 109, 

825. 
Wesley — 

John (Rev.) 697 

Charles (Rev.) 697 

Wesson (Lieut.) 188 

West Boylston 441 

West Chelmsford 50, 367, 376, 
4,36, 437, 438, 451, 510, 
556, 595, 601, 658, 671, 
672, 673, 707, 720. 
(See West Village.) 
West Chelmsford Ceme- 
tery 373, 720 

West Chelmsford Union 

Church 707 

West Congregational So- 
ciety of Dracut 682 

West Edward 389 

"West End". . 39, 45, 134, 135 
West Indies 85, 156, 157, 564, 
568. 

West Newbury 485 

West Pine Street 559, 560 

West Point 228, 274 

West Village . . . 588, 805, 821 
Western 154, 363 



Western Society of Middle- 
sex Husbandmen, The 464 
Westford, Wesford, Wex- 
ford 4, 5, 7, 29. 30, 43, 44, 
46, 58. 142, 144. 164, 166, 
176, 178, 212, 218, 219, 
221, 238, 261, 264, 265, 
266, 267. 268, 272, 278, 
357, 376, 377, 392, 393. 
4l8, 435. 436. 447, 464. 
. 468, 469, 472, 473, 474, 
477, 495, 506, 524, 531, 
552. 558. 619. 021. 622. 
626. 631, 633. 634. 635 
638. 644, 648, 649, 650. 
655, 656, 657. 659. 672. 
681. 694. 695, 699, 700, 
701, 703, 708. 709, 804, 
814. 
Westford Academy. . . 804, 808 
Westford Corner 44, 60, 436, 
672. 

Westford Depot 554 

Westford Granite 643 

Westford Hill 5 

Westford, History of 433, 632, 

699, 700. 
Westford Line 434, 4.35, 436, 

437, 438, 634. 
Westford Road 8. 12, 43, 434, 
435, 436, 439, 452. 

Westford Square 435 

Westford Street 42, 396, 438, 
440, 470, 525, 526, 527, 
528, 649. 
West Greenwich, Conn. . . . 212 

Westlands 435, 440, 663 

Westminster 261 

Westmoreland 261 

Weston 211 

Weston, Samuel .... 500. 503 

Wethered's Tavern 840 

Wetmobe. J. C. 664, 666, 713 

Weymouth HO 

Whall, William, 3d 408 

Wheeler, Wheleb — 

James 279, 280 

Jefferson 408 

Jonathan B 752 

Joseph 616 

(Lieut.) 42 

Otis P 586, 588, 603 

Rhoda 762 

Ruth 86 

Thomas (Capt.) 82, 86, 94, 
95, 110, 115, 118, 533, 536 

William M 367 

Wheelock — 

Jonathan 350 

Mary A. P 300 

Wheelwright, Mr 839 

Whelan, Wheland — 

Francis A 391 

Philip 389. 819 

Whidden. George W 588 

Whipple — 

Joseph 656 

Oliver M 407. 486, 563 

Whipple, Hale and Tile- 
stone 818 

Whipple House 398 

Whipple's Mills 486 

Whitchek, Charles F. . . . 390 
Whitcomb, Whetcomb — 

John 253 

Josiah 477 

White — 

B 253. 264 

Charles E 391 

Ebenezer 211 

J. H 594 



886 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



White — 

Jemima '75 

John 792, 812 

Mark 701 

Mary 701 

Mary, 2d 701 

William 839 

White Horse Tavern .... 442 
White Mountains 630, 646, 671 
White Plains, N. Y. 271, 274, 
355, 548, 590, 828. 

White's Ferry 812 

Whitbfield, George (Rev.) 
696, 697, 698, 700, 779, 785 

Whitfield, W 240 

Whiting — 

Amos 510 

EUzabeth 70 

Phineas 175, 252. 407, 475, 
485, 486, 487, 561, 581, 
682, 829. 

Samuel 70, 351 

William 351 

Whitlock. Rose 246 



Whitman — 

Bernard 593 

George H 766 

Whitnkt — 

Amos 485, 762, 763 

James F 753 

Jonas 260 

Josiah 268, 269, 476 

OUver, Jr 497 

Salmon 265, 267 

Samuel 260, 353 

Whittakbr, Jno. . . . 135, 531 
Whittemobe, Whitemore — 

Benja 270 

BerniceC 753 

F. J 663 

Gideon 752 

Jos 152 

Pellitiah 171, 175 

WiUiam, Jr 439 

Whittemore Farm 448 

Whittier — 

John Greenleaf 641 

John H 390 

Whitworth (Doctor) . . . 233 
Wianenset (Indian) .... 83 

WiBBKR, Amy 284 

Wicassee, Wickisuck, Wico- 
suche, Wekesoak, Weik- 
eset Falls . . 486, 508, 509 
Wicassee Island 82, 83, 101, 

508, 511, 535. 
Wicassee Lock and Canal. 508 
Wicasset, Maine 795, 797, 798, 
799. 

Wickasauke Works 667 

Widford, County of Hert- 
ford, England 834 

WiER, Wyer — 

Ester (Kidder) 814 

Jeremiah 351, 352, 354, .360, 
814. 
WiQoiNS. J. E. (Rev.) ... 702 
Wiqhtman. H. W. B. 373, 588, 
591, 666, 765. 

Wigwam Swamp 633 

Wilder, Rebecca 752 

Wilderness, Rattle of the. . 819 

Wildes and Hosmer's 441 

Wiles, Wildes, Ivory 265, 267 
WiLKEH, John 799 

WiLKEY or WiLKINO, 

Henry 391 

WiLKiNH, Orrin 483 

WiLKi.seoN, Thorn 122 



WiLLARD 

Aaron 178 

Elijah 64 

Ehzabeth 473 

J 156, 159 

John 366, 572 

Joseph 794 

Josiah 159, 160, 161 

(Rev.) 676 

Simon 4, 6, 13, 75, 82, 84. 
94, 97, 100, 101, 103, 105, 
108, 110. 111. 112, 116, 
123, 149. 473, 536. 

WiLLEY. Sarah 142 

William, King 127, 138, 207, 
.575, 612, 613. 

WiUiam. King III 412 

William and Mary, Char- 
ter of 771 

Williams — 

Benjamin 260, 351 

C. W. (Rev.) 702, 822 

Dorothy 793 

Everett C 377 

J. F 204 

Jacob 260, 351 

John 153, 171, 390 

Jonathan .... 204, 783. 792 
Joseph ...183. 184, 185, 187 

Josiah 266, 268 

Seth 669 

Simeon 265, 267 

Williams, Bird & Co. 601. 659 
Williamsburg 261, 650 



Willis — 

J. H 240 

Zachariah 351. 355 

WiLLOUGHBY, Blanch S. . 753 

WiLLSTEBD, Charles 588 

Wilmington 211, 442, 490, 500, 

502, 506, 840. 
Wilson, Willson — 

Abigail ^5 

Abigail (Johnson) 242 

Charles B 390 

Ephraim 351. 352 

George B 390 

Hannah 453. 529 

Horace W 376. 377 

John 152 

John H 408. 841 

Joseph 158. 257, 287. 288. 

352 
Leonard 257, 289, 352, 621 

Moses C 594, 753 

Moses C, Jr 408 

Samuel 256, 257, 258. 272. 
352, 355, 621. 

Samuel, Jr 294 

Simeon 366 

Stephen 361 

Supply C 829 

William T 373 

Woodrow 190. 828 

Wilson Block 402 

Wilson Cottages 435 

Wilson Street 435 

Wilton, Maine 139 

Wiltshire, England. . . 246, 535 

Winch, Francis 408 

Winchester, Benj. . 266, 268 

Windsor 126, 634 

Windsor. Vermont . . 501, o02 
Winn, Wynn — 

Edw 152 

Eliza F 714, 770 

George P 714 

Joseph 91. 701 

Mary Bridge 780 

Mary J 714 



Winn— 

Saml 152 

The Misses 369, 714 

Timothy 780 

Winn House 569 

Winnepesaukee Lake . 75, 107 

Winning, Wining — 

John 257.288,353 

Walter R 767 

WiNSHIP 

Abel 249 

Marcus H 829 

WiUiam 266, 268 

WiNSLOW 

John (Col.) 165,543 

John 162, 782, 839 

Sarah Tyng 782 

Winslow's Journal, Massa- 
chusetts Historical Col- 
lection 543 

Winsor 156 

Winter HiU 293 

"Wintersnight Tale, A" . . 448 
Winthbop — 

Deane 74 

John (Gov.) 15, 74, 84, 514 

J 254 

James 506, 792 

Margaret 74, 514 

Waite (Major) 128 

Winthrop Farm 474. 623 

Winthrop Meadow 514 

WiswALL, John 31 

WiTE, WiUiam 390 



Wkqueakussennum , 

Thomas 833 

Woourn, Woborn, Wooborn. 
Wooburne.Ooburne 1.3,4, 
9, 11, 27,35,39.45.73.74. 
75. 85. 95. 114, 117, 118, 
142, 143, 182, 183, 184. 



?10, 


211, 


215, 


238, 


246, 


?48, 


283, 


432, 


442, 


473. 


.500 


.502, 


503. 


505, 


506, 


532 


.541, 


562, 


579, 


638. 


675, 


677, 


688, 


780, 


802. 



809, 840. 

Woburn Precinct 222 

Wolfe, James (Genl.) .... 201 

Wood — „„„ 

Abijah 260 

Betsey '99 

EUakim 497 

George S 664 

Samuel 457. 705. 720 

Samuel F 475,479.589 

Sarah 45T 

Simeon 171 

Solomon 260. 352 

Stephen 172 

Susan '5r 

Will, Senr 121 

WilUam F 373 

Wood HaU 705 

Wood Street 42, 397, 437. 479, 
537, 547, 813. 

Woodhead — 

WiU 616 

WiUiam 60, 89 

Woodman — 

Miles 390 

WiUiam 391 

WOODia, WOODYS — 

(Brigadier) 792 

Henry (Capt.) 94. 110, 755 

Samuel 354 

Wooob, Henry 669 



INDEX OF NAMES 



887 



Woodward, Woodard — 

Daniel 93 

Heman 753 

Horace W 588 

Jonathan 260, 262, 353 

Ruth 753 

Watson 829 

WOBCESTER 

George 764 

Mr. (Rev.) 788 

Osgood 475, 492, 493 

Worcester Academy 804 

Worcester and Chelmsford 

Stage 441 

Worcester County 179, 362, 

364, 474. 651, 792. 
Worcester, Mass. 84, 85, 179. 
229, 356, 363, 364, 441, 
780, 788, 792. 826. 
Worden — 

Charles Mrs 588 

George 471 

"World's Turned Upside 

Down, The" 300 

WORTHEN 

E«ra 486, 488 

Misa 458 

Moses P 752 

Worthen House 396 

Worthen Street 12, 38, 299. 

396. 397. 435. 

Worthen Street Church ... 706 

WORTHINQTON. W. A. 

(Rev.) 702 

WOIENCROFT, WOSEN- 

CROFT, John ... 396, 663 



Wran. Nirah 175 

Wren (Sir Christopher) . . 689 

Wrentham 85 

Wright — 

Alex 457 

Calvin T 753 

Clarence Flanders 753 

(Col.) 426 

E C . 598 

EbeneieV 46,' 134.' I'si," 531. 
553. 554. 558. 

Eliza A 753 

George M 598. 663 

GUbert 802 

Henry 152 

Jefferson 372 

Joel B 753, 763 

John 41,43, 59, 89. 121, 134. 
153, 257, 289, 430. 512. 
530, 531, 532, 554. 616. 
755. 757, 836. 

Jno. Mrs 552 

Jonathan 152, 370, 371, 375, 
390, 763. 

Joseph 134, 531, 554 

Josiah 152, 265, 267 

Justice 364 

Louise P 752 

Marthah 753 

Nabby (AbigaU) 752 

Nathaniel 475, 487. 489, 562. 
669. 763. 808. 

Oliver 171, 173, 175 

Otis D 588 

S. T 829 

Samuel T. 587, 588, 765, 766 



Wrioht — 

Sarah 753 

Silas 174 

Thomas 266, 268 

Wm 174. 175 

Zacheus (Capt.) 200, 212, 

238, 272, 285, 621, 699. 
Zacheus 752 

Wright Street 437 

WuTTAANNOH, Sam 833 

Wt.*.tt, George 93 

Wyman — 

Eliphaz 176 

Seth (Ensign) 154 

Jeffries (Prof.) 563, 564 

Mathew 158 

MorriU (Dr.) 563 

Rufus (Dr.) 563. 763. 802, 803 

Wymondham, Norfolk 

County, England ... 794 

Wtthe, John 807 

Yale Herbarium 651 

Yellow Tavern House, Old 422, 

485. 

(Old YeUow House) . . 485 

York 795 

Yorkshire, England 569 

Yorktown, Va 300 

YOUNQ 

L. A 595 

Sally Ann 752 

Samuel E.C 761 

"Zadmuck," (Tadmuck) . . 489 



INDEX OF TOPICS 



Abatement 122, 283, 700, 810, 

815. 

Academy at Andover 799 

Academy at Augusta. Me. 799 
Academy at Bridgeton, Me. 804 
Academy at Chelmsford . 564, 

566, 567. 

Academy at Groton 804 

Academy at Westford 804, 815 
Academy at Wiacasset 797, 808 
Acadians 167fF, 813, 826, 827 
Accoutrement of Soldiers 87, 

88, 219, 265. 

Acreage 626 

Address to Church 24 

Agricultural Societies 463 

Agriculture 418, 449. 450, 463, 

663. 

Alarm Lists 244, 247 

Alarm Lists, Equipment 

for 200, 255 

Amusements 459, 479 

Amusements, Lack of . . . . 464 
Amusing Incidents . 97ff, 427 

Anecdotes 395, 427 

Apparel 405 

Apples 420 

Apprentices 415 

Armor-bearer 784 

Armor Used in Indian Wars 657 
Assistants, Court of. . 574, 830 

Bake and Brew 8, 417, 420, 451 

Ballot-box Stuffed 406 

Baptists 681, 693, 697, 699, 

700flf. 
Barn and House Moving 542, 

787. 
Barn and House Raising 542, 

787. 
Beans and Brownbread 418, 

451. 

Bears 426 

Beer 406, 419, 420 

Bees 451 

Beginning, The 1 

Bells .48, 679, 680, 681, 685, 

687, 688. 

Benefit of Clergy 571 

Bible in Public Worship, 

Reading of 239, 679, 771, 

788, 789, 790. 

Bills of Credit 622 

Birds 452. 453 

Blackbirds 431 

Blacksmiths 2.56, 348, 352, 396, 

415, 579, 656, 6.'>7, 663, 

693, 704. 776, 790, 793, 

811, 814. 

Blood Farms, The 7, 473 

Bog Ore 51, 649, 656, 657, 818 
Bond for Soldiers' Pay .... 279 
Borrowing of Private 

Individuals 419, 599 

Boston, French Prisoners 

in 839 

Boston, Letters from 233, 364, 

676. 
Boston Massacre 193 



Boston People in Chelms- 
ford 207. 298 

Boston, Port of, Closed. . . 193 
Boston Prison 233, 413, 574, 

576, 839. 
"Boston Tea Party" . 193, 299 

Botany 643, 651 

Bounds, Town 4, 5, 6, 7. 29, 

33, 34, 468£f, 577, 634. 
Bounties . . . 214, 275, 284, 295 
Bounties for Scalps and 

Indians (See Scalps) . . 432 
Bounties, Men not on Rolls 

Who Received 354 

Bows and Arrows . . . 88, 216 

Boy Scouts 459 

Bridges 494ff 

Brooks 633, 635 

Buckles 547 

Bullets, Running 281 

Bunker Hill, Battle of 225, 550, 

843. 
Bunker Hill Centennial . . 240ff 
Bunker Hill, Chelmsford 

Men at 248, 355 

Bunker Hill, First Shot at 231 
Bunker Hill, Losses at. . . . 233 
Bunker Hill, Significance of 241 
Bunker Hill, Things Lost 

at 232, 323, 844 

Burgoyne, Surrender of. . 238, 

263, 291. 
Burning of Houses ... 113, 394 

Burying Cloth 676 

Burying Grounds 716, 

842. 

Canals 499ff 

Candle Moulds 783 

Candle Wood 403 

Cannon at North Village . . 595 
Carriage Manufactory .... 633 

Carting 444fi 

Cartridge Boxes 248, 288, 289 
Catechism 23, 405, 692, 798, 800 
Catechizing ... 18, 25, 26, 405 
Cattle 422, 423, 424, 444, 527 

Cattle, Herding of 54ff 

Cattle, Horned, to Soldiers 214. 
295. 

Causeway 519, 812 

Cemeteries (See Burying 

Grounds.) 
Centre Village (See Index 

of Names.) 
Certificate of Disability . . . 289 
Chaises, Chairs 392, 619, 783, 

791, 839, 840. 
Changes in the Town 465, 473 

Charles I, Charter of 72 

Charles I, Death of 825 

Charles II, Accession of. . 64 
Charter. . 64, 127, 128, 201, 811 

Charter of 1629 72 

Charter of 1692 201, 207 

Chelmsford Declares Satis- 
faction in Present 
Government 64, 127, 128, 
810. 



Chelmsford, Description of 392, 

634. 
Chelmsford Incorporation 13, 

75. 
Chelmsford, Losses at 121, 122, 

826. 
Chelmsford, Occupations 

in 674 

Chelmsford, Origin of Name 14, 

833, 834. 
Chelmsford, Part of. Burned 85 

110, 113, 538, 826. 
Chelmsford, Settlement of 1, 7, 

8, 75, 392, 524. 
Chelmsford, Spelling of 

Name 638 

Chelmsford Farms, Relief 

of 131, 474 

Chelmsfordite 661 

Children Taken by Indians 131, 

531, 814. 

Chimney Sweeps 595 

Cherokee Steers 444 

Christening Bason ...... 681 

Christmas, Law Forbidding 

Celebration of . . 406, 406 
Church, Additional Mem- 
bers 2efr 

Church, Gathering of ... . 9ff 

Church and State 697 

Church and Town, Separa- 
tion of : 683 

Churches 676 

Chyrurgeon 105, 114, 139, 291 

Cider 395, 417, 418, 420 

Cider at Ordination 681 

Cider MiUs 417, 418, 420, 460, 
452 

Civil List 754 

Classical School 563, 564 

Clav 637 

Clergy, Influence of . 15, 202 
Clock. Village, Chelmsford 

Centre 594 

Clocks 403 

Clubs in Meeting House 61, 88 

Cofifee 420 

Colonies, Confederation of 579, 

811. 
Colors, Putting out the. . . 409 
Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military, of 
John Butterfield ... 153 
Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military, of 
John Ford.. 252, 253, 254 
Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military, of 
Joseph Parker ...... 151 

Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military, of 
Moses Parker ....... 230 

Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military, of 
Jonathan Spauldinp . 172 
Commissions and Appoint- 
ments, Military 85, 86, 
127, 128, 130, 228, 294, 
362, 367, 432, 454. 



INDEX OF TOPICS 



889 



Committee of Correspond- 
ence 195. 197, 198. 199, 
203, 205. 208, 209, 213, 
214, 215, 281, 607, 827. 
Committee of Correspond- 
ence, Definition of . . . 827 
Committee of Inspection 200, 

207, 209. 215. 
Committee of Safety 1. 28, 191, 

209, 216, 217, 222, 827. 
Common Land .... 49, 54. 55 
Common Land, Division of 49. 

811. 
Common Land, Fencing of 54 

Concord Fight 216. 828 

Concord Fight, Chelmsford 

Men at 354 

Confederation of Colonies 579, 

811. 
Connecticut, Migration to . 64 
Constables and Assessors, 

Vote to Defend 207 

Constitution 213, 214, 215. 

239, 693. 793. 
Contributions for Army 293, 

368. 
Controversies, Religious 15, 

455, 685, 690, 694, 771. 
Convention at Concord .. . 215 

Coopers 164, 256, 445, 814 

Cordwainers 164, 165, 255, 

256, 309, 529. 
Corn Mills (See Gri.st MiUs.) 
Correspondence, Commit- 
tee of (See Committee.) 
Cotton Mills 485, 4S6, 489, 
490, 491. 

Council for Safety 128 

Counterfeit Money 215 

Court, Great and General . 830 
Court of Assistants. . 574, 830 
Court, Supreme, of Judica- 
ture 574, 830 

Courts, Indian 78, 832 

Covenant 27. 691 

Covenant, Halfway 691 

Crane 595 

Crows 431flf 

Curfew 681 

Currency (See Money.) 

Dancing . . .456, 457, 458, 479 

Dark Dav 641 

Deaf, School for the 582 

Death of Chelmsford Men 

in the Civil War 819 

Death of Chelmsford Men 

in the Province Wars . 189 
Death of Chelmsford Men 

in the Revolution .... 355 
Death of Wannalancit .... 136 
Declaration of Independ- 
ence 209, 238 

Deer Reeves 423, 812 

Depreciation (See also 

Money) 214, 295, 296, 779, 
796, 817. 
"Description of New Eng- 
land" 73 

Deserters 305, 309, 315, 320, 
322, 334, 379, 384, 385, 
390. 
Development of the Town 46, 
465, 473ff, 489, 671. 

Dials 49, 403 

Diary of John Adams 14 

Diary of Simon Bradstreet 535 

Diary of Ebenezer Bridge 190, 

223, 235. 298, 355, 363, 

543, 544, 639, 640. 641. 784 

Diary of Oliver Corey. ... 176 



Diary of John Evelyn . . . 420 
Diary of Oliver Fletcher 

(Acct. Book) . . . 549, 837 
Diary of Increase Mather 101, 
432. 

Diary of John Pike 147 

Diary of Samuel Sewall 70, 127, 

528. 
Diary, Old Chelmsford ... 464 
Difficulties of the Historian 292 

Dips. Tallow 403 

Discoveries, Early 73, 75 

Disorderly Persona, Com- 
mittee to Deal with . . 465 
Ditch Around Indian Corn- 

Fields 78, 514 

Divine Worship, Compul- 
sory 47, 406 

Divine Worship, JMethods 

of Calling to 48, 409 

Divine Worship, Neglect of 410 
Doctor's Agreement. . 462, 801 

Doctor's Recipes 460 

Doctrinal Discussions (See 

Controversies.) 
Dogs as Foot Warmers 682, 789 
Dogs to Use Against 

Indians 123 

Doga to Use Against 

Wolves 429 

Dogs, Vote to Kill All 815 

"Doing a Turn" 292 

DoUar Sign _ 623 

Drafts and Requisitions 294, 

295. 
Drug-mill 665 

Eagle, The Chelmsford ... 460 
Early Grants of Land (See 

Grants.) 
Early lU Behavior 59, 411, 465, 

530. 

Early Recollections 467 

Earthquakes . . . 639, 640, 788 
East and West India Goods 229, 

781. 

East Village 485 

Engine-men 407 

English and West India 

Goods 490 

Enlistment Papers 257, 287, 

288, 293. 

Ensign— 2d Lieut 89 

Episcopal Church 711, 712. 715 
Equipment of Soldiers (See 

Accoutrement.) 
Estate of Ebenezer Bridge 783 

Estate of His Father 784 

Exchange of Land 31ff, 629 

Execution on Judgment 

Against Town . . 496, 577 

Expenses, Town 627, 628 

Extension of Land 29, 473 

Factory Life, Early 491 

Families Driven Away by 

Calamity 137 

Farm, Winthrop 523 

Farming (See Agriculture) 418 
Farming Life, Monotony of 464 
Farms About Merrimack 474, 

536. 
Female Operatives, Con- 
dition of 491 

Fence Viewers 423 

Fences 56 

Ferry, Abbott's 481, 812 

Ferry, Ansart's 813 

Ferry, Bradley's 484, 485, 498. 

812. 
Ferry, Brown's 485, 497 



Ferry, Clark's 480, 484, 498, 
812, 813. 

Ferry, Hamblet'a 813 

Ferry, Hildreth's 812 

Ferry, Hinchman's 813 

Ferry. Hunt's 481. 484. 498. 

812 813 

Ferry, Webb's 533, 812 

Ferry, White's 812 

Field Drivers 423 

Financial Matters 622 

Fine for Absence from 

Town Meeting 13 

Fine for Abusive Language 413 
Fine for Cattle Damage 

Feasant 412, 413, 422, 423 
Fine on Drafted Men .... 275 
Fine for Failure to Make 

Returns 413, 811 

Fine for not Sending Votes 810 
Fine for Stuffing Ballot 

Box, Etc 406 

Fine for Unchaste Conduct 412 
Fine for Want of a School- 
master 553, 813 

Fine for Want of Schools 552, 

553 554 

Fire Buckets 407, 409 

Fire District 597 

Fire Wards 407, 408 

First Settlers (See Settlers.) 
First Shot at Bunker Hill 226, 

23 Iff. 
Rsh 75. 79, 420fiF, 520, 524, 

554, 784, 785, 786, 838. 
Fishing Grounds of Indians 3 
Fiske, Rev. John, Children 

of 18 

Fiske, Rev. John, Letter of 

Introduction 15 

Fiske, Rev. John, Mather's 

Account of 16ff 

Fiake, Rev. John, Town 

Grant to 19 

Flintlocks 87 

Food 419, 425 

Foot Stoves . . . 595, 789, 682 
Fortifications, Line of ... 123 

Foxes 431 

Freeman's Oath 404 

Freemen 404 

Frocks 451 

Frontier Towns 1, 86 

Frontier Towns, Defence 

of 131, 135, 138, 150 

Frontier Towns, Prohibi- 
tion Concerning 135 

Fulling MiU 51, 485, 662 

Funeral, Account of 544ff, 690 
Funeral, Carriages at .... 815 
Funeral, Gloves at (See 

Gloves.) 
Furniture 402 

Gale, September 642 

Garrison Houses 67, 90ff, 108, 
110, 112, 116, 123. 130, 
134. 507. 531, 664, 841. 

Garrison Soldiers, Credited 

at Chelmsford 92 

Garrison Soldiers, Dis- 
missed . . • 120 

Gentleman Soldier 

(McKawes) 330 

Geology 643 

Gifts to the Parson 189, 239, 
784, 787. 801. 

Glass 22, 393, 484, 618, 663 

Glass Manufactory 4, 483, 484, 
663. 

Glasiers 678 



890 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Glebe or Ministry Land 19, 792, 

812, 814. 817. 
Glebe or Ministry Land, 

Sale of 684 

Glovea at Funerals 544, 545, 

814. 

Gloves at Weddings 782 

Governor, Votes for in 1780, 

1781, 1782 215 

Grange 464 

Granite 506, 589, 637, 650, 673, 

674. 

Grants 1, 49, 50 

Grants, Additional 29 

Grants, Committee to Lay 

Out 4 

Grants, Description of 4, 5, 6, 7 

Grants, Early 72 

Grants to Samuel Adams 35, 

835. 
Grants to Thomas Hench- 
man 108 

Grants to Margaret Win- 

throp 74 

Grants. Various 577, 578, 579 
Great Awakening, The . . . 697 

Great Brook Settlers 45 

Grist Mills 35, 50, 51, 52, 53, 

485. 662, 664, 665, 784, 

835. 
Groton, Removals to ... . 28 



Hat Factory 479, 483 

Haystack and Barn Burned 98, 

99, 102, 432, 538, 826. 
Headquarters at Cambridge, 

1775 224, 246 

Hearse 817 

Hedgehog 456 

Herding of Cattle 55, 527 

Hills 629 

Historian, Difficulties of. . 292 

Hogreaves 409, 422 

"Hole in the Ground" 577 

Homes 417 

Hops 490 

Horses 56, 423, 424 

Hour Glass 49, 403 

Houses, Construction of 46, 67, 

91, 92, 393ff, 396, 398. 
Houses, Garrison (See Garrison.) 
Houses, Location of. . 37ff, 46 
Houses, Old 12, 67, 299, 393, 

394, 398, 399, 400, 417, 

522, 541. 
Housewright 164, 315, 340, 

344, 348. 



lU Behavior, Early 59, 411, 465, 

530. 

Illiteracy 418, 551 

Illumination of Stoddard 

House 190, 203, 789 

Immigration 1 

Imprisonment for Taxes 608, 

609, 611. 

Incorporation 13, 75 

Indentures 415. 416 

Independence, Declaration 

of 209, 213, 238, 480 

Indians. 75. 432, 596, 632, 826 
Indians as Slaves (See Slaves.) 
Indians as Soldiers 87, 98, 116, 

274. 
Indians, Attempt to Chris- 
tianize 3, 81. 84 

Indians. Bounty for Scalps 

of (See Scalps.) 
Indians' Chapel 78 



Indians, Children Taken 

by 131, 531, 814 

Indians, Conversion of 84, 697 
Indians, Exchange of Land 

With 3, 31, 629 

Indians Keep Sabbath .... 101 

Indians' Land 477 

Indians, Liquors to (See 

Liquor) 75fif, 432fr. 51 Iff, 
524, 826, 83.3. 

Indian Names 638 

Indian Relics 434 

Indians, Trade With 36, 76, 81, 

82. 
Inhabitancy and Warning 

Out 576ff 

Inns and Innholders (See 
Taverns.) 

Inoculation 581, 788 

Inspection. Committee of 

(See Committee.) 
Instructions to Represent- 
atives 193ff, 207 

Itch, The 461, 784 

Jesuits, Banished 406 

Jokes, Practical 456 

Knocker 595 

Land Bank 190, 623 

Land, Committee to Lay 

Out 41 

Land, Common 55 

Land Controversies 5 

Land, Distribution of ... . 49 
Land, Examination of . . . 2 
Land, Exchange of 31, 314, 629 

Land, Extension of 29 

Land Titles 76, 465, 468, 469, 

473, 512, 577. 

Latch String 411, 595 

Latitude and Longitude . . . 629 
Laws and Liberties (See 

Index of Names) 405, 600 

Laws, Old 405 

Lawyers 805 

Letter from a Chyrurgeon . 1 1 
Letters from Chelmsford 110. 

Ill, 119, 205, 208. 
Letter from Gen. Denison . 123 
Letter from James Parker 124 
Letter from Selectmen of 

Cambridge 357 

Letter of Joshua Baldwin . . 392 
Letters of John Betteys 285, 

286. 
Letter of Sarah Bradstrect 446 
Letters of Samuel Chamber- 
lain 446. 447 

Letter of Introduction. 

John Fiske's 15 

Letter of Nathaniel Foster 286 
Letter of Jesse Heywood. 287 
Letters of Hinchman 102, 105. 

129, 130, 166. 
Letters of Hutchinson 203, 780 
Letters of David Jeffries 133, 

206. 
Letter of Capt. Moseley ... 97 
Letters of Numphow and 

John Line 101, 107 

Letter of Moses Parker. . . 233 
Letter of Mo.ses Parker and 

Benjamin Walker ... 233 
Letters of Col. Tyng. . 145, 149 
Letter to Major Waldron. 125 
Letter to Wannalancit. . . 106 
Letter of Gen. Artemaa 

Ward 366 



Letter to Church at 

Chelmsford 23 

Letter to Comm. of Corr., 

Boston 198 

Letter to Mr. Danforth . . 198 
Liberals (See Unitarians.) 

Liberty Pole 373, 589 

Library, Adams 585ff 

Library Celebration 685 

Library, Free Public 584 

Library, North Chelms- 
ford 587ff 

Library, Social 583 

Life of Long Ago 392ff 

Lights (See Street Lights.) 
Lime 447, 636, 649, 650, 66(1, 

661. 
Lines Between Chelmsford 

and Other Towns . . 469ff 
Lines Between English and 

Indians 33ff, 512ff 

Liquor and Longevity . . . 549 
Liquor Licenses 210, 600, 611 

817. 
Liquor to Indians 59, 82, 419, 

524, 530. 
Literary Organizations . . . 458 

Log Chapel 78 

"Long Cause" 519 

Losses at Bunker Hill 232, 844 
Losses at Chelmsford . . . 121ff 



Magistrates Only to Marry 406, 

690. 782. 
Mail Service 238, 442, 456. 466, 

625. 

Mammoth Road 439, 462 

Manufacturing 479, 484, 485, 

486ff. 656. 662. 

Marriages 406, 690 

Mason 576 

Massachusetts Volunteer 

Militia, Company K. 373 
Massachusetts Volunteer 

Militia, Troop F 375 

Massacre, Boston 193 

Matches, Lucifer 595 

Matchlocks 87 

Maverick's Description . . 73 
Meadow Hay Sermons . . . 691 

Meadows 634 

Meeting House of 1660.20, 675 
Meeting House of 1710 . . 676 
Meeting House of 1792 680, 

689, 793, 794, 814. 
Meeting House of 1842.685. 689 
Meeting House Architec- 
ture 689 

Meeting House Bell 48, 680, 

687, 688. 
Meeting House. Clubs in 61, 88 
Meeting House. Description 

of 676, 680. 689 

Meeting House, Order in 678, 

682. 
Meeting House, Private 

Entrances to 47 

Meeting House, Propping 

of 680, 681.682 

Meeting House Raised . . . 794 
Meeting House, Seating the 47, 

677, 678, 689. 
Meeting House, Singing in 679, 

681, 682. 

Memorial Day 375 

Men and Women Sit on 

Opposite Sides . . 678, 689 
Merrimack, Early Dis- 
covery of 73 

Merrimack, Exploration of 75 



INDEX OF TOPICS 



891 



Meteorological and Seis- 

mical Observations . . 639 

Middlesex Canal 454, 500 

Middlesex Convention . . . 200 
Middlesex County Train- 
ing School 699 

Middlesex Resolves 203. 204, 

807. 

Migration to Connecticut 04, 75 

MiHtia 127, 211, 216, 455, 465 

Mills 35, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 

485flf. 578, 636, 656ff, 662, 

787, 789, 790. 

Millstones 58 

Ministers, Early . . 65, 66, 769 
Ministers, Influence of 47, 415 
Ministers, Rates for. . 59, 615 
Ministry or Glebe Land 19, 812, 

814, 817. 
Ministry or Glebe Land, 

Sale of 684 

Minute Men 216, 274 

"Mogginsons" (See Snow- 
shoe Companies) 145 

Money, Counterfeit 215 

Money, Depreciation of 
(See also Deprecia- 
tion) 284, 293, 294, 295, 
296, 622, 624, 779, 796. 
Monument Association . . 588 
Monument Dedication ... 591 
Monument, Notes for Ad- 
dress of R. W. Emer- 
son 592 

Monument, Revolutionary 

588ff, 832, 841. 

"Mow it High" 444 

Muster Fields 455 

Muster, General 791, 792 

Muster Rolls and Lists, 

Indian Wars, 92-95, 115, 
116, 133, 134, 139-144, 
148-153, 156-159, 162-178 
Muster Rolls and Lists, 

Revolutionary... 242-274 



Old Style and New 7, 784, 813, 

838. 

Onesimus Bildam 459 

Opinion of Sec'y Knox .... 235 

Opodeldoc 463 

Orchard 420 

Order 104, 105, 106, 108, 117, 

118, 119, 120, 125, 136, 

145, 176, 366. 
Order, Regimental . . 210, 366 
Order Book of Capt. Ford 251, 

292. 
Order Book of Col. Greene 204 
Order Book of Col. J. B. 

Varnum 285 

Order Book of Gen. Greene 266 
Order of the Colonel 263, 284, 

289, 290. 

Organ, First 771 

Orthography of the Name . 638 
Outcry, Sold at. . 608, 609, 611 



Nails, Value of Handmade 394 

Name, Origin of 14, 15 

Names, Indian 638 

Necessaries of Life (See 

Prices.) 
Neck, Concord River 75, 541, 

632, 678. 
Neck, The 524, 525, 540, 558, 

559. 
Neck, Wame.sit. 474, 515, .530 
Negroes 274, 275, 284, 570, 

627, 786, 790. 
"New England, De.scrip- 

tion of" 73 

Newfield 57, 836 

Newlights 697, 784, 786 

New Style.. 7, 784, 813, 838 
Non-residence, Rejected 

for 522, 755, 757 

Note Book of Oliver Corey 176 
North End 41, 559, 621 

Oath, Freeman's 404 

Oath, Soldier's 217 

Oath of Allegiance 357 

Oathof William Adams. . . 275 
Oath of Capt. Ford. . 253, 366 

Odd Characters 456, 831 

Odd Interjections 464 

Odd Invention 407 

Officers, Town . . 409, 600, 602 
"Old Hundred" Reassures 

Soldiers 227 

Old Line Thespians 459 

Old Laws 405ff 



Pall 676 

Panniers 392 

Paper Money, Deprecia- 
tion of (See Deprecia- 
tion) 296 

Parish, West 699 

Pasturing Horses and 

Cattle 444 

Paupers (See Poor.) 
Pay for Attending Consti- 
tutional Convention . . 284 
Pay for Committee Men 

at Concord 362 

Peat 637, 649 

Pensioners, List of Revolu- 
tionary 284 

Petition of Dunstable. . . . 131 
Petitions, Soldiers' (See 

Soldiers.) 
Petition to Court of Com- 
mon Pleas 356 

Petitions to Governor, Etc. 2, 
3, 4, 29, 31, 36, 86, 103, 
107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 
122, 127, 131, 132, 136, 
137, 146, 148, 152, 160. 
161, 179-188, 359, 364, 
826. 
Physicians (See also Chirur- 
geons) . . 460, 461, 462, 463 

Pillion 392, 547 

Placard, Threatening 114 

Plains 633 

Plantation, Indian 479 

Planters, Planting . . . 600, 810 

Plot Against Dover 129 

Polling on the Common 493, 
601, 685. 

Polls 619, 026. 627 

Ponds 032. 633, 635 

Poor, Care of 61, 599, 627, 811 

Population 626, 627 

Port of Boston, Closing of. 193 

Postage, Rates of 625 

Pothooks 595 

Pound 20, 422, 430, 579, 079, 

814, 818. 
Poverty... 425, 539, 540, 592 

Powder Accounts 89, 132 

Powder Mills . . . 486, 817. 818 
Powder, Stock of 208, 214, 477, 
676. 

Power of Attorney 299 

Practical Jokes 418, 456 

Prayers in Town Meeting 600, 

601. 790. 
Praying Town, Description 

of 78 

Precinct, Wamesit 523 



Precinct, West 476, 477 

Prices of the Necessaries 

of Life 108. 259, 296, 405. 

446. 447. 
Printing in Chelmsford . . . 593 
Prison, Boston (See Boston.) 
Prisoners, Ford Brings, to 

Cambridge 251, 263 

Prisoners in Chelmsford 222, 

223, 237. 
Pronunciation of the Name 639 
Public Worship 47, 406, 410, 

411, 830. 

Quakers ... 114, 240, 406, 627 

Quartering Act 190 

"Queresters" 606, 679 



Railroads 455, 509 

Rates for the Minister 615, 618 

Rates (Taxes) 614 

Rebellion, Records of 
Chelmsford Men in 

the 378flf 

Rebellion, Route of Soldiers 

in Shays' 363 

Rebellion, Shays' 356 

Rebellion, War of the 368 

Recipes, Doctor's 460 

Receipts 837 

Receipt for "doing a turn" 292 
Receipts for Monuments 71, 
240. 

Receipts for Wages 291 

Receipts of Capt. Ford 289, 291 
Religious Controver.siea (See 

Controversies.) 
Religious Organizations (See 
Churches.) 

Rehgious Revivals 697 

Reminiscences 477ff 

Representatives, Instruc- 
tions to 193fif 

Representatives, Rejected 522, 

541, 755, 757. 
Resolve of Provincial Con- 
gress 290 

Resolves, Middlesex . 203, 807 

Revenue, Surplus 625 

Revolution, Chelmsford 
Men Who Lost Their 

Lives in 355 

Revolution _ Drafts and 

Requisitions 294ff 

Revolution Enlistment 

Papers 287ff 

Revolution, Letters from 

Men in 233, 285ff 

Revolution, Monument to 

Soldiers of . 588, 832, 843 
Revolution, Number of 

Chelmsford Men in . . 354 
Revolution, Records of Men 

Who Served in. . 292, 301, 
841. 
Revolution, Route of 

Soldiers in 261 

Revolution, Soldiers of the. 

Buried in Chelmsford 719. 
842. (See List of Illus- 
trations No. 21.) 
Revolution. Some Causes 

of 157, 190, 191, 813 

Revolution Subscription 

Paper 293flf 

Revolution, Town Accounts 

in the 281ff 

Revolution, War of the 190, 

828, 842. 
Ride and Tie 392 



892 



HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD 



Roads, Early (See Streets) 37fF, 

43, 44, 54, 392, 434fF, 439, 

440, 528, 560. 
Roads, State Highways 434, 

436, 437. 

Robin's HiU 393 

Robin's Hill, Clearing of . . 89 
Robin's Hill, House on ... . 62 
Robin's Hill, Origin of 

Name 629 

Route in Shays' Rebellion 363 
Route to Ticonderoga. ... 261 

Rum 297, 462 

Rye and Indian 420 

Rye, Price of 296 

Rye Sent to Boston . . 205, 206 



Sabbath, Breach of . . 124, 407 

Saddle Bags 392 

Sale of John Bate's Effects 290 

Salt 296, 297, 814 

Salt Bought for the Town's 

Use 209, 214, 814 

Salt, Manufacture of .... 424 
Sawmills. . . . 517, 662. 664, 835 
Sawmills, First 35, 50, 51, 52, 

53, 485, 489. 
.Scalps. .130, 139, 145, 163, 833 
School, Chelmsford Classi- 
cal 540, 563, 566. 567, 818 

School Dames 551 

School Districts . 560, 561, 562 

School for the Deaf 582 

School House, First 556 

School, Recent Develop- 
ments in 565 

School, Singing 679. 681, 682, 

813 

School, 'Training 599 

Schools 417, 418, 466, 531. 550, 

785. 
Schools, List of Teachers 

in Chelmsford 842 

"Scoot Train" 510 

Scriptures (See Bible.) 
Seismical Observations . . . 639 

Selectmen, List of 754 

Selectmen May Catechise 405, 

551. 
Selectmen, Railing Against 413 
Selectmen to be Instructed 600, 

755 756. 
Separates ..... 693, 697. 785 
Separation from England, 

Feeling Against 199 

Separation of Church and 

State 697 

Separation of Church and 

Town 683 

September Gale 642 

Settlement 7, 8, 75, 392, 524 
Settlers, First 1, 7, 8, 9, 392 
Settlers on Great Brook ... 45 
Settlers on Stony Brook . . 44 
Shays' Rebellion, Collapse 

of 357 

Shays' Rebellion, Pardon 

for Participants in . . . 357 

Sheep 56, 57, 423, 424, 451 

Sheep Sent to Boston 199, 205, 

281. 

Shoemaker 578 

Shoes 124, 177, 293, 296, 297 

Signalling 62 

Silk Worms 452 

Singing (See Schools) 679, 681, 

682, 686. 

Singing School 813 

Slaves, Indian 76, 85, 99, 102, 

103, 811. 



Slaves, Negro 275, 570, 627, 

786, 811. 

Slit-work 445, 446 

Sloop Joiner 166 

Smallpox 280, 581, 788 

Smoking Tobacco 297, 407, 785, 

838. 
Snow-shoe Company 138fF, 145, 

150, 151. 811, 812. 

Social Distinctions 414 

Social Life 456, 685 

Soldiers, Accoutrement of 87, 

88, 219, 255. 
Soldiers, Bond for Pay of . . 279 

Soldiers, Classes of 275ff 

Soldiers' Diet 425 

Soldiers' Dress 218 

Soldiers, Hardships of 189, 280 
Soldiers, Indians as (See 

Indiana.) 
Soldiers, Impressed 87, 119, 166, 

787. 
Soldiers, Letters of (See 

Letters.) 
Soldiers, Negro. . 274, 275, 284 

Soldiers' Oath 217 

Soldiers of the Revolution 

Buried in Chelmsford 719, 

842. 
Soldiers, Pav of 96, 108, 126, 

150, 153, 263, 264, 268, 

269, 270, 272, 273, 291, 

366. 367. 
Soldiers, Petitions and 

Allowances of 90, 121, 132, 

136, 138, 146, 148, 157, 

158, 159. 160, 161. 174, 

179£f, 189, 235. 
Soldiers Provide Own Arms 88 
Soldiers, Punishment of 124, 

292, 311. 
Soldiers Reassured by "Old 

Hundred" 227 

Soldiers' Receipts for Pay 271, 

288, 289, 291. 
Soldiers Returning from 

War 280 

Soldiers' Wages Paid by 

Towns 96 

Soldiers Who Died in the 

Civil War 819 

Soldiers Who Died in 

Indian Wars 113, 115, 125 

189, 827. 
Soldiers Who Died in the 

Revolution 204, 302, 312, 

321, 335, 349, 355, 807, 

843. 

South End 45, 559, 620 

Speech of Wannalancit. . . 79 
Spelling of Chelmsford... 638 
Spinning and Weaving 417, 451 

Squirrels 431ff 

Stage Coaches 392, 440ff, 818 

Stairs, Men's 678 

Stairs, Women's 678 

Stamp Act 190, 191, 192, 194, 

202, 789. 

States, Union of 214 

Steamboats 508 

Still 43, 530 

Stockades 62, 123 

Stocks 49, 403, 404 

Stony Brook Path 43 

Stony Brook Valley 44 

Store-keepers 402, 829 

Store (Stock), Tovm 89, 132, 

152, 204, 208, 209, 214, 

245, 295, 477, 676, 677, 

689, 813, 815. 



Stoves, Foot 595, 739 

Stoves, Franklin 595 

Stoves in Meeting House 403 

682, 689. 
Strangers, Law Concerning 49, 
576. 

Strawberries 520 

Street Lights 820, 821, 832 

Streets (See Roads) 20. 37«f, 

54, 434fiF. 
Suffrage, Right of 404, 599, 830 

Suffrage, Woman 821 

Sugar 451, §39 

Sugar for Town's Use 209 

Sugar, Manufacture of 424 

Superior Court of Judica- 
ture 574 

Surplus Revenue 625 

Surrender of Burgoyne 238, 
263, 291. 

Swamps 633 

Swine 55, 422, 423, 450 



Tailors 327, 541, 549, 578. 676, 
700, 838. 

Tallow Dips 403, 417 

Tanners . . . 297, 579, 659, 832 

Tavern Keeper's License . . 611 

Taverns and Taverners 58, 396, 

398, 401, 402, 479fif, 480, 

483, 493, 521, 546, 548, 

829, 840. 

Tax, Direct, of 1798 628 

Taxation, Early Forma of. 613 
Taxation, Present Form of 615 
Taxes 59ff, 608, 609, 610, 613- 

622, 627, 628, 811. 
Taxes, Abated (See Abate- 
ment.) 
"Tea Party, Boston" 193, 299 
Territorial Limits 4, 33, 468£f, 

557, 813. 
Theocracy, Puritan 25, 85, 691, 
692, 693, 697. 

Thieves 409 

Ticonderoga, Route to. .. . 261 

Timber, Large 400, 418 

Tinder Boxes 596 

Tithingmen 409 

Titles, Land 76, 465, 468, 469, 
512, 577. 

Titles of Respect 414 

Tobacco, Smoking (See 
Smoking.) 

Tobacco Tong.s 783 

Topography 519, 629 

Town Bounds (See Bounds.) 
Town, Changes in Life of. . 465 
Town, Execution of Judg- 
ment Against . . . 496, 677 

Town Expenses 627 

Town Farm 599 

Town, Governmental 

Powers of 465 

Town Hall 601 

Town House 62, 63, 64, 88, 

601, 685. 
Town House and Stockade 

on Robin's Hill 62flf 

Town, Large and Rich .... 478 

Town Lines 468 

Town Meeting . . 465, 692, 600 
Town Meeting, First .... 12 
Town Meeting, Prayers in 600, 

601, 784, 790. 
Town Meeting, Second . . 13 

Town, Middle of 557, 813 

Town not Centered . . 660, 676 



iMMMMBUMM^a^M^b' 



>^knn««H*iMBi 



INDEX OF TOPICS 



893 



Town of Chelmsford, Devel- 
opment of 46, 465, 473, 
489. 671. 

Town Officers 409, 602, 607, 
754. 

Town, Only One of the 

Name in U. .S. ... 14, 15 

Town, Separation of Church 
and 683 

Town, Settlement of 1. 7, 392, 
524. 

Town Stores (See Store.) 

Town Warrants 606ff 

Trade With Indians 36, 76. 81 
Traditions 8, 12. 21, 53. 62, 

455, 537, 595. 
Tradition About Indians 433, 

434. 

Tradition of April 19th 294 

Tradition of First Site 393 

Traffic and Travel 442flf 

Training Band 210. 255 

Training School 459 

Trammels 547. 595, 783 

Tree Nails 400 

Triangulation Station .... 630 

Truant School 459 

Turkeys, Driving 444 

"Turn, Doing A" 292 

Turnips 420 

Turnpike 439 

Turpentine 811 



Union Jack 410 

Union Parish 685 

Union Parish Dissolved . . . 686 
Unitarians. . 685, 687, 797. 800 

Valley Forge. Chelmsford 

Men at 355 

Valuation 626. 627 

^'endue, Public 290. 462. 599, 

615. 
Verses on Chelmsford Bells 688 

Verses on Col. Parker 234 

Verses on Concord Fight 218, 
219. 

Verses on Fish 420 

Verses on Robin's Hill 630 

Verses on Shays' Rebellion 357 
Verses on The Dark Day . . 641 

Veterans' Association 369 

Veterans, Lists of 370ff 

Village Improvement Asso- 
ciation 459, 587, 594, 820, 
832. 
Votes for Governor Under the 
Constitution, First . . 215 
Voting (See Suffrage.) 

Wamesit Purchase 51 Iff 

Wannalancit, Death of . . 136 
Wannalancit, Influence of. 125 

War, Queen Anne's 138 

War, Civil 368 

War, Dummer's or Love- 

weU's 150, 522 

War. French and Indian 162, 

542ff. 



War, King George's 157 

War, King Philip's 61, 62, 84. 

419, 432, 511, 533, 536. 

537, 538. 
War, King William's 127, 522 
War, Losses in. . 121, 122, 826 

War, Mexican (1848) 367 

War of 1812 367, 486, 506 

Wars. Province 127, 827 

War, Revolutionary 190ff, 559, 

702, 828. 84 Iff. 

War. Spanish (1898) 367 

Warming Pans . . 547, 595, 783 

Warning Out 576ff, 832 

Warrants 606ff 

Watch Tower 629 

Watches 403, 783, plate 34 

Water District 698 

Watering Troughs 595 

Weaving 417, 446, 578 

Wepooositt, Wibecusit 101, 109 

West End 39, 45, 55 

West Indies, Service in . . 156 

West Parish 476, 699 

Wheeled Vehicles 392, 444, 619, 

783, 791. 

Wigs 98, 837. 838 

Wildcats 431 

Wine 419 

Wintcrsnight Tale 448ff 

Witchcraft 69. 96. 571ff 

Wolves .57. 429ff 

Wood. Price of 297,814 

Woodchucks 432 

Wool-Soouring 667-67J 



